The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Prologue: The Word and the Announcements
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning, and through him, all things were made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind, a light that shines in the darkness and cannot be overcome. This Word, the true light that gives light to everyone, was in the world he had made, but the world did not recognize him. He came to his own, but they did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him and believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
During the reign of King Herod of Judea, an angel named Gabriel appeared to a priest named Zacharias, promising that his barren wife, Elisabeth, would bear a son named John, who would prepare the way for the Lord. Because Zacharias doubted, he was struck mute until the child's birth. Six months later, Gabriel was sent to Nazareth in Galilee to a virgin named Mary, who was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The angel announced that she had found favor with God and would conceive a son by the Holy Spirit, whom she was to name Jesus. He would be called the Son of the Most High, and his kingdom would never end. Mary accepted this, and soon after, visited her cousin Elisabeth, whose unborn child leaped in her womb upon hearing Mary’s greeting.
The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus Christ
This is the account of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. The genealogy from Abraham to David spans fourteen generations, from David to the Babylonian exile another fourteen, and from the exile to the Christ, fourteen more. While Luke traces his lineage from his supposed father Joseph all the way back to Adam, the son of God, Matthew records the line through David's son Solomon.
Before Mary and Joseph came together as man and wife, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, a righteous man, planned to dismiss her quietly, but an angel appeared to him in a dream, telling him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, for the child was conceived of the Holy Spirit. He was to be named Jesus, for he would save his people from their sins, fulfilling the prophecy that a virgin would give birth to a son called Emmanuel, meaning "God with us." Joseph did as the angel commanded, taking Mary as his wife but having no union with her until she gave birth.
At that time, a decree from Caesar Augustus required everyone to be registered in their ancestral town. Joseph went from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the town of David, with Mary, who was expecting. While they were there, she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in cloths, and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Nearby, shepherds watching their flocks were visited by an angel who announced the birth of a Savior, Christ the Lord. A host of angels then appeared, praising God. The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem, found the baby as described, and spread the news, while Mary treasured these events in her heart.
The Early Life of Jesus
After Jesus was born, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, having seen his star. They asked King Herod where the new king of the Jews was born. Troubled, Herod consulted the chief priests, who told him the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Herod secretly met the wise men, telling them to find the child and report back so he too could worship him. The star guided them to the house where they found Jesus with Mary. They bowed down, worshipped him, and presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went home by another route.
An angel then warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus, because Herod was going to search for the child to kill him. They escaped by night and stayed until Herod's death, fulfilling the prophecy, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." Enraged at being outwitted, Herod ordered the slaughter of all boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under.
After Herod died, an angel told Joseph to return to Israel. Hearing that Herod's son Archelaus was ruling Judea, Joseph was afraid and, being warned in another dream, went instead to the district of Galilee and settled in a town called Nazareth. There, the child grew, became strong in spirit, and was filled with wisdom and the grace of God. His parents went to Jerusalem every year for Passover. When Jesus was twelve, he stayed behind in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking questions, astonishing everyone with his understanding. When his worried parents found him, he asked, "Did you not know I must be in my Father's house?" He then returned to Nazareth and was obedient to them, increasing in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man.
The Ministry of John the Baptist
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, John, the son of Zacharias, began preaching in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He was the voice prophesied by Isaiah, crying out to prepare the way for the Lord. Clothed in camel's hair with a leather belt, eating locusts and wild honey, he drew crowds from all over Judea, who confessed their sins and were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
John warned the Pharisees and Sadducees who came for baptism, calling them a "brood of vipers" and telling them to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. He declared that ancestry from Abraham was not enough, for God could raise up children for Abraham from stones. He preached that one mightier than he was coming, whose sandals he was not worthy to untie. John baptized with water, but the one to come would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire, separating the wheat from the chaff. When asked what they should do, he told the people to share their possessions, tax collectors not to collect more than required, and soldiers to be content with their pay. Herod the tetrarch, whom John had rebuked for marrying his brother's wife, Herodias, eventually had John imprisoned.
