Section 20:24–29
Jesus appeared to Thomas
Thomas was not in the room when Jesus showed himself to the other disciples. He did not believe the other disciples when they said that Jesus rose from the dead. He wanted to see himself. A week later Jesus showed himself to his disciples again and Thomas was there. He told Thomas to touch the wounds on his body. That way he would know that it was Jesus and believe that he had risen from the dead. When Thomas saw Jesus’ wounds, he realized that he was his Lord and his God.
Here are other possible section headings:
Jesus invited Thomas to touch his wounds
-or-
Thomas saw Jesus and believed
-or-
Thomas saw Jesus and realized that he was God
20:24
Now: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Now here introduces some background information. It is not a time word. The background information is that Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus went to them. This information explains why the disciples told Thomas that they had seen Jesus. Introduce the background information in this verse in a way that is natural in your language.
Thomas called Didymus: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible transliterates as Didymus means “twin.” This disciple had two names: Thomas and Didymus. The name Thomas comes from a Hebrew word meaning “twin,” and Didymus is a Greek word meaning “twin.” See also the note at 11:16a and how you translated the same expression there. Here are other ways to translate this expression:
Thomas (called Didymus) (New International Version)
-or-
Thomas the Twin (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Thomas (nicknamed the Twin) (New Living Translation (2004))
one of the Twelve: The word Twelve here refers to the twelve (12) closest disciples of Jesus. This number included Judas, who was no longer a follower of Jesus and may have already died. Thomas was one of the 12 disciples whom Jesus specially chose. See Mark 3:14–15. In many languages it is good to make explicit who the Twelve refers to. See the way that you translated “disciple” in 20:19, 20. For example:
one of the twelve disciples (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
one of Jesus’ twelve ⌊chosen followers⌋
was not with the disciples when Jesus came: On Easter evening, Thomas was not in the room with the other disciples. He did not see Jesus then. Here are other ways to translate this expression:
was not with the disciples when Jesus came (New International Version)
-or-
was not present with the other disciples at the time when Jesus came to them
-or-
was absent the evening that Jesus appeared
General Comment on 20:24
This verse tells three things about Thomas. First, it tells his nickname, or an extra name that people sometimes called him. It also tells that he was one of the Twelve and that he was absent on Easter night when Jesus came. There are several ways to rearrange the information in this verse part. For example:
One of the Twelve, Thomas the Twin, was not with the rest when Jesus came. (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, who was called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came. (God’s Word)
-or-
On the day when Jesus appeared, Thomas (also called Twin), one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, was not with the other disciples.
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