20:27a

Then Jesus said to Thomas: This expression indicates that although there were other disciples in the room, Jesus now just spoke to Thomas.

Put your finger here and look at My hands: This sentence indicates that Jesus invited Thomas to examine the nail marks by both feeling them and looking at them. The commands Put and look at are singular and are given to Thomas alone. A literal translation of this sentence may suggest that Jesus was inviting Thomas to see with his finger. To avoid this wrong meaning it may help to use two sentences or clauses with no conjunction. For example:

You (sing.) may put your (sing.) finger here. You (sing.) may look at my hands.
-or-
Touch me with your finger. See what my hands look like.
-or-
Put your finger here; see my hands. (New International Version)

In some languages it may be natural to mention first seeing the hands and then touching them. For example:

Look at my hands. Touch them.

Put your finger here: The context indicates that the word here refers to Jesus’ hands. Jesus was probably holding out his hands as he spoke. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

⌊Extending/Showing his hands,⌋ Jesus said, “Touch me…”

your finger: The pronoun your is singular and refers to Thomas. Jesus was speaking to Thomas only.

look at My hands: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as hands refers to the whole hand and the wrist. See the note on 20:25b and how you translated the word there. Jesus was holding out his hands as his spoke so that Thomas could see and touch them. For example:

look, here are my hands (New Jerusalem Bible)

20:27b

Reach out your hand and put it into My side: Jesus was inviting Thomas to put his hand into the wound that the spear made in his side. He said that Thomas could touch and feel the evidence that he was the same man that the soldier had pierced. Here are other ways to translate this sentence:

You may reach out your hand and touch ⌊the mark⌋ in my side.
-or-
Take your hand and stick it in my side. (The Message)

20:27c

Stop doubting and believe: The Greek command that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Stop doubting and believe is more literally “and do not be unbelieving but believing.” The command is again singular and Jesus gave it only to Thomas. The two ideas Stop doubting and believe mean the same thing. Repeating the idea emphasizes the command. Here are other ways to translate this sentence:

Stop doubting and have faith! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe! (New Living Translation (2004))

Stop doubting: The Greek command that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Stop doubting indicates that Thomas should stop doing what he was doing. He was doubting, but Jesus commanded him to stop. Indicate this in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

Do not continue in your unbelief (NET Bible)
-or-
Do not be unbelieving any more (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
No more disbelief. (Common English Bible)

and: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and here connects a negative statement (“Do not doubt”) to a positive statement (“believe”). This kind of sentence emphasizes the positive statement. Languages have different ways to indicate this type of emphasis. Here are some ways to show the emphasis:

• Use the conjunction “but” as in the New Revised Standard Version.

Be unbelieving no longer, but believe. (Revised English Bible)

• Use a conjunction other than “but.” For example:

Stop your doubting, and believe! (Good News Translation)
-or-
Do not doubt but rather believe.

• Do not use a conjunction. For example:

Don’t be uncertain. Believe! (Uma Back Translation)
-or-
Do not doubt any longer. Really believe now. (Yakan Back Translation)

• Change the order of the clauses. For example:

Believe and stop doubting!

You should translate this emphasis in the way that is most natural in your language.

believe: In some languages it may be natural to indicate who or what Thomas was to believe. Thomas was already a believer in Jesus, but he doubted that Jesus was alive again. Jesus wanted him to believe that it was really him and that he had risen from the dead. For example:

believe ⌊that I am alive⌋
-or-
have faith ⌊that it is me⌋

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