And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
Parallel translations
- WEB Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed.
- BSB When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
- NKJV And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
- NASB And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed.
- NLT When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked,
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
Inside they see a young man in a white robe and are amazed. An angelic messenger awaits them at the empty tomb.
Overview
The 'young man' in a white robe is understood as an angel, his appearance signaling a heavenly announcement. The women's amazement is the natural response to the supernatural. Where they came to tend a corpse, they instead encounter a messenger ready to proclaim the resurrection.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- John 20:11–12But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
- Luke 24:3–5And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
- John 20:8Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
- Matt 28:3His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
- Luke 1:29–30And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
- Luke 1:12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
- Mark 9:15And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
- Mark 6:49–50But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
- Dan 8:17So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
- Dan 10:5–9Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:
- Dan 10:12Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 16:5 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.