The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus
Jesus, now about thirty years old, came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John hesitated, saying he needed to be baptized by Jesus, but Jesus insisted it was proper to fulfill all righteousness. As Jesus came up from the water, the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God descended on him like a dove. A voice from heaven declared, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." John later testified that he saw the Spirit descend and remain on Jesus, recognizing him as the Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus was led into the wilderness, where he fasted for forty days and forty nights and was tempted by the devil. First, the tempter challenged him to turn stones into bread, but Jesus answered that man does not live on bread alone. Next, the devil took him to a high mountain, offered him all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship, but Jesus rebuked him, quoting Scripture: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." Finally, the devil placed him on the highest point of the temple and challenged him to throw himself down, citing the promise of angelic protection. Jesus replied, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test." Having failed, the devil left him, and angels came and attended to him.
The Calling of the First Disciples
After John was imprisoned, Jesus began his ministry in Galilee, proclaiming, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel." Walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew, casting a net into the lake. He said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed him. A little farther on, he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee, in a boat with their father, and he called them. They left their boat and their father and followed him.
Later, after preaching from Simon's boat, Jesus told him to launch into deep water for a catch. Simon protested they had fished all night with no success, but at Jesus's word, he let down the nets and caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. Overwhelmed, Simon Peter fell at Jesus's knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" Jesus reassured him, and upon landing their boats, Peter, James, and John left everything to follow him. Jesus also called Philip of Bethsaida, who then found Nathanael and told him they had found the one Moses and the prophets wrote about. Nathanael was skeptical that anything good could come from Nazareth, but upon meeting Jesus, who saw him under a fig tree even before Philip called him, he declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
The Sermon on the Mount and Plain
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on a mountainside and taught his disciples. He began with the Beatitudes, declaring blessed the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. He taught that his followers are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, whose good deeds should glorify God.
He explained that he came not to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them, teaching that righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees. He deepened the commandments, stating that anger is akin to murder and lust is equivalent to adultery in the heart. He spoke against divorce, except for marital unfaithfulness, and commanded his followers not to swear oaths at all but to let their 'Yes' be 'Yes' and their 'No' be 'No.'
Jesus overturned the "eye for an eye" principle, instructing them to turn the other cheek, give their cloak to one who sues for their coat, and go the second mile. He commanded them to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, just as God sends sun and rain on both the evil and the good. He urged them to be perfect, as their heavenly Father is perfect. In another teaching on a plain, he added woes to the rich, the well-fed, those who laugh, and those of whom everyone speaks well.
Teachings on Piety and Trust in God
Jesus warned against practicing righteousness for public display. When giving to the needy, do it in secret, not like hypocrites who announce it with trumpets. When praying, go into a private room, not like those who love to be seen in synagogues and on street corners. He taught them to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
He emphasized that forgiveness from God is conditional on forgiving others. When fasting, do not look somber, but do it in secret for God to see. He instructed them to store up treasures in heaven, not on earth, for where one's treasure is, their heart will be also. He taught that no one can serve two masters; one cannot serve both God and money. Therefore, he told them not to worry about life, food, or clothing, pointing to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, which God cares for. Instead, they should seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things would be given to them as well.
Teachings on Judgment, Prayer, and Discipleship
Jesus commanded, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged," and "Do to others what you would have them do to you." He warned about the narrow gate that leads to life and the wide gate that leads to destruction. He cautioned against false prophets, who are like wolves in sheep's clothing, saying they can be recognized by their fruit, for a good tree cannot bear bad fruit. Not everyone who says "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom, but only the one who does the will of the Father.
He encouraged persistent prayer, saying, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened." He likened anyone who hears his words and puts them into practice to a wise man who built his house on the rock, which stood firm against storms. In contrast, anyone who hears but does not act is like a foolish man who built his house on sand, and it fell with a great crash. The crowds were amazed because he taught as one who had authority, not as their scribes.
Parables of the Kingdom
Jesus taught the crowds in parables to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to his disciples while concealing them from outsiders. In the Parable of the Sower, the seed is the word of God. Some seed falls on the path and is snatched away by the devil; some falls on rocky ground and withers under trial; some falls among thorns and is choked by life's worries and riches; but some falls on good soil, representing those who hear, understand, and produce a great crop.
