John 11:20

John 11:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
• New International Version (NIV)When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.
• New Living Translation (NLT)When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house.

Context of John 11:20

18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

John 11:20 word by word

Ἡ οὖν Μάρθα, ὡς ἤκουσεν ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἔρχεται, ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ· Μαριὰμ δὲ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ ἐκαθέζετο.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• MarthaΜάρθαMartha · MarthaG3136
• as soon asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• she heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• was comingἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• went and metὑπαντάωhupantaō · to go meetG5221
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• butδέde · thenG1161
• MaryΜαρίαMaria Mariam · MaryG3137
• satκαθέζομαιkathezomai · to sit downG2516
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the houseοἶκοςoikos · house: homeG3624

Cross-references for John 11:20

• John 11:30Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.
• Matthew 25:1“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
• Acts 10:25As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
• Acts 28:15And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Commentaries on John 11:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Martha - went and met him - Some suppose she was the eldest of the two sisters - she seems to have had the management of the house. See Luke 10:40. Mary sat still in the house - It is likely that by this circumstance the evangelist intended to convey the idea of her sorrow and distress; because anciently afflicted persons were accustomed to put themselves in this posture, as expressive of their distress; their grief having rendered them as it were…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Then Martha … - To Martha was intrusted the management of the affairs of the family, Luke 10:40. It is probable that she first heard of his coming, and, without waiting to inform her sister, went immediately out to meet him. See John 11:28. Sat still in the house - The word “still” is not in the original. It means that she remained sitting in the house. The common posture of grief among the Jews was that of sitting, Job 2:8; Ezekiel 8:14. Often this grief…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-32Verses 17-32 Here was a house where the fear of God was, and on which his blessing rested; yet it was made a house of mourning. Grace will keep sorrow from the heart, but not from the house. When God, by his grace and providence, is coming towards us in ways of mercy and comfort, we should, like Martha, go forth by faith, hope, and prayer, to meet him. When Martha went to meet Jesus, Mary sat still in the house; this temper formerly had been an advantage…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-57The resurrection of Lazarus points to the future death and resurrection of Jesus. The description of Lazarus’s tomb is similar to the description of the tomb Jesus was placed in after he died (11:38, 44; 20:1, 7). Both accounts mention a cave and burial cloths. These details connect the two events and help us see that Lazarus’s story is a sign. Soon after Lazarus was raised, a woman anointed Jesus for burial (12:3). This act prepared him for his coming…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2220-22. Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him--true to the energy and activity of her character, as seen in Lu 10:38-42. (See on Lu 10:38-42). but Mary sat ... in the house--equally true to her placid character. These undesigned touches not only charmingly illustrate the minute historic fidelity of both narratives, but their inner harmony.Read the comment

Topics related to John 11:20

• Friendship
• Jesus, the Christ
• Miracles
• Readings, Select
• Sorrow

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Martha
• Awake
• Lazarus
• Mary
• Mourn
• Bethany
• Dead
• John, Gospel of
• Olives, Mount of

Commentaries on John 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings