Appearances of Jesus Christ after His Resurrection
First appearance to Mary Magdalene alone.
Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first
to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and
told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when
they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not
believe. Mark 16:9-11
But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped
down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting,
one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had
lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to
them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where
they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and
saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus
said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She,
supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have
carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him
away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him,
“Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling
to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren
and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to
My God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that
she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. John
20:11-18
Second appearance to the other women.
But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I
know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is
risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go
quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and
indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.
Behold, I have told you.” So, they went out quickly from the tomb with
fear and great joy and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they
went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!”
So, they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus
said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to
Galilee, and there they will see Me.” Matthew 28:5-10
Third appearance to Simon Peter or Cephas.
So, they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the
eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The
Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” And they told about
the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them
in the breaking of bread. Luke 24:33-35
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was
buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 1
Corinthians 15:3-5
Fourth appearance on the road to Emmaus.
After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked
and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but
they did not believe them either. Mark 16:12-13
Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village
called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked
together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they
conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with
them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have
with one another as you walk and are sad?” Then the one whose name was
Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in
Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in
these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” So, they said to Him,
“The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in
deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests
and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death and crucified
Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.
Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things
happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the
tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came
saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was
alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found
it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.” Then He said
to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the
prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these
things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the
Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things
concerning Himself. Then they drew near to the village where they were
going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they
constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and
the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to
pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and
broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they
knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one
another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on
the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:13-32
Fifth appearance to disciples without Thomas.
Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of
them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and
frightened and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them,
“Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold
My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a
spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” When He had
said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still
did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any
food here?” So, they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some
honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence. Luke 24:36-43
Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when
the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the
Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be
with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His
side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So, Jesus
said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also
send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to
them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they
are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when
Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen
the Lord." So, he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of
the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my
hand into His side, I will not believe.” John 20:19-25
Sixth appearance to disciples with Thomas.
And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with
them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and
said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here,
and look at My hands; and reach your hand here and put it into My side.
Do not be unbelieving but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to
Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas because you have
seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
have believed.” John 20:26-29
Seventh appearance to several disciples at the Sea of Galilee.
After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the
Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: Simon Peter, Thomas
called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and
two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I
am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They
went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught
nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore;
yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to
them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He
said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will
find some.” So, they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in
because of the multitude of fish. Therefore, that disciple whom Jesus
loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that
it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it)
and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little
boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits),
dragging the net with fish. Then, as soon as they had come to land,
they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus
said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish,
one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net
was not broken. Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none
of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the
Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and
likewise the fish. This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to
His disciples after He was raised from the dead. So, when they had
eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do
you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that
I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a
second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him,
“Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love
Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I
love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. Most assuredly, I say to
you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you
wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and
another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He
spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had
spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” Then Peter, turning around,
saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His
breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”
Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remains till I come, what is that
to you? You follow Me.” John 21:1-22
Eighth appearance to disciples on Galilee mountain.
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which
Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him;
but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:16-20
Ninth appearance to numerous other disciples.
After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom
the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 1
Corinthians 15:6-7
Tenth appearance to disciples at His ascension from the Mount of Olives.
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I
was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were
written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning
Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the
Scriptures. Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was
necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third
day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in
His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses
of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but
tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on
high.” And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His
hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them,
that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. Luke 24:44-51
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart
from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He
said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but
you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord,
will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to
them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has
put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken
up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked
steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them
in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand
gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into
heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is
near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. Acts 1:4-12
Eleventh appearance to the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus.
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of
the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the
synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way,
whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he
journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him
from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to
him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are
You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So, he, trembling and
astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said
to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must
do.” Acts 9:1-6
“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and
commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I
saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and
those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground,
I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language,
‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick
against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am
Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I
have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a
witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which
I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as
well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes,
in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an
inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’” Acts
26:12-18
Twelfth appearance to the Apostle John on the island of Patmos.
I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom
and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos
for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the
Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a
trumpet, saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the
Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven
churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to
Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” Then I turned
to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven
golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like
the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded
about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like
wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet
were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the
sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His
mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the
sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as
dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be
afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead,
and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades
and of Death. Write the things which you have seen, and the things
which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery
of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden
lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and
the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” Revelation
1:9-20