⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?

¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead,^(A) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!^(B) And I hold the keys of death and Hades.^(C)

⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe^(A) sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene,^(B) who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.

To the Church in Smyrna

⁸ “To the angel of the church in Smyrna^(A) write:

¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.^{(A) 13} But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid,^(B) Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.^(C)

³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.^{(A) 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,^(B) for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

¹⁹ “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,”^(A) he said. “Peace!^(B) Be strong now; be strong.”^(C)

When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”^(D)

¹⁶ Then one who looked like a man^[a] touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak.^(A) I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish^(B) because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak.

⁷ I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it,^(A) but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. ⁸ So I was left alone,^(B) gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left,^(C) my face turned deathly pale^(D) and I was helpless.^{(E) 9} Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.^(F)

¹⁰ A hand touched me^(G) and set me trembling on my hands and knees.^{(H) 11} He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed,^(I) consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up,^(J) for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.

¹² Then he continued, “Do not be afraid,^(K) Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble^(L) yourself before your God, your words^(M) were heard, and I have come in response to them.^(N)