Jesus said to her must be stated more fully in some languages, for example, “Jesus called her by name” or “Jesus spoke her name in addressing her.”

Mary did not recognize who Jesus was until he spoke to her by name, then she turned toward him. In Greek she turned toward him and said in Hebrew is literally “turning she said to him in Hebrew.” The expression in Hebrew (5.2; 19.13,17,20) means “in Aramaic.” According to John the meaning of this word is Teacher (so also Revised Standard Version, Moffatt, New American Bible, Barclay). Some ancient scribes evidently felt that the use of Teacher to address the risen Lord was too weak, and so they changed their manuscripts to read either “Lord, Teacher” or “Teacher, Lord” but the textual support for this reading is very weak. Other scribes felt that the transition between verses 16 and 17 needed improving, and so they added, after the word Teacher, “and she ran forward to touch him.” That Mary would address Jesus as Teacher is perfectly natural in this situation, since this was obviously the title by which she had known him. She … said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” may be rendered “she spoke to him in the Hebrew language saying, Rabboni” or “she spoke a Hebrew word, ‘Rabboni.’ ” However, it may be more satisfactory to say “she … said ‘Rabboni’ (this is a word in the Hebrew language which means ‘Teacher’).”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .