^15:42Now⁶⁶ when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath),⁶⁷^15:43Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council,⁶⁸ who was himself looking forward to⁶⁹ the kingdom of God,⁷⁰ went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.⁷¹^15:44Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He⁷² called the centurion and asked him if he had been dead for some time. ^15:45When Pilate⁷³ was informed by the centurion,⁷⁴ he gave the body to Joseph. ^15:46After Joseph⁷⁵ bought a linen cloth⁷⁶ and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock.⁷⁷ Then⁷⁸ he rolled a stone across the entrance⁷⁹ of the tomb.

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Footnotes

66 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic and introduction of a new character.
67 The day of preparation was the day before the Sabbath when everything had to be prepared for it, as no work could be done on the Sabbath.
68 Grk “a councillor” (as a member of the Sanhedrin, see L&N 11.85). This indicates that some individuals among the leaders did respond to Jesus.
69 Or “waiting for.”
70 Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, this remark that he was looking forward to the kingdom of God and his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.
71 Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.
72 Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
73 Grk “he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
74 See the note on the word centurion in .
75 Grk “he”; the referent (Joseph of Arimathea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
76 The term σινδών (sindōn) can refer to a linen cloth used either for clothing or for burial.
77 That is, cut or carved into an outcropping of natural rock, resulting in a cave-like structure (see L&N 19.25).
78 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
79 Or “to the door,” “against the door.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When it was already evening, because it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Sanhedrin who was himself looking forward to the kingdom of God, came and boldly went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had already died. When he found out from the centurion, he gave the corpse to Joseph. After he bought some linen cloth, Joseph took him down and wrapped him in the linen. Then he laid him in a tomb cut out of the rock and rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.

NLTNew Living Translation

This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.) Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet. The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And when it was already evening, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the council who was also himself looking forward to the kingdom of God, came acting courageously and went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate was surprised that he was already dead, and summoning the centurion, asked him whether he had died already. And when he learned of it from the centurion, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And after purchasing a linen cloth and taking him down, he wrapped him in the linen cloth and placed him in a tomb that had been cut from the rock. And he rolled a stone over the entrance of the tomb.

KJV 1900King James Version

And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counseller, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.

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