Matthew 27:57-66
New English Translation
Jesus’ Burial
57 Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus.[a] 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.[b] Then Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph[c] took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,[d] 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock.[e] Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance[f] of the tomb and went away. 61 (Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there, opposite the tomb.)
The Guard at the Tomb
62 The[g] next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees[h] 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[i] 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[j] a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can.” 66 So[k] they went with the soldiers[l] of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 27:57 sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.
- Matthew 27:58 sn Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Mark 15:43, Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.
- Matthew 27:59 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:59 tn The term σινδών (sindōn) can refer to a linen cloth used either for clothing or for burial.
- Matthew 27:60 tn That is, cut or carved into an outcropping of natural rock, resulting in a cave-like structure (see L&N 19.25).
- Matthew 27:60 tn Or “to the door,” “against the door.”
- Matthew 27:62 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:62 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
- Matthew 27:64 tn Grk “him.”
- Matthew 27:65 tn Grk “You have a guard.”
- Matthew 27:66 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Pilate’s order.
- 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.
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