Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!”
Parallel translations
- KJV Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
- BSB Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
- NKJV Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
- NASB Jesus *said to her, “Mary!” She turned and *said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).
- NLT “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus calls her by name, 'Mary,' and she recognizes him. The Good Shepherd's voice awakens recognition and joy.
Overview
At the personal word 'Mary,' recognition floods in, and she responds 'Rabboni,' Teacher. This fulfills Jesus' own teaching that his sheep know his voice and he calls them by name (John 10:3-4). The moment is intensely personal, showing that the risen Christ knows and calls each of his own.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 25
- John 10:3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
- John 1:38Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), “where are you staying?”
- John 5:2Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew, “Bethesda”, having five porches.
- Song 5:2I was asleep, but my heart was awake. It is the voice of my beloved who knocks: “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my hair with the dampness of the night.”
- Acts 10:3At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
- Gen 22:1After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
- Matt 23:7–10the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men.
- John 11:28When she had said this, she went away, and called Mary, her sister, secretly, saying, “The Teacher is here, and is calling you.”
- Gen 22:11Yahweh’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
- Song 2:8–17The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills.
- Luke 10:41Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
- Song 3:4I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me.
- Exod 33:17Yahweh said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”
- Isa 43:1But now Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel says: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.
- John 3:2The same came to him by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
- John 1:49Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!”
- Exod 3:4When Yahweh saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the middle of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Here I am.”
- Gen 45:12Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.
- John 6:25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
- Matt 14:27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.”
- John 13:13You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am.
- 1 Sam 3:10Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”
- Acts 9:4He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
- 1 Sam 3:6Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!” Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He answered, “I didn’t call, my son. Lie down again.”
- John 20:28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 20:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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