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The Burial of Jesus
57As
evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had
himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58Going
to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to
him. 59Joseph took the
body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and
placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big
stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
The Guard at the Tomb
62The
next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees
went to Pilate. 63"Sir,"
they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said,
'After three days I will rise again.' 64So
give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise,
his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been
raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first."
65"Take a guard,"
Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." 66So they went and made the tomb
secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
The Resurrection
1After
the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary went to look at the tomb.
2There was a
violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going
to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes
were white as snow. 4The
guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5The angel said to
the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus,
who was crucified. 6He is
not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his
disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.
There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
8So the women
hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his
disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus
met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet
and worshiped him. 10Then
Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to
Galilee; there they will see me."
The Guards' Report
11While
the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported
to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12When the chief priests had met with the elders and
devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13telling them, "You are to
say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were
asleep.' 14If this report
gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." 15So the soldiers took the money
and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated
among the Jews to this very day.
The Great Commission
16Then
the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them
to go. 17When they saw him,
they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then
Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. 19Therefore
go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, 20and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the age."
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