Sunday

When the Sabbath was over, at dawn on the first day of the week, there was a great earthquake, for an angel from the Lord came down from heaven. Coming to the stone, he rolled it away and sat on it.  Now his face was like lightning and his clothes as white as snow.  The guards were so terrified of him that they shook with fear and became like dead men. Meanwhile, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought fragrant spices to prepare Jesus for burial. Just after sunrise, they came to the tomb.  They were saying to each other, “Who’s going to roll the stone away from the entrance for us?”  When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away (it was a very large stone!), but when they went in, they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. They didn’t know what to make of this! Mary Magdalene ran to Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved. The others, going into the tomb, saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right side; and they were startled. But he said to them, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. Why do you look for the living among the dead? He isn’t here, because He has been raised from the dead, just as He said. Remember that He told you while He was still in Galilee,  that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”  Then they remembered his words. “Look, here’s the place where they laid Him.  Go, tell his disciples, especially Peter, ‘He’s been raised from the dead. He’s going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ For you will see Him there, just as He told you.”  Overcome with terror and dread, they fled from the tomb. Some said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. But Jesus met them and greeted them. They came and grabbed his feet and worshipped him.  Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go and tell my brothers that I am going into Galilee. They will see me there.” Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them told these things to the apostles.  Their words struck the apostles as nonsense, and they didn’t believe the women.

 Now as the women were on their way, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened.  They met with the elders and decided to give a large sum of money to the soldiers.  They told them, “Say that Jesus’ disciples came at night and stole his body while you were sleeping.  And if the governor hears about this, we will take care of it with him so you will have nothing to worry about.”  So the soldiers took the money and did as they were told. And this report has spread throughout all Judea to this very day.

Meanwhile, Peter and the other disciple had left to go to the tomb.  They were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and was the first to arrive at the tomb.  Bending down to take a look, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he didn’t go in.  Following him, Simon Peter entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.  He also saw the face cloth that had been on Jesus’ head. It wasn’t with the other clothes but was folded up in its own place.  Then the other disciple, the one who arrived at the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed, but Peter wondered what had happened.  They didn’t yet understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead.  Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying.

 Mary stood outside near the tomb, crying. As she cried, she bent down to look into the tomb.  She saw two angels dressed in white, seated where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and one at the foot.  The angels asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

She replied, “They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”  As soon as she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t know it was Jesus.

 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will get him.”

 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni” (which means Teacher).

 Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold on to me, for I haven’t yet gone up to my Father. Go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I’m going up to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

 Mary Magdalene left and announced to the disciples, “I’ve seen the Lord.” Then she told them what he said to her.

On that same day, two disciples were traveling to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.  They were talking to each other about everything that had happened.  While they were discussing these things, Jesus himself arrived and joined them on their journey.  They were prevented from recognizing him.

 He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?” They stopped, their faces downcast.

 The one named Cleopas replied, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who is unaware of the things that have taken place there over the last few days?”

 He said to them, “What things?”

They said to Him, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth. Because of His powerful deeds and words, He was recognized by God and all the people as a prophet.  But our chief priests and our leaders handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him.  We had hoped He was the one who would redeem Israel. All these things happened three days ago.  But there’s more: Some women from our group have left us stunned. They went to the tomb early this morning  and didn’t find His body. They came to us saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who told them He is alive.  Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women said. They didn’t see Him.”

 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! Your dull minds keep you from believing all that the prophets talked about.  Wasn’t it necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then enter into his glory?”  Then He interpreted for them the things written about Himself in all the scriptures, starting with Moses and going through all the Prophets.

 When they came to Emmaus, He acted as if he was going on ahead.  But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us. It’s nearly evening, and the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.  After He took his seat at the table with them, He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.  Their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, but he disappeared from their sight.  They said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts on fire when He spoke to us along the road and when He explained the scriptures for us?”

 They got up right then and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and their companions gathered together.  They were saying to each other, “The Lord really has risen! He appeared to Simon!”  Then the two disciples described what had happened along the road and how Jesus was made known to them as he broke the bread.

While they were saying these things, behind closed doors out of fear of the Jewish authorities, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” They were terrified and afraid, for they thought they were seeing a ghost.

He said to them, “Why are you startled? Why are doubts rising in your hearts? Look at My hands and my feet. It’s really Me! Touch Me and see, for a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones like you see I have.” As He said this, He showed them His hands and feet. But because they were marveling and questioning in their joy, He said to them, “Do you have anything to eat?” They gave Him a piece of baked fish.  Taking it, He ate it in front of them.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you. These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about Me in the Law from Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures. He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you don’t forgive them, they aren’t forgiven.  I’m sending to you the Promise of My Father, but stay in this city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.”

Thomas, the one called Didymus, one of the Twelve, wasn’t with the disciples when Jesus came.  The other disciples told him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger in the wounds left by the nails, and put my hand into his side, I won’t believe.”

 After eight days his disciples were again in a house and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus entered and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. Look at my hands. Put your hand into my side. No more disbelief. Believe!”

 Thomas responded to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!”

 Jesus replied, “Do you believe because you see me? Happy are those who don’t see and yet believe.”

 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some still doubted.  Jesus came near and spoke to them, “I’ve been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  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, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. I Myself will be with you every day until the end of the ages.”

Later, Jesus himself appeared again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberius. This is how it happened:  Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two other disciples were together.  Simon Peter told them, “I’m going fishing.”

They said, “We’ll go with you.” They set out in a boat, but throughout the night they caught nothing.  Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples didn’t realize it was Jesus.

 Jesus called to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”

They answered him, “No.”

 He said, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”

So they did, and there were so many fish that they couldn’t haul in the net.  Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around himself (for he was naked) and jumped into the water.  The other disciples followed in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they weren’t far from shore, only about one hundred yards.

 When they landed, they saw a fire there, with fish on it, and some bread.  Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you’ve just caught.”  Simon Peter got up and pulled the net to shore. It was full of large fish, one hundred fifty-three of them. Yet the net hadn’t torn, even with so many fish.  Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples could bring themselves to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.  Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish.  This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

 When they finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”  Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.”  He asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was sad that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” He replied, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.  I assure you that when you were younger you tied your own belt and walked around wherever you wanted. When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another will tie your belt and lead you where you don’t want to go.”  He said this to show the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After saying this, Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me.”

 Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. This was the one who had leaned against Jesus at the meal and asked him, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”  When Peter saw this disciple, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain until I come, what difference does that make to you? You must follow me.”  Therefore, the word spread among the brothers and sisters that this disciple wouldn’t die. However, Jesus didn’t say he wouldn’t die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what difference does that make to you?”

At the end, He led them out as far as Bethany, where he lifted his hands and blessed them.  As he blessed them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.  They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy.  And they were continuously in the temple praising God.