Jesus Rises From the Dead

24 It was very early in the morning on the first day of the week. The women took the spices they had prepared. Then they went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from it. 3When they entered the tomb, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4They were wondering about this.

Suddenly two men in clothes as bright as lightning stood beside them. 5The women were terrified. They bowed down with their faces to the ground.

Then the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6Jesus is not here! He has risen! Remember how he told you he would rise. It was while he was still with you in Galilee. 7He said, ‘The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people. He must be nailed to a cross. On the third day he will rise from the dead.’ ”

8Then the women remembered Jesus’ words.

9They came back from the tomb. They told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them were the ones who told the apostles. 11But the apostles did not believe the women. Their words didn’t make any sense to them.

12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent over and saw the strips of linen lying by themselves. Then he went away, wondering what had happened.

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.”

Jesus Is Taken Up Into Heaven

50Jesus led his disciples out to the area near Bethany. Then he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he left them. He was taken up into heaven.

52Then they worshiped him. With great joy, they returned to Jerusalem. 53Every day they went to the temple, praising God.