53. They came out of the graves after Jesus was raised from death. They went into the holy city, and many people saw them.
54. The army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything else that happened. They were very frightened and said, “He really was the Son of God!”
55. Many women were standing at a distance from the cross, watching. These were women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for him.
56. Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were there.
57. That evening a rich man named Joseph came to Jerusalem. He was a follower of Jesus from the town of Arimathea.
58. Joseph went to Pilate and asked to have Jesus’ body. Pilate gave orders for the soldiers to give it to Joseph.
59. Then Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth.
60. He put Jesus’ body in a new tomb that he had cut in a wall of rock. He rolled a very large stone to block the entrance of the tomb. Then Joseph went away.
61. Mary Magdalene and the other woman named Mary were sitting near the tomb.
62. That day was the day called Preparation Day. The next day, the leading priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.
63. They said, “Sir, we remember that while that liar was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise from death.’
64. So give the order for the tomb to be guarded closely till the third day. His followers might come and steal the body. Then they could tell the people that he has risen from death. That lie would be even worse than the first one.”
65. Pilate said, “Take some soldiers and go guard the tomb the best way you know.”
66. So they all went to the tomb and made it safe from thieves. They did this by sealing the stone in the entrance and then putting soldiers there to guard it.