The Greek verb translated saw is in the present tense, used to make more vivid the narration of a past event.

In the Synoptic accounts of the Empty Tomb story, where John speaks of two angels, Mark has “a young man” (16.5) and Luke has “two men” (24.4); in the Emmaus story (Luke 24.23) the disciples refer to a vision of angels. According to Matthew 28.2, “an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled the stone away, and sat on it.” The mention of white (Matt 28.3; Mark 16.5; John 20.12) or “bright shining clothes” (Luke 24.4) is an indication of heavenly origin.

For a discussion of the arrangement of the interior of the tomb, see comments at verse 1.

In some languages angels are spoken of as “messengers from God” or sometimes as “heavenly messengers.”

The phrases which qualify the dress and position of the angels must often be expressed as separate sentences. Accordingly, verse 12 may be translated “and saw two angels there. They were dressed in white garments. They were sitting where the body of Jesus had been. One was sitting where his head had been, and the other was where his feet had been.” Instead of “dressed in white garments,” one may say in some languages “their clothes were white.”

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 .