The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’(A) 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body(B) and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 “Take a guard,”(C) Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal(D) on the stone(E) and posting the guard.(F)

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The Guard at the Tomb

62 The[a] next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees[b] assembled before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body[c] and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “Take[d] a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can.” 66 So[e] they went with the soldiers[f] of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 27:62 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  2. Matthew 27:62 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
  3. Matthew 27:64 tn Grk “him.”
  4. Matthew 27:65 tn Grk “You have a guard.”
  5. Matthew 27:66 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Pilate’s order.
  6. Matthew 27:66 tn Grk “with the guard.” The words “soldiers of the” have been supplied in the translation to prevent “guard” from being misunderstood as a single individual.

62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

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