After the resurrection, Jesus has Thomas test his wounds after which Thomas expresses his trust in the resurrection. This is the last verse of Jesus's words in John.
John 20:29...Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
John 20:29 Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Ὅτι ἑώρακάς με πεπίστευκας;
Because you have observed me, you have trusted.
μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες.
Fortunate the ones not seeing and trusting.
We can trust in life after death without understanding it.
Because you have observed me, you have trusted. Fortunate the ones not seeing and trusting.
Jesus uses two different verbs for "see" in this verse. The first verb, applied to Thomas, refers to seeing in person. The second "see." applied to those who have not seen, is a more common verb, but it also has to sense of knowing. Its past perfect form, "have seen," is best translated as "know" or "understand" in the same way we use "I see" to mean "I understand." That verb, however, is not in the past perfect tense. That is a mistranslation. However, the negative used with it is the not the objective but the subjective negative, implying less physical seeing and more the sense of understanding.
The word translated as "believe" doesn't refer to religious belief as much as trusting something. The word translated as "blessed" means "fortunate" and should not be confused with a religious blessing, which is a different word. So Jesus is saying we don't have to understand to trust in him.
- OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "Thomas" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "seen" is not the common word usually translated as "see."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "believe" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "blessed" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "they" is not the common word usually translated as "they."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "that" doesn't exist in the source.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "seen" is not an active verb but a participle, "seeing."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "yet" doesn't exist in the source.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "believed" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "seen" is not the common word usually translated as "see."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "believe" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "blessed" does not capture the word's specific meaning
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "who" doesn't exist in the source.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "seen" is not an active verb but a participle, "seeing."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "yet" doesn't exist in the source.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "have" indicates the past perfect tense, but the tense is something that happens at a specific point in time (past, present, or future).
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "believed" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
Thomas, -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "Thomas" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.
because -- The word translated as "because" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore." Jesus usually uses this word to mean "because."
thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
hast -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past.
seen -- (CW) "See" is from a Greek verb, which means "to see with the eyes," "to look," and "to observe." It has the sense of sighting something. Jesus uses this word often to mean "watch out" or "look out" as a warning but another verb is better translated as "watch" so "look" works more consistently.
me, -- "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek as the object of the verb or preposition. As the object of a preposition, an accusative object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement.
thou -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
hast -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past.
believed: -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words.
blessed -- (CW) The word "blessed" in Greek is an adjective a noun meaning "happy" or "fortunate" but with the sense of being favored by God. However, it does not refer to a religious blessing. It can also mean "wealthy" within the sense of "the wealthy" (men with a fortune).
are -- There is no verb "are" here in the Greek source but it is implied by the noun in the form of a subject having no verb associated with it.
they -- (CW) The word translated as "they" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
that -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "that" in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
not -- The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" or "think" something, not that it isn't done or thought. With the verb "to be," the sense is "doesn't seem." When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. This is the negative used with commands or requests. Used with an imperative to express a will or wish. Used in negative "when" and "if" clauses.
seen, -- (WF) The verb translated as "seen" means "to see" but it is used like we use the word "see" to mean "to know" or "to perceive." In th KJV, it is almost translated as many times as "know" as it is "see." This is not an active verb but a participle.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
yet -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "yet" in the Greek source.
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
believed. -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words.
Because -- The word translated as "because" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore." Jesus usually uses this word to mean "because."
you -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
have -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past.
seen -- (CW) "See" is from a Greek verb, which means "to see with the eyes," "to look," and "to observe." It has the sense of sighting something. Jesus uses this word often to mean "watch out" or "look out" as a warning but another verb is better translated as "watch" so "look" works more consistently.
me, -- "Me" is the regular first-person pronoun in Greek as the object of the verb or preposition. As the object of a preposition, an accusative object indicates movement towards something or a position reached as a result of that movement.
you -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
have -- This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past.
believed: -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words.
blessed -- (CW) The word "blessed" in Greek is an adjective a noun meaning "happy" or "fortunate" but with the sense of being favored by God. However, it does not refer to a religious blessing. It can also mean "wealthy" with in the sense of "the wealthy" (men with a fortune).
are -- There is no verb "are" here in the Greek source but it is implied by the noun in the form of a subject having no verb associated with it.
those -- The word translated as "those" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
who -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "who " in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
not -- The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" or "think" something, not that it isn't done or thought. With the verb "to be," the sense is "doesn't seem." When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. This is the negative used with commands or requests. Used with an imperative to express a will or wish. Used in negative "when" and "if" clauses.
seen, -- (WF) The verb translated as "seen" means "to see" but it is used like we use the word "see" to mean "to know" or "to perceive." In th KJV, it is almost translated as many times as "know" as it is "see." This is not an active verb but a participle.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
yet -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "yet" in the Greek source.
have -- (WT) This helping verb "have" indicates that the verb is the tense indicating an action completed in the past. This is not the tense of the verb here.
believed. -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words.
Ὅτι [332 verses](adv/conj) "Because" is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that," "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
ἑώρακάς [20 verses](verb 2nd sg perf ind act ) "Thou hast seen" is from horao, which means "to see with the eyes," "to look," "to observe," "see," "aim," "have sight," "behold," "keep in sight," and as a metaphor of mental sight, "discern," and "perceive." Jesus often uses it as a warning as we would use "watch out" or "look out."
με [49 verses](pron 1st sg masc acc) "Me" is eme, which is the objective first-person, objective, singular pronoun that means "me."
πεπίστευκας; [69 verses](verb 2nd sg perf ind act ) "Thou hast believed" is pisteuo, which means "to trust, put faith in, or rely on a person," "to believe in someone's words," "to comply," "to feel confident in a thing," and "to entrust in a thing."
μακάριοι [25 verses](adj sg masc nom ) "Blessed" is makarios which means "blessed," "prosperous," "happy," "fortunate," and "blissful."
οἱ [821 verses](adj pl masc nom ) "They that" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
μὴ [447 verses](conj) "Not" is me , which is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no." As οὐ (ou) negates fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. With pres. or aor. subj. used in a warning or statement of fear, "take care" It can be the conjunction "lest" or "for fear that." Used before tis with an imperative to express a will or wish for something in independent sentences and, with subjunctives, to express prohibitions.
ἰδόντες [166 verses](part pl aor act masc nom ) "Have...seen" is eido which means "to see," "to examine," "to perceive," "to behold," "to know how to do," "to see with the mind's eye," and "to know."
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
πιστεύσαντες. [69 verses](part pl aor act masc nom ) "Have believed" is pisteuo, which means "to trust, put faith in, or rely on a person," "to believe in someone's words," "to comply," "to feel confident in a thing," and "to entrust in a thing." -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "believe" does not apply to religious belief as much but trusting or relying upon other people, especially their words. Jesus usually uses it in contexts, such as the one here, that apply to trusting words. CW - Confusing Word -- The "believe" does not capture the word's specific meaning.