Matthew 27:45-56

The Voice

⁴⁵ And then, starting at noon, the entire land became dark. It was dark for three hours. ⁴⁶ In the middle of the dark afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice.

⁴⁸ One bystander grabbed a sponge, steeped it in vinegar, stuck it on a reed, and gave Jesus the vinegar to drink.

⁵⁰ And then Jesus cried out once more, loudly, and then He breathed His last breath. ⁵¹ At that instant, the temple curtain was torn in half, from top to bottom. The earth shook; rocks split in two; ⁵² tombs burst open, and bodies of many sleeping holy women and men were raised up. ⁵³ After Jesus’ resurrection, they came out of their tombs, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and showed themselves to people.

⁵⁴ When the Centurion and soldiers who had been charged with guarding Jesus felt the earthquake and saw the rocks splitting and the tombs opening, they were, of course, terrified.

⁵⁵ A number of women, who had been devoted to Jesus and followed Him from Galilee, were present, too, watching from a distance. ⁵⁶ Mary Magdalene was there, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.