A literal rendering of woman in an expression of direct discourse may be misleading in some languages, since this term is often used for “wife.” Unless some other expression of polite address can be employed, it may be best to omit the word (compare verse 13).

In Greek this verse begins with the words Jesus asked her (literally “Jesus says to her”). Good News Translation divides Jesus’ question into two parts, placing the words Jesus asked her in the middle. This stylistic device adds dramatic effect to the narrative in English. Jesus’ first question, why are you crying? is the same one the angels asked Mary in verse 13.

She is a demonstrative pronoun in Greek (literally “that woman”), while the verb rendered thought in Good News Translation is a participle (Revised Standard Version “supposing”).

The Greek word for gardener (kēpouros) appears only here in the New Testament, though this word is often found in the nonbiblical papyri. The mention of the gardener is in keeping with John’s information that the tomb was in a garden (19.41). Gardener may be rendered “one who worked in the garden” or “one who took care of the plants in the garden.”

In Mary’s words to the angel, sir comes first in the Greek sentence structure. This same word can also mean “Lord,” but not in this context, in which Mary does not recognize who Jesus is (verse 14). The rendering sir is also used in 4.11 (see there).

If you took him away must be rendered in some languages “if you carried away the body (of Jesus).” Similarly, the two other occurrences of the pronoun him later in this same verse must be so rendered as to make clear that Jesus’ corpse is meant.

I will go and get him is more literally “I will take him away” (Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, New American Bible). The action of “going,” though not expressed explicitly in the Greek, is implicit in the context, and so Good News Translation (note also Jerusalem Bible and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) includes this information. Mary intends to go and get the body of Jesus from the place to which it has been taken and return it to 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 .