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First trial: before Annas
Those who had arrested Jesus bound him and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiphas, the high priest that year. Caiphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.
Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world”, Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”
When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck Him in the face. “Is that the way to answer the high priest?” he demanded. “If I said something wrong”, Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”
Then Annas sent Him still bound to Caiphas the high priest.
Peter’s Denial
But Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus at a distance, right up to and into the courtyard of the high priest. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. It was cold, and the servants and officials stood round a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. Now while Peter was below, sitting out in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by to him. When she saw Peter seated there in the firelight warming himself, she looked closely at him, “This man was with Him.” “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus”, she said, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee. Are you not also one of his disciples?”
But he denied it before them all, saying. “ Woman, I am not. I don’t know him.”
“I don't know or understand what you are talking about”, he said, and then went out into the entrance .
A little later he went out to the gateway where someone else, another girl, the servant girl there, saw him and said to the people there, “You are also one of them. This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
“This fellow is one of them.” She said again to those people standing around there. “ Are you not also another of this man’s disciples?” the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, “ Man, I am not ! ” He denied it again with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
After a little while, about an hour later, one of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the olive grove?” Another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” Those standing near went up to and said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean , your accent gives you away.” Peter replied and again denied it, saying, "I am not." Then he began to call curses on himself and he swore to them, “ Man, I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”
Immediately, at that moment, just as he was speaking, the cock began to crow the second time. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord Jesus had spoken to him: ‘Before the cock crows twice today, you will disown me three times. And he went outside, broke down and wept bitterly.
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Second trial: before Caiphas and the Sanhedrin
They took Jesus into the house of Caiphas, the high priest, where all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law had assembled together. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put Him to death. But they did not find any. Though many false witnesses came forward. Many testified falsely against Him, but their statements did not agree.
Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against Him: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man’ .” Finally two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days’.”
Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?.” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: ‘Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. ”
“Yes, it is as you say”, Jesus replied.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
“I am”, Jesus said.
 “ But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy!”
“Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked.
“Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death”, they answered. They all condemned him as worthy of death.
Then some began to spit at Him in his face. The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating Him. They blindfolded Him and struck Him with their fists. Others slapped Him and demanded, “ Prophesy to us Christ.Who hit you?” And they said many other insulting things to Him.
And the guards took Him and beat Him.
Third trial: Condemned by the Sanhedrin
At daybreak, the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them.
“If you are the Christ”, they said, “tell us.”
Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the Mighty God. ”
They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”
He replied, “You are right in saying I am.”
Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from His own lips.
Very early in the morning all the chief priests, with the elders of the people, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision to put Jesus to death.
Then the whole assembly rose, bound Jesus and the Jews led Him off from Caiphas to the palace of Pilate the Roman governor, and turned Him over to Pilate.
Judas Hangs Himself
When Judas who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned”, he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: ‘They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me’.
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Fourth Trial: Before Pilate
Meanwhile, by now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the Palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
“If he were not a criminal”, they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.”
Pilate said, “Take Him yourselves and judge Him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone”, the Jews objected. This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.
And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.”
Pilate then went back inside the palace and summoned Jesus. Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked Him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“ Is that your own idea”, Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied, “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
“You are a king, then?” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “Yes, it is as you say. You are right in saying I am a king. In fact for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?”, Pilate asked.
With this Pilate went out again to the Jews and announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
But they insisted, “He stirs up people all over Judea by His teaching.”
When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, He gave no answer.
Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge — to the great amazement of the governor.
The chief priests accused Him of many things. So again Pilate asked Him, “Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of. ”
But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.
Fifth Trial: Before Herod
“He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see Him. From what he had heard about Him, he hoped to see Him perform some miracle. He plied Him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there vehemently accusing Him.
Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in an elegant robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.
That day Herod and Pilate became friends — before this they had been enemies.
Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion.I have examined Him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against Him. Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; as you can see, He has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore I will punish Him and then release him.
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Release of Barrabas
With one voice they cried out, “Away with this man! Release Barrabas to us!” Now Barrabas had taken part in a rebellion. Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd, whom the people requested. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, a man called Barrabas, who had been thrown into prison with the insurrectionists for an insurrection in the city and who had committed murder in the uprising. He was obliged to release one man to them at the feast. So when the crowd came up and had gathered and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did, he said, “It is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Which one do you want me to release to you, Barrabas or Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked them, for he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” They shouted back , “No, not Him! Give us Barrabas!” While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of Him. But the chief priests and the elders stirred up and persuaded the crowd to ask for and to have Pilate release Barrabas instead and to have Jesus executed. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barrabas”, they answered. Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. “What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ, the one you call the king of the Jews”, Pilate asked them. But they all answered and kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify him!” For the third time he spoke to them, “Why? What crime has this man committed?”Pilate asked. “ I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. ThereforeI will have Him punished and then release Him.” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd.“I am innocent of this man’s blood”, he said. “It is your responsibility.” All the people answered, “Let His blood be on us and on our children!” But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that Jesus be crucified, and their shouts prevailed.So, wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate decided to grant their demand. Then he released to them Barabbas, the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
Pilate’s Final Attempts to Free Jesus
Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged and handed Him over to be crucified.