He likened the kingdom of heaven to a man who sowed good seed, but an enemy sowed weeds among it. The owner let both grow together until the harvest, when the weeds would be burned and the wheat gathered. He explained that the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom, the weeds the children of the evil one, and the harvest is the end of the age. Other parables described the kingdom as a tiny mustard seed that grows into a large tree, and as leaven that works through the whole batch of dough. He also compared it to a hidden treasure and a pearl of great price, for which a man would sell everything he had to acquire.
Parables of Grace and Forgiveness
To the Pharisees who criticized him for welcoming sinners, Jesus told three parables. He spoke of a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to find one that is lost, rejoicing when it is found. He told of a woman who searches diligently for a lost coin and celebrates with her neighbors upon finding it. He explained that there is great joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.
He then told the Parable of the Prodigal Son. A younger son took his inheritance, wasted it in a distant country, and ended up feeding pigs in a famine. Coming to his senses, he returned home to beg for a servant's position. But his father saw him from afar, ran to him, and embraced him, celebrating his return with a feast, declaring, "This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
Jesus also taught about forgiveness through the parable of the unmerciful servant. A king forgave a servant an enormous debt, but that same servant then refused to forgive a fellow servant a small debt and had him thrown in prison. When the king heard this, he was furious and handed the first servant over to be tortured. Jesus concluded that this is how the heavenly Father will treat anyone who does not forgive their brother or sister from the heart, instructing Peter to forgive not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
The Ministry of Healing and Miracles
Jesus’s fame spread as he traveled through Galilee, healing every kind of disease and sickness. He cleansed a leper with a touch, who then spread the news so widely that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. In Capernaum, he healed a paralytic man who was lowered through the roof by his friends, first telling him, "Your sins are forgiven," to show he had authority on earth to forgive sins, and then telling him to take his mat and walk. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever, and in the evening, healed many who were sick or demon-possessed.
He demonstrated power over nature by calming a furious storm on the Sea of Galilee with the words, "Peace! Be still," leaving his disciples terrified and wondering what kind of man could command the winds and waves. In the region of the Gadarenes, he cast out a legion of demons from a man who lived in the tombs; the demons entered a herd of swine, which then rushed down a steep bank into the sea and drowned. The healed man was sent home to tell everyone what the Lord had done for him.
He raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead, telling the mourners she was only sleeping. On the way, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years was healed by touching the edge of his cloak, an act of faith Jesus acknowledged. He gave sight to two blind men, healed a man who was mute and demon-possessed, and restored a man's withered hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath, angering the Pharisees.
Feeding the Multitudes and Walking on Water
On two occasions, Jesus miraculously fed large crowds. Once, in a remote place with a crowd of five thousand men, plus women and children, he took five barley loaves and two small fish, gave thanks, and had the disciples distribute the food. Everyone ate and was satisfied, and twelve baskets of leftovers were collected. The people, seeing this sign, declared he was the Prophet and intended to make him king by force, but he withdrew to a mountain alone.
Later that night, his disciples were in a boat, struggling against a strong wind, when they saw Jesus walking on the sea. They were terrified, thinking he was a ghost, but he called out, "It is I; don't be afraid." Peter asked to come to him on the water, and he did so, but when he saw the wind, he became afraid and began to sink, crying out for Jesus to save him. Jesus caught him, questioning his little faith. When they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. On another occasion, he fed a crowd of four thousand from seven loaves and a few small fish, with seven baskets of leftovers.
Conflict with Religious Leaders
Jesus frequently clashed with the Pharisees and teachers of the law. They questioned why his disciples broke tradition by not washing their hands before eating. Jesus called them hypocrites, quoting Isaiah that they honored God with their lips but their hearts were far from him. He taught that a person is not defiled by what enters their mouth, but by what comes out of their heart—evil thoughts, murder, adultery, and deceit.
They challenged him for healing on the Sabbath, but he defended his actions, stating that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, and that it is always lawful to do good. He called them a "brood of vipers," blind guides who clean the outside of the cup while the inside is full of greed. He pronounced a series of woes upon them for their hypocrisy, for shutting the door to the kingdom of heaven, and for neglecting the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. When they demanded a sign, he refused, saying none would be given except the sign of Jonah, referring to his own death and resurrection.
