The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Parallel translations
- KJV The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
- BSB So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”
- ESV So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
- NKJV The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
- NASB So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
- NLT They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
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 refuses to believe without seeing and touching Jesus' wounds. His demand voices honest, stubborn doubt.
Overview
Thomas insists on tangible proof, the nail marks and pierced side, before he will believe. His skepticism is not unique; the others also doubted until they saw. Far from embarrassing the church, Thomas's demand shows that the disciples were not gullible, and it sets up Jesus' gracious answer to honest doubt.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- John 6:30They said therefore to him, “What then do you do for a sign, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you do?
- Mark 16:11When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved.
- Heb 3:18To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient?
- Ps 78:32For all this they still sinned, and didn’t believe in his wondrous works.
- Heb 3:12Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God;
- Ps 95:8–10Don’t harden your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
- Ps 78:11–22They forgot his doings, his wondrous deeds that he had shown them.
- Ps 106:21–24They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,
- John 20:14–20When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus.
- Acts 10:40–41God raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed,
- Luke 24:34–41saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
- Job 9:16If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I wouldn’t believe that he listened to my voice.
- Matt 16:1–4The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
- Heb 10:38–39But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
- John 21:7That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around him (for he was naked), and threw himself into the sea.
- Luke 24:25He said to them, “Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
- Matt 27:42“He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.
- John 1:41He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ ).
- Acts 5:30–32The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.
- 1 Cor 15:5–8and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
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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.
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Original language
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