In Greek this verse continues the sentence begun in verse 4 (literally “and bending over…”). Care must be exercised in the translation of bent over, since it might be taken to mean “looked down at his feet” with the implication that the linen cloths were left in a pile outside the tomb. It may be necessary in some languages to translate “he stooped down and looked in and saw the linen cloths” or “he bent over to look in and saw the linen cloths.”

We are not told why the other disciple did not go in, and speculation is useless. This verse implies that there was now at least some daylight, otherwise the other disciple would not have been able to see the linen cloths (the same word discussed in 19.40) when he looked into the tomb.

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 .