Book of Common Prayer

¹⁵ And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (the number of names that were together was about a hundred and twenty), and said, ¹⁶ Men and brethren, this scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was a guide to those who took Jesus. ¹⁷ For he was numbered with us, and had obtained fellowship in this ministry. ¹⁸ And this Judas has now possessed a plot of ground with the reward of iniquity, and when he was hanged, burst in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out. ¹⁹ And this is known to all the inhabiters of Jerusalem, insomuch that this field is called in their mother tongue Akel Dama; that is to say, the Field of Blood.

²⁰ It is written in the book of Psalms: Let his habitation be void, and let no one dwell in it; and his office, let another take. ²¹ Therefore, of these men who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning at the baptism of John to the same day that he was taken up from us, one must bear witness with us of his resurrection.

²³ And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴ And they prayed, saying, You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which of these two you have chosen, ²⁵ so that one may take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas, by transgression, fell, that he might go to his own place.

²⁶ And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

⁵⁵ And many women were there, watching him from afar – those who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. ⁵⁶ Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.

⁵⁷ When the evening was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, which man also was Jesus’ disciple. ⁵⁸ He went to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

⁵⁹ And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and put it in his new tomb, which he had hewn out even in the rock. He rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed. ⁶¹ And there were Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, sitting across from the sepulchre.

⁶² The next day, which followed the day of preparing the Sabbath, the high priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate ⁶³ and said, Sir, we remember what this deceiver said while he was still alive: After three days, I will arise again. ⁶⁴ Command therefore that the sepulchre be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come and steal him away, and say to the people that he is risen from the dead, and the last error be worse than the first.

⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, Take watchmen; go and make it as secure as you can. ⁶⁶ And they went and made the sepulchre secure with watchmen, and sealed the stone.