John 19:38-20:23

New International Version

The Burial of Jesus^(A)

³⁸ Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders.^(B) With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. ³⁹ He was accompanied by Nicodemus,^(C) the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.^{[a] 40} Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen.^(D) This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.^{(E) 41} At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴² Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation^(F) and since the tomb was nearby,^(G) they laid Jesus there.

The Empty Tomb^(H)

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene^(I) went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.^{(J) 2} So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved,^(K) and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”^(L)

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.^{(M) 4} Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in^(N) at the strips of linen^(O) lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head.^(P) The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first,^(Q) also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture^(R) that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)^{(S) 10} Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb^{(T) 12} and saw two angels in white,^(U) seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”^(V)

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”^{(W) 14} At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,^(X) but she did not realize that it was Jesus.^(Y)

¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?^(Z) Who is it you are looking for?”

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

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,^(AA) “Rabboni!”^(AB) (which means “Teacher”).

¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers^(AC) and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father^(AD) and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene^(AE) went to the disciples^(AF) with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,^(AG) Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace^(AH) be with you!”^{(AI) 20} After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.^(AJ) The disciples were overjoyed^(AK) when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!^(AL) As the Father has sent me,^(AM) I am sending you.”^{(AN) 22} And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.^{(AO) 23} If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”^(AP)