Matthew 27:51–66

⁵¹And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook and the rocks were split. ⁵²And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, ⁵³and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

⁵⁴Now the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus, when they^* saw the earthquake and the things that took place, were extremely frightened, saying, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” ⁵⁵And there were many women there, observing from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him, ⁵⁶among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Jesus Is Buried

⁵⁷Now when it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who also was a disciple of Jesus himself. ⁵⁸This man approached Pilate and^* asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it^* to be given to him.^{* 59}And Joseph took the body and^* wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a large stone to the entrance of the tomb and^* went away. ⁶¹Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The Tomb Is Sealed and Guarded

⁶²Now on the next day, which is after the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate, ⁶³saying, “Sir, we remember that while^* that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ ⁶⁴Therefore give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come and^* steal him and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” ⁶⁵Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it^* as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶So they went with the guard of soldiers and^* made the tomb secure by^* sealing the stone.