Matthew 27:57–66

The Burial of Jesus

27:57–61pp—Mk 15:42–47; Lk 23:50–56; Jn 19:38–42

⁵⁷As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. ⁵⁹Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰and placed it in his own new tombⁱ that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. ⁶¹Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

⁶²The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ⁶³“Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’^{j 64}So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body^k and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵“Take a guard,”^l Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal^m on the stoneⁿ and posting the guard.^o