Chapter 7

027:057 Towards sunset there came a wealthy inhabitant of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself also had become a disciple of Jesus.

027:058 He went to Pilate and begged to have the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered it to be given to him.

027:059 So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean sheet of fine linen.

027:060 He then laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn in the solid rock, and after rolling a great stone against the door of the tomb he went home.

027:061 Mary of Magdala and the other Mary were both present there, sitting opposite to the sepulchre.

027:062 On the next day, the day after the Preparation, the High Priests and the Pharisees came in a body to Pilate.

027:063 "Sir," they said, "we recollect that during his lifetime that impostor pretended that after two days he was to rise to life again.

027:064 So give orders for the sepulchre to be securely guarded till the third day, for fear his disciples should come by night and steal the body, and then tell the people that he has come back to life; and so the last imposture will be more serious than the first."

027:065 "You can have a guard," said Pilate: "go and make all safe, as best you can."

027:066 So they went and made the sepulchre secure, sealing the stone besides setting the guard.

028:001 After the Sabbath, in the early dawn of the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary came to see the sepulchre.

028:002 But to their amazement there had been a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord had descended from Heaven, and had come and rolled back the stone, and was sitting upon it.

028:003 His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.

028:004 For fear of him the guards trembled violently, and became like dead men.

028:005 But the angel said to the women, "As for you, dismiss your fears. I know that it is Jesus that you are looking for-- the crucified One.

028:006 He is not here: He has come back to life, as He foretold. Come and see the place where He lay.

028:007 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead and is going before you into Galilee: there you shall see Him. Remember, I have told you."

028:008 They quickly left the tomb and ran, still terrified but full of unspeakable joy, to carry the news to His disciples.

028:009 And then suddenly they saw Jesus coming to meet them. "Peace be to you," He said. And they came and clasped His feet, bowing to the ground before Him.

028:010 Then He said, "Dismiss all fear! Go and take word to my brethren to go into Galilee, and there they shall see me."

028:011 While they went on this errand, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the High Priests every detail of what had happened.

028:012 So the latter held a conference with the Elders, and after consultation with them they heavily bribed the soldiers,

028:013 telling them to say, "His disciples came during the night and stole his body while we were asleep."

028:014 "And if this," they added, "is reported to the Governor, we will satisfy him and screen you from punishment."

028:015 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this story was noised about among the Jews, and is current to this day.

028:016 As for the eleven disciples, they proceeded into Galilee, to the hill where Jesus had arranged to meet them.

028:017 There they saw Him and prostrated themselves before Him. Yet some doubted.

028:018 Jesus however came near and said to them, "All power in Heaven and over the earth has been given to me.

028:019 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations; baptize them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit;

028:020 and teach them to obey every command which I have given you. And remember, I am with you always, day by day, until the Close of the Age."