Chapter 24

¹but on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking spices they had prepared. ²But they found the stone rolled back from the tomb, ³and when they went inside they could not find the body. ⁴They were in great perplexity over this, when suddenly two men in dazzling clothing stood beside them. ⁵The women were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them,

“Why do you look among the dead for him who is alive? ⁶Remember what he told you while he was still in Galilee, ⁷when he said that the Son of Man must be handed over to wicked men and be crucified and rise again on the third day.”

⁸Then they remembered his words, ⁹and they went back from the tomb and told all this to the eleven and all the rest. ¹⁰They were Mary of Magdala and Joanna and Mary, James’s mother; and the other women also told this to the apostles. ¹¹But the story seemed to them to be nonsense and they would not believe them.

¹³That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and they were talking together about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵And as they were talking and discussing them, Jesus himself came up and went with them, ¹⁶but they were prevented from recognizing him. ¹⁷And he said to them,

“What is all this that you are discussing with each other on your way?”

They stopped sadly, ¹⁸and one of them named Cleopas said to him,

“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know what has happened there lately?”

¹⁹And he said,

“What is it?”

They said to him,

“About Jesus of Nazareth, who in the eyes of God and of all the people was a prophet mighty in deed and word, ²⁰and how the high priests and our leading men gave him up to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. ²¹But we were hoping that he was to be the deliverer of Israel. Why, besides all this, it is three days since it happened. ²²But some women of our number have astounded us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³and could not find his body, but came back and said that they had actually seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴Then some of our party went to the tomb and found things just as the women had said, but they did not see him.”

²⁵Then he said to them,

“How foolish you are and how slow to believe all that the prophets have said! ²⁶Did not the Christ have to suffer thus before entering upon his glory?”

²⁷And he began with Moses and all the prophets and explained to them the passages all through the Scriptures that referred to himself. ²⁸When they reached the village to which they were going, he acted as though he were going on, ²⁹but they urged him not to, and said,

“Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is nearly over.”

So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰And when he took his place with them at table, he took the bread and blessed it and broke it in pieces and handed it to them. ³¹Then their eyes were opened and they knew him, and he vanished from them. ³²And they said to each other,

“Did not our hearts glow when he was talking to us on the road, and was explaining the Scriptures to us?”

³³And they got up immediately and went back to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and their party all together, ³⁴and learned from them that the Master had really risen and had been seen by Simon. ³⁵And they told what had happened on the road, and how they had known him when he broke the bread in pieces.

³⁶While they were still talking of these things, he himself stood among them. ³⁷They were startled and panic-stricken, and thought they saw a ghost. ³⁸But he said to them,

“Why are you so disturbed, and why do doubts arise in your minds? ³⁹Look at my hands and feet, for it is I myself! Feel of me and see, for a ghost has not flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

⁴¹But they could not yet believe it for sheer joy and they were amazed. And he said to them,

“Have you anything here to eat?”

⁴²And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³and he took it and ate it before their eyes.

⁴⁴Then he said to them,

“This is what I told you when I was still with you—that everything that is written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must come true.”

⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to the understanding of the Scriptures, ⁴⁶and said to them,

“The Scriptures said that Christ should suffer as he has done, and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷and that repentance leading to the forgiveness of sins should be preached to all the heathen in his name. ⁴⁸You are to be witnesses to all this, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁹And I will send down upon you what my Father has promised. Wait here in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

⁵⁰And he led them out as far as Bethany. Then he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹And as he was blessing them, he parted from them. ⁵²And they went back with great joy to Jerusalem, ⁵³and were constantly in the Temple, blessing God.