Bible Strands
John 11:16
Then Thomas called Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Thomas, identified by the nickname Didymus, speaks to the fellow disciples immediately after Jesus announces His plan to return to Judea (John 11:15). The statement occurs at the moment the group must choose whether to follow Jesus into a region where they face hostility.
The words — οὖν (oun) renders as “therefore,” functioning as a logical connector to Jesus’s preceding command. συμμαθηταῖς (summathētais) translates to “fellow disciples,” denoting the specific audience receiving Thomas’s proposal.
The thread — The motif of disciples volunteering to share Jesus’s fate appears in John 13:37 and Matthew 26:35, where Peter similarly vows to die with Him. Thomas is named in the apostolic list of Matthew 10:3, confirming his inclusion among the Twelve.
Why it lands — The verse records a factual acknowledgment of mortal danger paired with a commitment to accompany Jesus regardless of the result. It places the reader before the reality that following Jesus requires acceptance of risk without guarantee of deliverance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
Cross-references
- John 13:37 “Lord,” said Peter, “why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.”
- Matthew 10:3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
- Matthew 26:35 Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.
- Mark 3:18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,
- Luke 6:15 Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus and Simon called the Zealot;
- John 14:5 “Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?”
- John 20:24 Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
- John 21:2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
- Luke 22:33 “Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”
- John 11:8 “Rabbi,” they replied, “the Jews just tried to stone You, and You are going back there?”