The Resurrection and the Life

¹⁷ When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb^(A) four days. ¹⁸ Bethany was near Jerusalem^(B) (less than two miles^[a] away). ¹⁹ Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother.

²⁰ As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary remained seated in the house. ²¹ Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. ²² Yet even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

²³ “Your brother will rise^(C) again,” Jesus told her.

²⁴ Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”^(D)

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am^(E) the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me,^(F) even if he dies, will live.^{(G) 26} Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.^(H) Do you believe this?”

²⁷ “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe you are the Messiah,^(I) the Son^(J) of God, who comes into the world.”^(K)

The Empty Tomb

20 On^(A) the first day of the week^(B) Mary Magdalene^(C) came to the tomb^(D) early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone^(E) had been removed from the tomb. ² So she went running to Simon Peter^(F) and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb,^(G) and we don’t know where they’ve put him!”

³ At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. ⁵ Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths^(H) lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. ⁷ The wrapping^(I) that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths^(J) but was folded up in a separate place by itself. ⁸ The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. ⁹ For they did not yet understand the Scripture^(K) that he must rise^(L) from the dead.^{(M) 10} Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

¹¹ But^(N) Mary stood outside the tomb,^(O) crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. ¹² She saw two angels^(P) in white sitting where Jesus’s body^(Q) had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. ¹³ They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“Because they’ve taken away my Lord,”^(R) she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”

¹⁴ Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus.^{(S) 15} “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?”

Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic,^[a] “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.”^(T)

¹⁷ “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended^(U) to the Father.^(V) But go to my brothers^(W) and tell them that I am ascending to my Father^(X) and your Father, to my God^(Y) and your God.”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” ^(Z) And she told them what^[b] he had said to her.

³⁴ Who is the one who condemns?^(A) Christ Jesus is the one who died,^(B) but even more, has been raised;^(C) he also is at the right hand of God^(D) and intercedes for us.^(E)

Resurrection Essential to the Faith

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead,^(A) how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”?^{(B) 13} If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁴ and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith.^{[a] 15} Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses^(C) about God, because we have testified^(D) wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ^(E) have also perished. ¹⁹ If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.

Christ’s Resurrection Guarantees Ours

²⁰ But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits^(F) of those who have fallen asleep.