Jesus Has Risen^(A)

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene^(B) and the other Mary^(C) went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake,^(D) for an angel^(E) of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone^(F) and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.^{(G) 4} The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid,^(H) for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.^(I) Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.^(J) There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them.^(K) “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers^(L) to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Guards’ Report

¹¹ While the women were on their way, some of the guards^(M) went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away^(N) while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor,^(O) we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ 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.

³ After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them^(A) over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.^{(B) 4} On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait^(C) for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.^{(D) 5} For John baptized with^[a] water,^(E) but in a few days you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit.”^(F)

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore^(G) the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.^{(H) 8} But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;^(I) and you will be my witnesses^(J) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,^(K) and to the ends of the earth.”^(L)

⁹ After he said this, he was taken up^(M) before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white^(N) stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,”^(O) they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back^(P) in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel^(A) I preached to you,^(B) which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ² By this gospel you are saved,^(C) if you hold firmly^(D) to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

³ For what I received^(E) I passed on to you^(F) as of first importance^[a]: that Christ died for our sins^(G) according to the Scriptures,^{(H) 4} that he was buried,^(I) that he was raised^(J) on the third day^(K) according to the Scriptures,^{(L) 5} and that he appeared to Cephas,^[b](M) and then to the Twelve.^{(N) 6} After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.^{(O) 7} Then he appeared to James,^(P) then to all the apostles,^{(Q) 8} and last of all he appeared to me also,^(R) as to one abnormally born.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles^(S) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(T) the church of God.^{(U) 10} But by the grace^(V) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me^(W) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them^(X)—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.^{(Y) 11} Whether, then, it is I or they,^(Z) this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹² But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,^(AA) how can some of you say that there is no resurrection^(AB) of the dead?^{(AC) 13} If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised,^(AD) our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵ More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.^(AE) But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.^{(AF) 18} Then those also who have fallen asleep^(AG) in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.^(AH)

¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life^(A)—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.^(B) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”^(C)

³¹ Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.^(A)