Matthew 27:62–28:15

The Guard at the Tomb

27:62 The104 next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees105 assembled before Pilate 27:63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 27:64 So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body106 and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 27:65 Pilate said to them, “Take107 a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can.” 27:66 So108 they went with the soldiers109 of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

The Resurrection

28:1 Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 28:2 Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord1 descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. 28:3 His2 appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 28:4 The3 guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. 28:5 But the angel said4 to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know5 that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.6 28:6 He is not here, for he has been raised,7 just as he said. Come and see the place where he8 was lying. 28:7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. He9 is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you!” 28:8 So10 they left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 28:9 But11 Jesus met them, saying, “Greetings!” They12 came to him, held on to his feet and worshiped him. 28:10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”

The Guards’ Report

28:11 While13 they were going, some14 of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. 28:12 After15 they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 28:13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole his body16 while we were asleep.’ 28:14 If17 this matter is heard before the governor,18 we will satisfy him19 and keep you out of trouble.”20 28:15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story is told among the Jews to this day.21

Read more Share

104	tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
105	sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
106	tn Grk “him.”
107	tn Grk “You have a guard.”
108	tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Pilate’s order.
109	tn Grk “with the guard.” The words “soldiers of the” have been supplied in the translation to prevent “guard” from being misunderstood as a single individual.
1	tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.
2	tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
3	tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
4	tn Grk “But answering, the angel said.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
5	tn Grk “for I know.”
6	sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
7	tn The verb here is passive (ἠγέρθη, ēgerthē). This “divine passive” (see ExSyn 437–38) points to the fact that Jesus was raised by God.
8	tc Expansions on the text, especially when the Lord is the subject, are a common scribal activity. In this instance, since the subject is embedded in the verb, three major variants have emerged to make the subject explicit: ὁ κύριος (ho kurios, “the Lord”; A C D L W 0148 f1, 13 𝔐 lat), τὸ σῶμα τοῦ κυρίου (to sōma tou kuriou, “the body of the Lord”; 1424 pc), and ὁ Ἰησοῦς (ho Iēsous, “Jesus”; Φ). The reading with no explicit subject, however, is superior on both internal and external grounds, being supported by א B Θ 33 892* pc co.
9	tn Grk “And behold he.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
10	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s instructions to tell the disciples.
11	tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate that the return of the women from the tomb was interrupted by this appearance of Jesus. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
12	tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
13	tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
14	tn Grk “behold, some of the guard.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
15	tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
16	tn Grk “him.”
17	tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
18	tn Here ἐπί (epi) followed by the genitive = “before,” especially in the language of lawsuits (BDAG 363 s.v. 3).
19	tc ‡ αὐτόν (auton, “him”) is found after πείσομεν (peisomen, “we will satisfy”) in the majority of witnesses, though it seems to be motivated by a need for clarification and cannot therefore easily explain the rise of the shorter reading (which is found in א B Θ 33 pc). Nevertheless, English style requires the pronoun. NA 27 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
20	tn Grk “and you will not have to be worried” = “we will keep you out of trouble.”
21	tc ‡ The word ἡμέρας (hēmeras, “day”) is found after σήμερον (sēmeron, “today, this [day]”) in some early and important witnesses (B D L Θ lat), but may be a clarifying (or perhaps redundant) note. The shorter reading (found in א A W 0148vid f1, 13 33 𝔐) is thus preferred. NA 27 includes the word in brackets, indicating reservations about its authenticity.

A service of Logos Bible Software