When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked,
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.
- KJV 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.
- 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.
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 was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,
- Luke 24:3–5They entered in, and didn’t find the Lord Jesus’ body.
- John 20:8So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed.
- Matt 28:3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
- Luke 1:29–30But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
- Luke 1:12Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
- Mark 9:15Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him greeted him.
- Mark 6:49–50but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out;
- Dan 8:17So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was frightened, and fell on my face: but he said to me, Understand, son of man; for the vision belongs to the time of the end.
- Dan 10:5–9I lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, whose thighs were adorned with pure gold of Uphaz:
- Dan 10:12Then he said to me, Don’t be afraid, Daniel; for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard: and I have come for your words’ sake.
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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.