But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
Parallel translations
- WEB But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came.
- BSB Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
- ESV Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
- NKJV Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
- NASB But Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
- NLT One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
Thomas was absent when Jesus appeared to the others. His absence sets up his struggle to believe.
Overview
Thomas, called the Twin, missed the first appearance and so lacked the others' firsthand experience. John notes this to explain Thomas's doubt and to highlight the importance of seeing the risen Lord. The episode will lead to one of the Gospel's greatest confessions of faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- John 11:16Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
- Heb 10:25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
- John 6:66–67From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
- John 21:2There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
- John 14:5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
- Matt 18:20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
- Matt 10:3Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 20:24 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.