Jesus Is Buried^(A)

³⁸ ·Later [^LAfter these things], Joseph from Arimathea asked Pilate if he could take the body of Jesus. (Joseph was a secret ·follower [disciple] of Jesus, because he was afraid of ·some of the leaders [the Jewish leaders; ^Lthe Jews].) Pilate gave his permission, so Joseph came and took Jesus’ body away. ³⁹ Nicodemus, who earlier had come to Jesus at night [3:1–15; 7:50–52], went with Joseph. He brought about seventy-five pounds [^CGreek: a hundred litrai; a litra was about 12 ounces] of [a mixture of] myrrh and aloes [^Cused to cover a decomposing body to prevent the stench]. ⁴⁰ These two men took Jesus’ body and wrapped it with the spices in pieces of linen cloth, ·which is how they bury the dead [^Laccording to the burial custom of the Jews]. ⁴¹ In the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb that had never been used before. ⁴² The men laid Jesus in that tomb because it was nearby, and ·they were preparing to start their Sabbath day [^Lbecause it was the Jewish Day of Preparation].

Jesus Is Buried^(A)

⁵⁷ That evening a rich man named Joseph, a ·follower [disciple] of Jesus from the town of Arimathea, ·came to Jerusalem [or came forward; ^Lcame]. ⁵⁸ Joseph went to Pilate and asked to have Jesus’ body. So Pilate gave orders for ·the soldiers to give it [^Lit to be given] to Joseph. ⁵⁹ Then Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. ⁶⁰ He put Jesus’ body in his own new tomb that he had cut out of a wall of rock, and 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 [across from; opposite] the tomb.

Jesus Is Buried^(A)

⁴² This was Preparation Day. (That means the day before the Sabbath day.) That evening, ⁴³ Joseph from Arimathea was ·brave [bold] enough to go to Pilate and ask for Jesus’ body. Joseph, an ·important [respected] member of the ·Jewish council [Sanhedrin; see 14:55], was one of the people who was waiting for the kingdom of God to come. ⁴⁴ Pilate was amazed that Jesus would have already died, so he called the ·army officer [centurion] and asked him if Jesus ·had already died [or had been dead very long]. ⁴⁵ The officer told Pilate that he was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. ⁴⁶ Joseph bought some linen cloth, took the body down from the cross, and wrapped it in the linen. He put the body in a tomb that was cut out of a wall of rock. Then he rolled a [^Clarge] stone to block the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷ And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph ·saw [took note of] the place where Jesus was laid.

Joseph Takes Jesus’ Body^(A)

⁵⁰ [^LAnd look/^Tbehold] There was a good and ·religious [righteous; just] man named Joseph who was a member of the council. ⁵¹ But he had not agreed to the other leaders’ plans and actions against Jesus. He was from the town of Arimathea [in Judea; or a town of the Jews] and was waiting for the kingdom of God to come. ⁵² Joseph went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. ⁵³ He took the body down from the cross, wrapped it in [linen] cloth, and put it in a tomb that was cut out of a wall of rock. ·This tomb had never been used before [^L…where no one had been laid; ^Cfamily tombs held multiple bodies, but this new one was empty]. ⁵⁴ This was late on Preparation Day, ·and when the sun went down, the Sabbath day would begin [^Land the Sabbath was beginning].

⁵⁵ The women who had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was laid. ⁵⁶ Then the women left to prepare spices and perfumes [^Cused to honor the dead and cover the stench of decay].

On the Sabbath day they rested, ·as the law of Moses commanded [^Laccording to the commandment].