The Empty Tomb^(A)

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene^(B) went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.^(C)

² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved,^(A) and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”^(B)

³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.^{(A) 4} While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning^(B) stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:^{(C) 7} ‘The Son of Man^(D) must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”^{(E) 8} Then they remembered his words.^(F)

The Guards’ Report

¹¹ While the women were on their way, some of the guards^(A) went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away^(B) while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor,^(C) we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.