Matthew 27:57-66

Common English Bible

Burial

⁵⁷That evening a man named Joseph came. He was a rich man from Arimathea who had become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸He came to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission to take it. ⁵⁹Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had carved out of the rock. After he rolled a large stone at the door of the tomb, he went away. ⁶¹Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting in front of the tomb.

Guard at the tomb

⁶²The next day, which was the day after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate. ⁶³They said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will arise.’ ⁶⁴Therefore, order the grave to be sealed until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people, ‘He’s been raised from the dead.’ This last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵Pilate replied, “You have soldiers for guard duty. Go and make it as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶Then they went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and posting the guard.

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Psalm 31

Common English Bible

Psalm 31

For the music leader. A psalm of David.

31 I take refuge in you, Lord.
    Please never let me be put to shame.
        Rescue me by your righteousness!
²Listen closely to me!
    Deliver me quickly;
        be a rock that protects me;
        be a strong fortress that saves me!
³You are definitely my rock and my fortress.
    Guide me and lead me for the sake of your good name!
⁴Get me out of this net that’s been set for me
    because you are my protective fortress.
⁵I entrust my spirit into your hands;
    you, Lord, God of faithfulness—
    you have saved me.
⁶I hate those who embrace what is completely worthless.
    I myself trust the Lord.
⁷I rejoice and celebrate in your faithful love
    because you saw my suffering—
    you were intimately acquainted with my deep distress.
⁸You didn’t hand me over to the enemy,
    but set my feet in wide-open spaces.

⁹Have mercy on me, Lord, because I’m depressed.
    My vision fails because of my grief,
    as do my spirit and my body.
¹⁰My life is consumed with sadness;
    my years are consumed with groaning.
Strength fails me because of my suffering;^[a]
    my bones dry up.
¹¹I’m a joke to all my enemies,
    still worse to my neighbors.
    I scare my friends,
    and whoever sees me in the street runs away!
¹²I am forgotten, like I’m dead,
    completely out of mind;
    I am like a piece of pottery, destroyed.
¹³Yes, I’ve heard all the gossiping,
    terror all around;
    so many gang up together against me,
        they plan to take my life!

¹⁴But me? I trust you, Lord!
    I affirm, “You are my God.”
¹⁵My future is in your hands.
    Don’t hand me over to my enemies,
    to all who are out to get me!
¹⁶Shine your face on your servant;
    save me by your faithful love!
¹⁷Lord, don’t let me be put to shame
    because I have cried out to you.
Let the wicked be put to shame;
    let them be silenced in death’s domain!^[b]
¹⁸Let their lying lips be shut up
    whenever they speak arrogantly
    against the righteous with pride and contempt!
¹⁹How great is the goodness
    that you’ve reserved for those who honor you,
    that you commit to those who take refuge in you—
        in the sight of everyone!
²⁰You hide them in the shelter of your wings,^[c]
    safe from human scheming.
    You conceal them in a shelter,
    safe from accusing tongues.

²¹Bless the Lord,
    because he has wondrously revealed
    his faithful love to me
    when I was like a city under siege!
²²When I was panicked, I said,
    “I’m cut off from your eyes!”
But you heard my request for mercy
    when I cried out to you for help.

²³All you who are faithful, love the Lord!
The Lord protects those who are loyal,
but he pays the proud back to the fullest degree.
²⁴All you who wait for the Lord,
be strong and let your heart take courage.