Some women discovered that Jesus had become alive again.

1Before dawn on Sunday those women went to the tomb. They took with them the spices that they had prepared to put on Jesus’ body.

2They discovered that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance to the tomb.

3They went in the tomb, but the body of the Lord Jesus was not there!

4They did not know what to think about that. Then suddenly two men wearing bright shining clothes stood by them!

5The women were frightened. As they prostrated themselves on the ground, the two men said to them, “◄You should not be seeking someone who is alive in a place where they bury dead people!/Why are you seeking in a place where they bury dead people someone who is alive?► [RHQ]

6He is not here; he has ◄become alive again/risen from the dead►! Remember that while he was still with you in Galilee district he said to you,

7‘Even though I am the one who came from heaven, someone will enable sinful men to seize [MTY] me. They will kill me by nailing me to a cross. But on the third day after that, I will become alive again.’ ”

8The women remembered that he had said that.

9So they left the tomb and went to the eleven apostles and his other disciples and told them those things.

10The ones who kept telling those things to the apostles were Mary from Magdala village, Joanna, Mary who was the mother of James, and the other women who were with them.

11But the apostles thought that what the women said was nonsense. They did not believe what the women said.

12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb anyway. He stooped down and looked inside. He saw the linen cloths in which Jesus’ body had been wrapped. The cloths were by themselves (OR, He did not see anything else). So, wondering what had happened, he went home.

Jesus appeared to two disciples as they were walking to Emmaus.

13That same day two of Jesus’ disciples were walking to a village named Emmaus. It was about ◄seven miles/eleven kilometers► from Jerusalem.

14They were talking with each other about all the things that had happened to Jesus.

15While they were discussing those things, Jesus himself approached them and started walking with them.

16But they were prevented {something prevented them} from recognizing [MTY] him.

17Jesus said to them, “What have you two been talking about while you were walking?” They stopped, and their faces looked very sad.

18One of them, whose name was Cleopas, said, “◄You (sg) must be the only person who is visiting Jerusalem for the Passover festival who does not know the events that have happened there in recent days!/Are you the only person who is visiting Jerusalem for the Passover festival who does not know the events that have happened there in recent days?► [RHQ]”

19He said to them, “What events?” They replied, “The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth, who was a prophet. Many people saw him perform great miracles, and God enabled him to teach wonderful messages!

20But our chief priests and leaders handed him over to the Roman authorities. The authorities sentenced him to die, and they killed him by nailing him to a cross.

21We (exc) were hoping that he was the one who would free us Israelites from our enemies But this does not seem possible now, because three days have already passed since that happened.

22On the other hand, some women from our group amazed us. Early this morning they went to the tomb,

23but Jesus’ body was not there! They came back and said that they had seen some angels in a vision. The angels said that he was alive!

24Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb. They saw that things were exactly as the women had reported. But they did not see Jesus.”

25He said to them, “You two foolish men! You are so slow to believe all that the prophets have written about the Messiah!

26◄You should certainly have known that it was necessary that the Messiah should suffer all those things and die, and then enter his glorious home in heaven!/Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer all those things and die, and then enter his glorious home in heaven?► [RHQ]”

27Then he explained to them all the things that the prophets had written in the Scriptures about himself. He started with what Moses [MTY] wrote and then explained to them what all the other prophets wrote.

28They came near to the village to which the two men were going. Jesus indicated that he would go further,

29but they urged him to not do that. They said, “Stay with us tonight, because it is late in the afternoon and it will soon be dark.” So he went in the house to stay with them.

30When they sat down to eat, he took some bread and asked God to bless it. He broke it and gave some pieces to them.

31And just then God enabled them to recognize [MTY] him. But immediately he disappeared!

32The two men said to each other, “While we were walking along the road and he talked with us and enabled us (inc) to understand the Scriptures, we became so excited that it was as though [MET] a fire was burning within us [RHQ]! We should not stay here; we should go tell the others what happened!”

33So they left immediately and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven apostles and others who had gathered together with them

34who told those two men, “It is true that the Lord has become alive again, and he has appeared to Peter!”

35Then those two men told the others what had happened as they were walking along the road. They also told them how they both recognized Jesus as he broke some bread for them.

Jesus appeared to many of his disciples and taught them more and gave them other instructions.

36As they were saying that, Jesus himself suddenly appeared among them. He said to them, “May God give you inner peace!”

37They were startled and afraid, because they thought that they were seeing a ghost!

38He said to them, “◄You should not be alarmed!/Why are you alarmed?► [RHQ] And ◄you should not be doubting that I am alive/Jesus!/why are you doubting that I am alive/Jesus?► [RHQ]

39Look at the wounds in my hands and my feet! You can touch me and see my body. Then you can see that it is really I myself. You can tell that I am really alive because ghosts do not have bodies, as you see that I have!”

40After he said that, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his feet.

41They were joyful and amazed, but they still did not believe that he was really alive (OR, that Jesus was the one that they were seeing). So he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

42So they gave him a piece of broiled fish.

43While they were watching, he took it and ate it.

44Then he said to them, “I will repeat what I told you while I was still with you: Everything that was written about me by Moses and the other prophets [MTY] and in the Psalms must be fulfilled!”

45Then he enabled them to understand the things that had been written about him in the Scriptures.

46He said to them, “This is what they wrote: That the Messiah would suffer and die, but on the third day after that he would become alive again.

47They also wrote that the message must be preached {that his disciples must preach the message} everywhere that people must turn from their sinful ways for God to forgive their sins. They wrote that his followers should preach that message, claiming his authority [MTY]. They wrote that they should start preaching it in Jerusalem, and then go and preach it to all ethnic groups.

48You apostles must tell people that you know that those things that happened to me are true.

49And I want you to know that I will send the Holy Spirit [MTY] to you, as my Father promised that he would do. But you must stay in this city until God fills you with the power of his Spirit.”

Jesus left his disciples and returned to heaven.

50Then Jesus led them outside the city until they came near Bethany village. There he lifted up his hands and blessed them.

51As he was doing that, he left them and went up to heaven.

52They worshipped him. And then they returned to Jerusalem very joyfully.

53Each day [SYN] they went into the Temple courtyard, and spent a lot of time praising God.