New Testament in a Year

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.

⁵⁷ At evening time, a rich man from Arimathea arrived. His name was Joseph, and he had become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸ He went to Pilate and asked to be given Jesus’ body; Pilate assented and ordered his servants to turn Jesus’ body over to Joseph. ⁵⁹ So Joseph took the body, wrapped Jesus in a clean sheath of white linen, ⁶⁰ and laid Jesus in his own new tomb, which he had carved from a rock. Then he rolled a great stone in front of the tomb’s opening, and he went away. ⁶¹ Mary Magdalene was there, and so was the other Mary. They sat across from the tomb, watching, remembering.

⁶² The next day, which is the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went together to Pilate. ⁶³ They reminded him that when Jesus was alive He had claimed that He would be raised from the dead after three days.

⁶⁶ So they went to the tomb, sealed the stone in its mouth, and left the guard to keep watch.