Readings for Lent and Easter

The burial of Jesus

³⁸ After this, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate if he could take Jesus’ body away. He was a disciple of Jesus, but he kept it secret because he was afraid of the Judaeans. Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took his body. ³⁹ Nicodemus came too (the man who, at first, had visited Jesus by night). He brought a concoction of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds in weight. ⁴⁰ They took Jesus’ body, and wrapped it up in cloths with the spices, according to the normal Judaean burial custom.

⁴¹ There was a garden in the place where he was crucified. In the garden, there was a new tomb in which nobody had ever been buried. ⁴² So, because the tomb was nearby, and because of the Judaean day of Preparation, they buried Jesus there.