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21. Christ's Followers Find Out That Jesus Rose From The Dead
 

The Women Come To Anoint Jesus But an Angel Of The Lord Rolls Back The Stone 
(Matt 28:1-4 Mark 16:1)

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come to see the tomb and anoint him. 

Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.

 

The Women Get To The Tomb But The Tomb is Empty
(Matt 28:5-8 Mark 16:2-8 Luke 24:1-8 John 20:1)

Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb. But when the sun had risen they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. They were saying among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back. They entered in, and didn't find the Lord Jesus' body. It happened, while they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling clothing. Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed. Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth. 

They said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? 
"Don't be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying. He isn't here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again?" 

They remembered his words, 
Go quickly and tell his disciples, and Peter, 'He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you." 

They departed quickly 
and fled from the tomb with fear and great joy, for trembling and astonishment had come on them They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid but they 
ran to bring his disciples word.

 

The Women Tell The Disciples What They Saw
(Luke 24:9-12 John 20:2-10)

Therefore Mary Magdalene ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have laid him!" 

The rest of the women returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. Now they were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them told these things to the apostles. These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn't believe them. 

Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first. Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn't enter in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. For as yet they didn't know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes, 
wondering what had happened.

 

Jesus Appears Before Mary Magdalene
(Mark 16:9-11 John 20:11-18)

Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 

But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. They told her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" 

She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don't know where they have laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn't know that it was Jesus. 

Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?" 

She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." 

Jesus said to her, "Mary." 

She turned and said to him, "Rabboni!" which is to say, "Teacher!" 

Jesus said to her, "Don't hold me, for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" 

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples, 
those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her. 

When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved.

 

Jesus Appears Before The Other Women
(Matt 28:9-10)

As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" 

They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 

Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me."

 

The Guard Report To the Jews
(Matt 28:11-15)

Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers, saying, "Say that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. If this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry." So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until this day.

 

The Road to Emmaus with Jesus 
(Mark 16:12-13 Luke 24:13-35 1Corinthians 15:5)

After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country. Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem. They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened. It happened, while they talked and questioned together, that Jesus himself came near, and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. He said to them, "What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?" 

One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things which have happened there in these days?" 

He said to them, "What things?" 

They said to him, "The things concerning Jesus, the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we were hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Also, certain women of our company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb; and when they didn't find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of us went to the tomb, and found it just like the women had said, but they didn't see him." 

He said to them, "Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Didn't the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?" Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. They drew near to the village, where they were going, and he acted like he would go further. 

They urged him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over." 

He went in to stay with them. It happened, that when he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them. Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight. They said one to another, "Weren't our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?" They rose up that very hour, returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon 
or Cephas!" They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread. 
They didn't believe them, either.

 

Jesus Appears To Most Of the Disciples Except Thomas Who Did Not Believe
(Mark 16:14 Luke 24:36-43 John 20:19-25)

Now, as they said these things, When it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus himself came and stood among them, the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he said to them, "Peace be to you." 

But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 

He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn't believe those who had seen him after he had risen 

He said to them, "Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? he showed them his hands and his side: See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones, as you see that I have." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they still didn't believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 

They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. He took them, and ate in front of them. 

The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again, "Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit! Whoever's sins you forgive, they are forgiven them. Whoever's sins you retain, they have been retained." 

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn't with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord!" 

But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

 

Jesus Comes To Convince Thomas
(John 20:26-31 1Corinthians 15:5)

After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be to you." Thus, he appeared to the twelve. Then he said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don't be unbelieving, but believing." 

Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 

Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed." 

Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

 

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