Pilate Sets a Guard

⁶² On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, ⁶³ saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ^(A)‘After three days I will rise.’ ⁶⁴ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come ^[a]by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure, ^(B)sealing the stone and setting the guard.

² And behold, there was a great earthquake; for ^(A)an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone ^[a]from the door, and sat on it. ^3 (B)His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. ⁴ And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like ^(C)dead men.