Peter's Confession and the Transfiguration
In the region of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do people say I am?" They replied with various opinions—John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets. Then he asked, "But what about you? Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus declared Peter blessed, for this was revealed not by flesh and blood, but by his Father in heaven. Upon this "rock" of confession, Jesus said he would build his church.
From that time on, Jesus began to teach that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and on the third day be raised to life. Peter rebuked him for this, but Jesus turned and said, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me." He then taught that whoever wants to be his disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him.
About a week later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, where he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with him about his departure, which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. A bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"
The Raising of Lazarus and the Plot to Kill Jesus
When his friend Lazarus of Bethany fell ill, his sisters Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus. Jesus deliberately waited two days before going, saying the sickness would not end in death but was for God's glory. By the time he arrived, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Martha met him, expressing faith that he could have prevented her brother's death. Jesus assured her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die."
At the tomb, Jesus wept. He then commanded the stone to be rolled away and, after praying, called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet still wrapped with strips of linen. Many Jews who witnessed this miracle put their faith in Jesus. But others reported it to the Pharisees, who, with the chief priests, convened the Sanhedrin. Fearing the Romans would take away their nation if everyone believed in Jesus, the high priest Caiaphas argued it was better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to perish. From that day on, they plotted to take his life.
The Triumphal Entry and Cleansing of the Temple
As Jesus approached Jerusalem for Passover, he sent two disciples to find a colt that had never been ridden. They brought it to him, and he rode it into the city, fulfilling the prophecy of a humble king arriving on a donkey. Great crowds spread their cloaks and palm branches on the road, shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
Entering the temple courts, Jesus drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves, declaring, "It is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of robbers.’” He then healed the blind and the lame who came to him in the temple. The chief priests and scribes were indignant, but Jesus defended the children who were shouting his praises. As he left the city, he cursed a fruitless fig tree, which withered by the next day, using it as a lesson on faith.
Final Teachings and Parables in Jerusalem
In the temple, the religious leaders challenged Jesus's authority, but he silenced them with a question about the origin of John's baptism. He told the parable of the wicked tenants, who beat and killed the servants sent by a vineyard owner and then killed the owner's son, signifying Israel's rejection of the prophets and of him. Jesus warned that the kingdom of God would be taken from them and given to a people who would produce its fruit.
When questioned about paying taxes to Caesar, he famously replied, "Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s." He answered the Sadducees' question about the resurrection by explaining that in the afterlife, people will be like the angels, and that God is the God of the living, not the dead. He summarized the entire Law with two commandments: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself. He also praised a poor widow who gave two small copper coins to the temple treasury, saying she had put in more than all the others, for she gave all she had to live on.
Prophecies of the End Times
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, his disciples asked about the signs of his coming and the end of the age. Jesus warned of false messiahs, wars, famines, and earthquakes, which would be but the beginning of birth pains. He foretold that his followers would be persecuted, hated, and put to death, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. The gospel would be preached to all nations before the end comes.
He spoke of a great tribulation and the "abomination of desolation," after which the sun would be darkened and the Son of Man would appear on the clouds with power and great glory, sending his angels to gather his elect. He urged them to be watchful and ready, like servants waiting for their master's return, for no one knows the day or hour, not even the angels or the Son, but only the Father. He told the parable of the ten virgins, five of whom were foolish and ran out of oil, and the parable of the talents, where servants were rewarded for investing their master's money. He concluded with a description of the final judgment, where the Son of Man will separate the sheep from the goats based on how they treated the least of his brothers and sisters.
The Last Supper
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the Passover meal in a large upper room. That evening, as he sat with the twelve, he took off his outer clothing and began to wash his disciples' feet, teaching them that they should serve one another as he, their Lord and Teacher, had served them. He then announced that one of them would betray him. Deeply troubled, the disciples asked who it was. Jesus identified his betrayer by giving a piece of bread to Judas Iscariot, who then immediately went out into the night.
After Judas left, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, he took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." He then gave a new command: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." He foretold that Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crowed.
The Farewell Discourse and Prayer
Jesus comforted his disciples, telling them not to let their hearts be troubled. He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He promised to send another advocate to help them—the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth—who would teach them all things and remind them of everything he had said. He explained his relationship to them using the metaphor of the vine and the branches, stating that he is the vine and they are the branches, and that apart from him, they can do nothing.
