Read the Bible

The Empty Tomb

¹ On^(C1) the first day of the week^(C2) Mary Magdalene^(C3) came to the tomb^(C4) early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone^(C5) had been removed from the tomb. ² So she went running to Simon Peter^(C1) and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb,^(C2) and we don’t know where they’ve put him!”

³ At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. ⁵ Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths^(C1) lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. ⁷ The wrapping^(C1) that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths^(C2) but was folded up in a separate place by itself. ⁸ The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. ⁹ For they did not yet understand the Scripture^(C1) that he must rise^(C2) from the dead.^{(C3) 10} Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

¹¹ But^(C1) Mary stood outside the tomb,^(C2) crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. ¹² She saw two angels^(C1) in white sitting where Jesus’s body^(C2) had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. ¹³ They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“Because they’ve taken away my Lord,”^(C1) she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”

¹⁴ Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus.^{(C1) 15} “Woman,”

Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic,^(F1) “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.”^(C1)

¹⁷ “Don’t cling to me,”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” ^(C1) And she told them what^(F1) he had said to her.

The Disciples Commissioned

¹⁹ When it was evening of that first day of the week,^(C1) the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

²⁰ Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side.^(C1) So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me,²² After saying this, he breathed on them^(C1) and said,^(F1) “Receive the Holy Spirit.²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Thomas Sees and Believes

²⁴ But Thomas^(C1) (called “Twin”^(F1)), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails,^(C1) and put my hand into his side,^(C2) I will never believe.”^(C3)

²⁶ A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”

²⁸ Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed.

The Purpose of This Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs^(C1) in the presence of his disciples that are not written^(C2) in this book.^{(C3) 31} But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah,^(C1) the Son^(C2) of God,^(F1)(C3) and that by believing you may have life in his name.^(C4)