On the third day after Jesus' crucifixion and burial, the women who had followed Jesus from Galilee prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body, resting on the Sabbath in accordance with the commandment. Joseph of Arimathea, a council member who had not consented to the decision to crucify Jesus, had previously taken Jesus' body down from the cross, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in his own new tomb hewn from rock where no one had ever been laid. The women, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, had observed where the body was placed before returning home to prepare their burial spices.
[1] Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. [2] But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. [3] Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. [4] And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. [5] Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? [6] He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, [7] saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”
[8] And they remembered His words. [9] Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. [10] It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. [11] And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. [12] But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.
Peter has just begun addressing a crowd in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles with the sound of a rushing wind and tongues of fire, enabling them to speak in various languages. The gathered Jews from many nations heard the apostles speaking in their own tongues, causing amazement and confusion, with some mocking them as drunk. Peter stood with the eleven apostles and explained that this phenomenon was not drunkenness but the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy about God pouring out His Spirit in the last days, when prophesying, visions, and signs would occur before the Lord's great day. Peter is addressing the Jewish crowd gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost.
[22] “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— [23] Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; [24] whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. [25] For David says concerning Him:
‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
[26] Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
[27] For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
[28] You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’
[29] “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. [30] Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, [31] he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. [32] This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. [33] Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
[34] “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
[35] Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’
[36] “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
[37] Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
[38] Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
[40] And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” [41] Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Very early on the first day of the week, after Jesus' crucifixion and burial in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb, the women who had witnessed Jesus' death and burial prepare to anoint his body with spices. Joseph had placed Jesus' body in a rock-hewn tomb and rolled a large stone against the entrance on Friday evening, just before the Sabbath began. The women, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had observed where Jesus was laid and rested during the Sabbath according to the commandment. Now, as the Sabbath has ended and dawn breaks on Sunday morning, they set out to complete the burial preparations that were interrupted by the Sabbath's arrival.
[2] Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. [3] And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” [4] But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. [5] And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
[6] But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. [7] But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
[8] So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.