After Jesus died, a wealthy man named Joseph asked Pilate to let him take Jesus’ body down from the stake. Joseph wrapped the body in fine linen and spices and laid it in a new tomb. He had a heavy stone rolled in front of the entrance. The chief priests told Pilate: ‘We are afraid that some of Jesus’ disciples will take his body and say that he has come back to life.’ So Pilate told them: ‘Seal the tomb and guard it.’

Three days later, early in the morning, some women went to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away. Inside the tomb, an angel told the women: ‘Don’t be afraid. Jesus has been raised up. Go and tell his disciples to meet him in Galilee.’

Mary Magdalene hurried to find Peter and John. She told them: ‘Someone has taken Jesus’ body!’ Peter and John ran back to the tomb. When they saw that it was empty, they went back to their homes.

When Mary returned to the tomb, she saw two angels inside and said to them: ‘I don’t know where they have taken my Lord.’ Then she saw a man, and thinking that he was the gardener, she said: ‘Sir, please tell me where you have taken him.’ But when the man said, “Mary!” she knew that he was Jesus. She cried out: “Teacher!” and held onto him. Jesus told her: ‘Go and tell my brothers that you have seen me.’ Right away, Mary ran to the disciples and told them that she had seen Jesus.

Later in the day, two disciples were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. A man joined them on the road and asked what they were talking about. They said: ‘Haven’t you heard? Three days ago, the chief priests put Jesus to death. Now some women are saying that he is alive!’ The man asked: ‘Don’t you believe the prophets? They said that the Christ would die and then be raised up.’ He continued to explain the Scriptures to them. When they reached Emmaus, the disciples asked the man to come with them. At supper after he prayed over the bread, they realized that he was Jesus. Then he disappeared.

The two disciples hurried to the house in Jerusalem where the apostles were gathered and told them what had happened. While they were there, inside the house, Jesus appeared to all of them. At first, the apostles couldn’t believe that it was Jesus. Then he said: ‘Look at my hands; touch me. It was written that the Christ would rise from the dead.’