The Grave of Jesus ^(A)

⁵⁷ When it was evening, a rich man came from the city of Arimathea. His name was Joseph. He was a follower of Jesus also. ⁵⁸ He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate said that the body should be given to him. ⁵⁹ Joseph took the body and put clean linen cloth around it. ⁶⁰ He laid it in his own new grave. This grave had been cut out in the side of a rock. He pushed a big stone over the door of the grave and went away. ⁶¹ Mary Magdalene and the other Mary stayed there. They were sitting near the grave.

⁶² The next day, the day after Jesus was killed, the head religious leaders and the proud religious law-keepers gathered together in front of Pilate. ⁶³ They said, “Sir, we remember what that Man Who fooled people said when He was living, ‘After three days I am to rise from the dead.’ ⁶⁴ Speak the word to have the grave watched for three days. Then His followers cannot come at night and take Him away and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ The last mistake would be worse than the first.” ⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, “Take the soldiers. Go and watch the grave.” ⁶⁶ Then they went and made the soldiers stand by the grave. They put a lock on the big stone door.

The Grave of Jesus ^(A)

⁵⁰ There was a man named Joseph who belonged to the court. He was a good man and one who did right. ⁵¹ This man did not agree with what the court did. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews. He was looking for the holy nation of God to come. ⁵² Joseph went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

⁵³ Then he took it down and put it in linen cloth. It was laid in a grave which had been cut out in the side of a rock. This grave had never been used.

⁵⁴ It was time to get ready for the Day of Rest which was about to begin. ⁵⁵ The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed behind. They saw the grave and how His body was laid. ⁵⁶ They went back and got some spices and perfumes ready. But they rested on the Day of Rest as the Law said to do.

The Grave of Jesus ^(A)

³⁸ Joseph was from the town of Arimathea. He was a follower of Jesus but was afraid of the Jews. So he worshiped without anyone knowing it. He asked Pilate if he could take away the body of Jesus. Pilate said he could. Then Joseph came and took it away. ³⁹ Nicodemus came also. The first time he had come to Jesus had been at night. He brought with him a large box of spices. ⁴⁰ Then they took the body of Jesus with the spices and put it in linen cloths. This was the way the Jews made a body ready for the grave.

⁴¹ There was a garden near the place where He had been nailed to the cross. In the garden there was a new grave in the side of the hill. No one had ever been laid there. ⁴² This place was near by. Because it was the day the Jews got ready for the special religious gathering, they laid Jesus in it.