Many Women Support Christ’s Work

8 Afterward he was traveling from one town and village to another,^(A) preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God.^(B) The Twelve were with him, ² and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses:^(C) Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out^(D) of her); ³ Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions.

³⁷ Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed his last. ³⁸ Then the curtain^(A) of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he^[a] breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” ^[b](B)

⁴⁰ There^(C) were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene,^(D) Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. ⁴¹ In Galilee^(E) these women followed him and took care of him. Many other women had come up with him to Jerusalem.^(F)

The Burial of Jesus

⁴² When^(G) it was already evening, because it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Sanhedrin who was himself looking forward^(H) to the kingdom of God,^(I) came and boldly went to Pilate^(J) and asked for Jesus’s body.^{(K) 44} Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had already died. ⁴⁵ When he found out from the centurion, he gave the corpse to Joseph. ⁴⁶ After he bought some linen cloth, Joseph took him down and wrapped him in the linen. Then he laid him in a tomb^(L) cut out of the rock and rolled a stone^(M) against the entrance to the tomb. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene^(N) and Mary the mother of Joses were watching where he was laid.

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.

Prayer for Spiritual Growth

⁹ For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking^(A) that you may be filled with the knowledge^(B) of his will^(C) in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,^{[a] 10} so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work^(D) and growing in the knowledge of God,^{(E) 11} being strengthened^(F) with all power,^(G) according to his glorious^(H) might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you^[b] to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.^{(I) 13} He has rescued^(J) us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom^(K) of the Son^(L) he loves.^{(M) 14} In him we have redemption,^[c] the forgiveness of sins.