| 1 | And, on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices they had prepared. |
| 2 | But they found the stone rolled back from the tomb, |
| 3 | and on entering they found that the body of the Lord Jesus was not there. |
| 4 | At this they were in great perplexity, when suddenly there stood by them two men whose raiment flashed like lightning. |
| 5 | The women were terrified; but, as they stood with their faces bowed to the ground, the men said to them, 'Why do you search among the dead for Him who is living? |
| 6 | He is not here. He has come back to life. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, |
| 7 | when He told you that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.' |
| 8 | Then they remembered His words, |
| 9 | and returning from the tomb they reported all this to the Eleven and to all the rest. |
| 10 | The women were Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; and they and the rest of the women related all this to the Apostles. |
| 11 | But the whole story seemed to them an idle tale; they could not believe the women. |
| 12 | Peter, however, rose and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw nothing but the linen cloths: so he went away to his own home, wondering at what had happened. |
| 13 | On that same day two of the disciples were walking to Emmaus, a village seven or eight miles from Jerusalem, |
| 14 | and were conversing about all these recent events; |
| 15 | and, in the midst of their conversation and discussion, Jesus Himself came and joined them, |
| 16 | though they were prevented from recognizing Him. |
| 17 | 'What is the subject,' He asked them, 'on which you are talking so earnestly, as you walk?' And they stood still, looking full of sorrow. |
| 18 | Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered, 'Are you a stranger lodging alone in Jerusalem, that you have known nothing of the things that have lately happened in the city?' |
| 19 | 'What things?' He asked. 'The things about Jesus the Nazarene,' they said, 'who was a Prophet powerful in work and word before God and all the people; |
| 20 | and how our High Priests and Rulers delivered Him up to be sentenced to death, and crucified Him. |
| 21 | But we were hoping that it was He who was about to ransom Israel. Yes, and moreover it was the day before yesterday that these things happened. |
| 22 | And, besides, some of the women of our company have amazed us. They went to the tomb at daybreak, |
| 23 | and, finding that His body was not there, they came and declared to us that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. |
| 24 | Thereupon some of our party went to the tomb and found things just as the women had said; but Jesus Himself they did not see.' |
| 25 | 'O dull-witted men,' He replied, 'with minds so slow to believe all that the Prophets have spoken! |
| 26 | Was there not a necessity for the Christ thus to suffer, and then enter into His glory?' |
| 27 | And, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them the passages in Scripture which refer to Himself. |
| 28 | When they had come near the village to which they were going, He appeared to be going further. |
| 29 | But they pressed Him to remain with them. 'Because,' said they, 'it is getting towards evening, and the day is nearly over.' So He went in to stay with them. |
| 30 | But as soon as He had sat down with them, and had taken the bread and had blessed and broken it, and was handing it to them, |
| 31 | their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. But He vanished from them. |
| 32 | 'Were not our hearts,' they said to one another, 'burning within us while He talked to us on the way and explained the Scriptures to us?' |
| 33 | So they rose and without an hour's delay returned to Jerusalem, and found the Eleven and the rest met together, who said to them, |
| 34 | 'Yes, it is true: the Master has come back to life. He has been seen by Simon.' |
| 35 | Then they related what had happened on the way, and how He had been recognized by them in the breaking of the bread. |
| 36 | While they were thus talking, He Himself stood in their midst and said, 'Peace be to you!' |
| 37 | Startled, and in the utmost alarm, they thought they were looking at a spirit; |
| 38 | but He said to them, 'Why such alarm? And why are there such questionings in your minds? |
| 39 | See my hands and my feet--it is my very self. Feel me and see, for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see I have.' |
| 40 | And then He showed them His hands and His feet. |
| 41 | But, while they still could not believe it for joy and were full of astonishment, He asked them, 'Have you any food here?' |
| 42 | And they gave Him a piece of roasted fish, |
| 43 | and He took it and ate it in their presence. |
| 44 | And He said to them, 'This is what I told you while I was still with you--that everything must be fulfilled that is written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me.' |
| 45 | Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, |
| 46 | and He said, 'Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise again from among the dead; |
| 47 | and that proclamation would be made, in His name, of repentance and forgiveness of sins to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem. |
| 48 | You are witnesses as to these things. |
| 49 | And remember that I am about to send out my Father's promised gift to rest upon you. But, as for you, wait patiently in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.' |
| 50 | And He brought them out to within view of Bethany, and then lifted up His hands and blessed them. |
| 51 | And while He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into Heaven. |
| 52 | They worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. |
| 53 | Afterwards they were continually in attendance at the Temple, blessing God. |