He prayed for himself, for the glory of the Father to be revealed. He then prayed for his disciples, that God would protect them by his name so they might be one as he and the Father are one. Finally, he prayed for all future believers, "that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you... that the world may know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
Arrest in Gethsemane
Jesus went with his disciples to a garden called Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. He took Peter, James, and John deeper into the garden and, overwhelmed with sorrow, prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." He prayed this three times, finding his disciples asleep each time he returned.
Then Judas arrived, leading a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders. Judas identified Jesus with a kiss. When they seized Jesus, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant, but Jesus healed the man and rebuked Peter, saying that all who draw the sword will die by the sword. At his arrest, all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Trials and Peter's Denial
Jesus was first taken to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest. Peter and another disciple followed. While waiting in the courtyard, Peter was identified three times as a follower of Jesus. Each time, he denied it, cursing and swearing. Immediately after his third denial, a rooster crowed, and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, who then went outside and wept bitterly.
Jesus was then led before the Sanhedrin, where false witnesses testified against him. He remained silent until Caiaphas asked him directly, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus replied, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." The high priest tore his clothes, accusing him of blasphemy, and they all condemned him as worthy of death. They then spat in his face, blindfolded him, and struck him.
In the morning, they took him to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. They accused him of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be a king. Pilate found no basis for a charge but, upon learning Jesus was a Galilean, sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem. Herod mocked Jesus and sent him back to Pilate. Pilate, still finding no fault, offered to release one prisoner to the crowd as was the custom at the festival. The chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask for Barabbas, a murderer, and to shout for Jesus to be crucified. Pilate washed his hands before the crowd, saying he was innocent of this man's blood, and then handed Jesus over to be scourged and crucified.
Crucifixion and Death
The soldiers stripped Jesus, put a scarlet robe and a crown of thorns on him, and mocked him as "King of the Jews." They led him away, compelling a man named Simon of Cyrene to carry his cross. They arrived at a place called Golgotha, "the place of the skull," where they crucified him between two criminals. Above his head, a notice read, "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."
Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." The soldiers cast lots for his clothing, and passersby hurled insults at him. From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness came over the whole land. At about three, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Then, after saying "It is finished," he cried out again, commended his spirit into his Father’s hands, and breathed his last.
At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth shook, and rocks split. A Roman centurion, seeing how he died, exclaimed, "Surely this was the Son of God." Because it was the day of Preparation before the Sabbath, the soldiers broke the legs of the other two men to hasten their deaths, but when they came to Jesus, they found he was already dead and instead pierced his side with a spear. Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple, asked Pilate for Jesus’s body. He, along with Nicodemus, wrapped the body in linen cloths with spices and laid it in a new tomb cut out of the rock, rolling a large stone against the entrance. The chief priests, remembering Jesus’s prediction of his resurrection, had Pilate post a guard and seal the tomb.
The Resurrection
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene and other women went to the tomb with spices. They found the stone rolled away and, upon entering, did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. An earthquake had occurred, and an angel of the Lord had descended, whose appearance was like lightning. The guards were so afraid they became like dead men. One or two angels then appeared to the women, telling them not to be afraid, for Jesus, who was crucified, had risen from the dead, just as he had said. They were instructed to go and tell his disciples.
The women fled from the tomb, some with fear and great joy, some trembling and bewildered. Mary Magdalene ran and told Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved. They both ran to the tomb, saw the linen cloths, and believed. As Mary stood outside the tomb weeping, the risen Jesus appeared to her, though at first she mistook him for the gardener. He also appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, explaining the Scriptures to them before they recognized him in the breaking of bread.
Post-Resurrection Appearances and Ascension
That evening, Jesus appeared to his disciples as they were gathered in a locked room, showing them his hands and side and saying, "Peace be with you." Thomas, who was absent, refused to believe until he could see and touch the wounds himself. A week later, Jesus appeared again, and Thomas, seeing him, declared, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus appeared a third time to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, where he provided a miraculous catch of fish and restored Peter, asking him three times, "Do you love me?" and commissioning him to "Feed my sheep."
Jesus then led his disciples to a mountain in Galilee and gave them the Great Commission: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." He promised, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." After blessing them near Bethany, he was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God. The disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy and stayed continually at the temple, praising God.