John 11:20

Contemporary English Version

When Martha heard that Jesus had arrived, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to greet him. But Mary stayed home.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Martha assone as she hearde yt Iesus was comynge went and met him: but Mary sate still in the housse.

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore Marta, when she heard that Yeshua was coming, went and met him, but Miryam stayed in the house.

International Standard Version
As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home.

New American Standard Bible
So then Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed in the house.

New Century Version
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed home.

Update Bible Version
Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary still sat in the house.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat in the house.

English Standard Version
So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.

World English Bible
Therefore Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him; but Mary sat in the house.

Weymouth's New Testament
Martha, however, as soon as she heard the tidings, "Jesus is coming," went to meet Him; but Mary remained sitting in the house.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor as Martha herde, that Jhesu cam, sche ran to hym; but Mary sat at home.

English Revised Version
Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary still sat in the house.

Berean Standard Bible
So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him; but Mary stayed at home.

Amplified Bible
So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him, while Mary remained sitting in the house.

American Standard Version
Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary still sat in the house.

Bible in Basic English
When Martha had the news that Jesus was on the way, she went out to him, but Mary did not go from the house.

Complete Jewish Bible
So when Marta heard that Yeshua was coming, she went out to meet him; but Miryam continued sitting shiv‘ah in the house.

Darby Translation
Martha then, when she heard Jesus is coming, went to meet him; but Mary sat in the house.

Etheridge Translation
Then Martha, when she heard that Jeshu had come, went forth to meet him; but Mariam sat in the house.

Murdock Translation
And Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went out to meet him; but Mary was sitting in the house.

King James Version (1611)
Then Martha, as soone as shee heard that Iesus was comming, went and met him: but Mary sate still in the house.

New Living Translation
When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house.

New Life Bible
Martha heard that Jesus was coming and went to meet Him. Mary stayed in the house.

New Revised Standard
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Martha, when shee heard that Iesus was comming, went to meete him: but Mary sate still in the house.

George Lamsa Translation
When Martha heard that Jesus had come, she went out to meet him; but Mary sat in the house.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Martha, therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet him; but, Mary, in the house, remained sitting.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Martha therefore, as soon as she heard that Jesus was come, went to meet him: but Mary sat at home.

Revised Standard Version
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in the house.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Martha assoone as she hearde that Iesus was commyng, went and met hym: but Marie sate styll in the house.

Good News Translation
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house.

Christian Standard Bible®
As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary remained seated in the house.

King James Version
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

Lexham English Bible
Now Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

Literal Translation
Then when Martha heard that Jesus is coming, she met Him; but Mary was sitting in the house.

Young's Literal Translation
Martha, therefore, when she heard that Jesus doth come, met him, and Mary kept sitting in the house.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now wha Martha herde yt Iesus came, she wete to mete him. But Mary satt styl at home.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet him: but Mary stay'd at home.

New English Translation
So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

New King James Version
Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

Simplified Cowboy Version
When Martha heard Jesus was there, she ran out to meet him. Mary stayed inside.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house.

Legacy Standard Bible
Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

Contextual Overview

¹⁷ When Jesus got to Bethany, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. ¹⁸ Bethany was only about two miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁹ and many people had come from the city to comfort Martha and Mary because their brother had died. ²⁰ When Martha heard that Jesus had arrived, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house. ²¹ Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² Yet even now I know that God will do anything you ask." ²³ Jesus told her, "Your brother will live again!" ²⁴ Martha answered, "I know that he will be raised to life on the last day, when all the dead are raised." ²⁵ Jesus then said, "I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die. ²⁶ And everyone who lives because of faith in me will never really die. Do you believe this?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

as soon: John 11:30, Matthew 25:1, Matthew 25:6, Acts 10:25, Acts 28:15, 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Reciprocal: John 11:28 - and called

Cross-References

Luke 3:35
Serug, Reu, Peleg, Eber, Shelah;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming,.... Which she might hear of, either by a messenger sent by Christ to her, to acquaint her of it; or rather by some of the people of the town, who knew him, and ran and told her of it; and she being an active person, and stirring about house, might receive the report unknown to her sister, as it seems she did; and as soon as she had the hint, without staying to communicate it to her sister,

went and met him; either through her great affection to him, and eager desire of seeing him; or to consult his safety, and let him know what number of Jews were in their house, that he might consider whether it would be safe for him to be at their house or not.

But Mary sat [still] in the house; not out of disrespect to Jesus, or through want of affection to him, or through any indifference and sloth, but because she knew not that Jesus was coming; see

John 11:28.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then Martha ... - To Martha was intrusted the management of the affairs of the family, Luke 10:40. It is probable that she first heard of his coming, and, without waiting to inform her sister, went immediately out to meet him. See John 11:28.

Sat still in the house - The word “still” is not in the original. It means that she remained sitting in the house. The common posture of grief among the Jews was that of sitting, Job 2:8; Ezekiel 8:14. Often this grief was so excessive as to fix the person in astonishment, and render him immovable, or prevent his being affected by any external objects. It is possible that the evangelist meant to intimate this of Mary’s grief. Compare Ezra 9:3-4; Nehemiah 1:4; Isaiah 47:1.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 11:20. Martha - went and met him — Some suppose she was the eldest of the two sisters - she seems to have had the management of the house. See Luke 10:40.

Mary sat still in the house. — It is likely that by this circumstance the evangelist intended to convey the idea of her sorrow and distress; because anciently afflicted persons were accustomed to put themselves in this posture, as expressive of their distress; their grief having rendered them as it were immovable. See Ezra 9:3-4; Nehemiah 1:4; Psalms 137:1; Isaiah 47:1; Luke 1:79; and Matthew 27:61.