The world of the story
Why were the doors locked? The Tyndale Open Study Notes on John 20:19 say that the disciples feared prosecution for following Jesus.
Source: Tyndale Open Study Notes · CC BY-SA 4.0
New TestamentBeginner II · Story 15John 20:19-20; John 20:24-29
Thomas Was Not There
On the evening of the first day of the week, the disciples are together, and the doors are locked. Jesus comes and stands in the middle, and he shows them his hands and his side. Thomas is not with them. After eight days Jesus comes again, and this time Thomas is there.
Start this storyStory + 4 lessons · ~39 min · free
The words in this story
4 words you will really use: they appear in the story and in the exercises, and come back for review in the next stories.
door
the way into a room or a house, which you open and close
noun
middle
the center of a place or of a group
noun
side
one part of something, such as the left or the right part of the body
noun
show
to let someone see something
verb
What you'll discover
The moments of the story, in the order they happen.
With the doors locked, Jesus comes, stands in the middle and shows the disciples his hands and his side.
Thomas is not there. The other disciples tell him they have seen the Lord, but Thomas does not believe them.
After eight days Thomas is with the disciples. The doors are locked, and Jesus comes again.
Jesus tells Thomas to see Jesus’ hands and to put his hand into Jesus’ side. Thomas answers, and Jesus replies.
Original verse
The verse that closes the story, in the World English Bible. After 4 lessons, this is how you read it: the real text, with nothing simplified.
John 20:25 · WEB
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.”
Context
One detail about the scene, with the work it comes from.
What a story looks like
First the whole story, in simple English with audio for every sentence. Then 4 short lessons, each with a piece of the story, a tip and exercises. At the end, the Bible verse and a little celebration.
- The story · 18 sentences, with the meaning of each word on tap, 3 quick questions about the story
- 4 lessons · a piece of the story, a tip and exercises in each one
- The original verse · the Bible text, unadapted, then the next story
Questions about this story
Which Bible passage is this story from?
John 20:19-20 and 20:24-29, in the World English Bible: Jesus comes to his disciples, and then he comes again when Thomas is with them.
When did Jesus first come to the disciples in this story?
John 20:19 says that it was evening on the first day of the week, and that the doors were locked where the disciples were.
What did Jesus show the disciples?
John 20:19-20 says that, when Jesus had said “Peace be to you,” he showed them his hands and his side.
Who was not with the disciples the first time?
John 20:24 says that Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
What did the other disciples say to Thomas?
John 20:25 says that they said to him, “We have seen the Lord!”
When did Jesus come again?
John 20:26 says that Jesus came after eight days, when Thomas was with the disciples, and that the doors were locked.
Other questions:Do I need to know English?Does Biblup teach doctrine?
More stories in this course
More stories from the New Testament course, in order.
Story 16Acts 2
Pentecost
On Pentecost, people from every nation hear the disciples in their own languages: a story in English.
Psalm readingPsalms 110
The Lord Said to My Lord
A place at the right hand, a footstool and a rod of strength, read line by line.
Story 17Acts 3
The Man at the Beautiful Gate
A man at the Beautiful Gate stands and walks: a story in English.
Start this story
18 sentences in simple English, with audio. The first lesson of the course needs no sign-up and no card.
Start this story