Daily Bread: Saturday, Jan 01, 2000

Jesus Has Risen^(A)

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene^(B) and the other Mary^(C) went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake,^(D) for an angel^(E) of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone^(F) and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.^{(G) 4} The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid,^(H) for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.^(I) Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.^(J) There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them.^(K) “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers^(L) to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Guards’ Report

¹¹ While the women were on their way, some of the guards^(M) went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away^(N) while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor,^(O) we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So 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.