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus, led him away into the palace (that is, the praetorium) and gathered together the whole company of soldiers round him. They stripped him and put a purple robe on him, and then the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” They spat on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in the face. Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spat on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.
Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.“ When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him. “ The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.“ When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realise I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin. “
From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar. “When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king”, Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.“We have no king but Caesar”, the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus and after they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him.
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The Crucifixion
Then they led him out to crucify him. As they led him away, they met and seized a certain man from Cyrene, named Simon , the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was passing by on his way in from the country. They forced him to carry the cross and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills “Cover us!”’ For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. They brought Jesus, carrying his own cross, to the place which in Aramaic is called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). When they came to the place called the Skull, there they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall and myrrh ; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. It was the third hour when there they crucified him, and along with him two others, the two robbers --one on his right, the other on his left and Jesus in the middle. And the scripture was fulfilled which says, “He was counted with the lawless ones.”
 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews
Above his head they placed the written notice of the charge against him. Pilate had the notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read : THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH , THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write‘The King of the Jews’, but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
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Dividing Jesus’ Garments
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.“Let’s not tear it”, they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, “They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” So this is what the soldiers did , they divided up his clothes by casting lots to see what each would get. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. The people stood watching and near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and MaryMagdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing near by, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son”, and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself , if you are the Son of God!” The rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others;let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him among themselves. “He saved others”, they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” In the same way those robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God”, he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining.
The Death of Jesus
And at about the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”--which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of those standing near there heard this, they said, “ Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one man of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down”, he said. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” And when Jesus had said this, he cried out again in aloud voice and with a loud cry, breathed his last. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” And when those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the many women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. Some women among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome the mother of Zebedee’s sons. These women had followed Jesus in and from Galilee and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
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The Burial of Jesus
Now it was the day of Preparation, that is the day before the Sabbath, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken”, and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” Later, as evening approached, there came a rich man from the Judean town of Arimathea, a man named Joseph, a prominent member of the council, a good and upright man, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, and who had not consented to their decision and action. Now Joseph had himself become a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. Going boldly to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.  When he learned from the centurion that it was so, Pilate ordered that the body be given to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth and with Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body down . He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of clean linen cloth . This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden Joseph’s own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock , one in which no-one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the Sabbath was about to begin and since the tomb was near by, they laid Jesus there. Then he rolled a big stone in front of and against the entrance to the tomb and went away. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, the mother of Joses, were sitting there opposite the tomb and saw where he was laid. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
The Jews Post a Guard
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir”, they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard”, Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.
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The Empty Tomb
After the Sabbath very early in the morning - at dawn on the first day of the week, the women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, took the spices they had prepared and while it was still dark, went to look at the tomb. Just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. But when the women looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away from the tomb, and had been removed from the entrance. So she, Mary Magdalene, came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” As the women entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Do not be afraid or alarmed”, the angel said to the women, “for I know that you are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where they laid him.
 They did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. “Now go quickly and tell his disciples and Peter :‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ Now I have told you.” Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. Meanwhile Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying.
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Jesus Appears
When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away”, she said, “and I don't know where they have put him.” At this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realise that it was Jesus. “Woman”, he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.
While the other women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings”, he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. Afterwards Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
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On the Road to Emmaus
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognising him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth”, they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going further. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognised by them when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
On the evening of that first day of the week, while they were still talking about this, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus himself came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet and side. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were eating. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
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The Great Commission
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The Miraculous Catch of Fish
Afterwards Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish”, Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No”, they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord”, he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
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Jesus Reinstates Peter
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”“Yes, Lord”, he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)
When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumour spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die.But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
The Ascension
He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, while he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven before their very eyes, and he sat at the right hand of God and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee”, they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will comeback in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy from the hill called the Mount of Olives, A Sabbath day’s walk from the city. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Jesus did many other miraculous signs as well in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
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He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, along with him and withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them. He began to be deeply distressed, sorrowful and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death”, He said to them. “Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Going a little further He knelt down and prayed, fell with His face to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from Him. “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Abba, Father”, he said, “everything is possible for you. If you are willing take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.”
Then he returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon”, He said to Peter, “are you asleep?” “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?”, he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the body is weak.”
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
An angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to Him. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
When he rose from prayer, returning the third time, and went back to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you still sleeping and resting?” He asked them. “Getup and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. Enough! The hour is near and has come. Look, the son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Now Judas, who betrayed Him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, and some officials, sent from the chief priests and Pharisees, the teachers of the law and the elders of the people. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Now, the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest Him and lead Him away under guard.”
While Jesus was still speaking, the crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, who was leading them, appeared . Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out to them. Judas approached Jesus to kiss Him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of man with a kiss?” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.”
At that time Jesus said to the crowd, to the chief priests, the officers of the temple Guard, and the elders who had come for Him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Everyday I sat with you, teaching in the temple courts and you did not lay a hand on me, nor arrest me. But this is your hour — when darkness reigns. But all this has taken place that the writings of the prophets, the Scriptures, might be fulfilled.”
Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. Then seizing Him, they led him away. Then all the disciples, everyone, deserted Him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.