Frasen den lärjunge som Jesus älskade (grekiska: ὁ μαθητὴς ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ho mathētēs hon ēgapā ho Iēsous) eller, i John 20:2, lärjungen älskad av Jesus (grekiska: ὃν ἐφίλει ὁ Ἰησοῦς, hon ephilei ho Iēsous) förekommer sex gånger i Johannesevangeliet,[1] men inte i någon annan del av Nya testamentet.
^John 13:23, John 19:26, John 20:2, John 21:7, John 21:20
^Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History Book iii. Chapter xxiii.
^Baltz, Frederick (2011) The Mystery of the Beloved Disciple: New Evidence, Complete Answer. Infinity Publishing, ISBN 978-0-7414-6205-3
^King, Karen L. (2003) Why All the Controversy? Mary in the Gospel of Mary., "Which Mary? The Marys of Early Christian Tradition", sid:74. F. Stanley Jones, ed. Brill
^Tabor, James D. (2006) The Jesus Dynasty: The Hidden History of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of Christianity, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0-7432-8724-1