Luke 24:13–49

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³That same day two of Jesus’ followers were going to a village called Emmaus. It was about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.

¹⁵As they talked about those things, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them. ¹⁶But God kept them from recognizing him.

¹⁷Jesus asked them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?”

They stood still, and their faces were sad. ¹⁸One of them was named Cleopas. He said to Jesus, “You must be a visitor to Jerusalem. If you lived there, you would know the things that have happened there in the last few days.”

¹⁹“What things?” Jesus asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet. He was powerful in what he said and did in the eyes of God and all of the people. ²⁰The chief priests and our rulers handed Jesus over to be sentenced to death. They nailed him to a cross. ²¹But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to set Israel free. Also, it is the third day since all this happened.

²²“Some of our women amazed us too. Early this morning they went to the tomb. ²³But they didn’t find his body. So they came and told us what they had seen. They saw angels, who said Jesus was alive. ²⁴Then some of our friends went to the tomb. They saw it was empty, just as the women had said. They didn’t see Jesus’ body there.”

²⁵Jesus said to them, “How foolish you are! How long it takes you to believe all that the prophets said! ²⁶Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and then receive his glory?”

²⁷Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures. He began with Moses and all the Prophets.

²⁸The two men approached the village where they were going. Jesus acted as if he were going farther. ²⁹But they tried hard to keep him from leaving. They said, “Stay with us. It is nearly evening. The day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰He joined them at the table. Then he took bread and gave thanks. He broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. But then he disappeared from their sight.

³²They said to each other, “He talked with us on the road. He opened the Scriptures to us. Weren’t our hearts burning inside us during that time?”

³³They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them. They were all gathered together. ³⁴They were saying, “It’s true! The Lord has risen! He has appeared to Simon!”

³⁵Then the two of them told what had happened to them on the way. They told how they had recognized Jesus when he broke the bread.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

³⁶The disciples were still talking about this when Jesus himself suddenly stood among them. He said, “May peace be with you!”

³⁷They were surprised and terrified. They thought they were seeing a ghost.

³⁸Jesus said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do you have doubts in your minds? ³⁹Look at my hands and my feet. It is really I! Touch me and see. A ghost does not have a body or bones. But you can see that I do.”

⁴⁰After he said that, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹But they still did not believe it. They were amazed and filled with joy.

So Jesus asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

⁴²They gave him a piece of cooked fish. ⁴³He took it and ate it in front of them.

⁴⁴Jesus said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you. Everything written about me must happen. Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms must come true.”

⁴⁵Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶He told them, “This is what is written. The Christ will suffer. He will rise from the dead on the third day. ⁴⁷His followers will preach in his name. They will tell others to turn away from their sins and be forgiven. People from every nation will hear it, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You have seen these things with your own eyes.

⁴⁹“I am going to send you what my Father has promised. But for now, stay in the city. Stay there until you have received power from heaven.”