Luke 24:13-50

New Century Version

Jesus on the Road to Emmaus

¹³ That same day two of Jesus’ followers were going to a town named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and began walking with them, ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ Then he said, “What are these things you are talking about while you walk?”

The two followers stopped, looking very sad. ¹⁸ The one named Cleopas answered, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know what just happened there?”

¹⁹ Jesus said to them, “What are you talking about?”

They said, “About Jesus of Nazareth. He was a prophet who said and did many powerful things before God and all the people. ²⁰ Our leaders and the leading priests handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. ²¹ But we were hoping that he would free Israel. Besides this, it is now the third day since this happened. ²² And today some women among us amazed us. Early this morning they went to the tomb, ²³ but they did not find his body there. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels who said that Jesus was alive! ²⁴ So some of our group went to the tomb, too. They found it just as the women said, but they did not see Jesus.”

²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “You are foolish and slow to believe everything the prophets said. ²⁶ They said that the Christ must suffer these things before he enters his glory.” ²⁷ Then starting with what Moses and all the prophets had said about him, Jesus began to explain everything that had been written about himself in the Scriptures.

²⁸ They came near the town of Emmaus, and Jesus acted as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they begged him, “Stay with us, because it is late; it is almost night.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When Jesus was at the table with them, he took some bread, gave thanks, divided it, and gave it to them. ³¹ And then, they were allowed to recognize Jesus. But when they saw who he was, he disappeared. ³² They said to each other, “It felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us.”

³³ So the two followers got up at once and went back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven apostles and others gathered. ³⁴ They were saying, “The Lord really has risen from the dead! He showed himself to Simon.”

³⁵ Then the two followers told what had happened on the road and how they recognized Jesus when he divided the bread.

Jesus Appears to His Followers

³⁶ While the two followers were telling this, Jesus himself stood right in the middle of them and said, “Peace be with you.”

³⁷ They were fearful and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost. ³⁸ But Jesus said, “Why are you troubled? Why do you doubt what you see? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have a living body as you see I have.”

⁴⁰ After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ While they still could not believe it because they were amazed and happy, Jesus said to them, “Do you have any food here?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish. ⁴³ While the followers watched, Jesus took the fish and ate it.

⁴⁴ He said to them, “Remember when I was with you before? I said that everything written about me must happen—everything in the law of Moses, the books of the prophets, and the Psalms.”

⁴⁵ Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He said to them, “It is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day ⁴⁷ and that a change of hearts and lives and forgiveness of sins would be preached in his name to all nations, starting at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ I will send you what my Father has promised, but you must stay in Jerusalem until you have received that power from heaven.”

Jesus Goes Back to Heaven

⁵⁰ Jesus led his followers as far as Bethany, and he raised his hands and blessed them.