Matthew 28

¹After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. ²Suddenly, there was a great shaking of the earth, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, came to the stone, rolled it away, and sat upon it. ³His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. ⁴The guards were so shaken by their fear of him that they became like dead men.

⁵The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus, the one who was crucified. ⁶He is not here. He has been raised, just as he said. Come, see the place where he was lying. ⁷Now go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has been raised from the dead, and look, he is going ahead of you into Galilee; you will see him there.' See, I have told you."

⁸They left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹And suddenly, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" They came to him, took hold of his feet, and did him homage. ¹⁰Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there."

¹¹While they were on their way, some of the guard went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹²After the priests had assembled with the elders and reached a decision, they gave a large sum of silver to the soldiers ¹³and said, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him while we were sleeping.' ¹⁴If this matter comes before the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." ¹⁵So they took the silver and did as they were instructed. And this story has been spread among the Jews until this very day.

¹⁶The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷When they saw him, they did him homage, though some hesitated. ¹⁸Jesus came near and spoke to them, saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go, therefore, and enroll all the nations as disciples, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And look! I am with you always, until the completion of the age."