Jesus Is Risen

Matthew 28

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky and came and rolled away the stone from the door and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards were shaken became like dead men because they were afraid of him. The angel said the women, “Don’t be afraid y’all, for I know that it is Jesus, who was crucified, that y’all are looking for. He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where he was lying. Y’all go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of y’all into Galilee. There y’all will see him.’ Listen, I have told y’all.”

They left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them, saying, “Greetings y’all!”

They came to him, clasped his feet, and worshiped him.

Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t y’all be afraid. Y’all go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

The Elders Bribe the Guards

Now while the women were going, some of the guards went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. After they had assembled with the elders and strategized together, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers, telling them, “Y’all are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If the governor hears about this, we will persuade him and keep y’all out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed. This story was spread widely among the Jews and continues until today.

The Great Commission

So the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had designated. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted.

Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, y’all are to go and make disciples of all ethnic groups, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded y’all. And surely I am always with y’all, to the end of the age.”