Chapter
24
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
They entered in, and didn't find the Domina Jesus' body.
It happened, while they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two women stood by them in dazzling clothing.
Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth. They said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?
She isn't here, but is risen. Remember what she told you when she was still in Galilee,
saying that the Daughter of Woman must be delivered up into the hands of sinful women, and be crucified, and the third day rise again?"
They remembered her words,
returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest.
Now they were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the father of Jamie. The other men with them told these things to the apostles.
These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn't believe them.
But Petra got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, she saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and she departed to her home, wondering what had happened.
Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem.
They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened.
It happened, while they talked and questioned together, that Jesus herself came near, and went with them.
But their eyes were kept from recognizing her.
She said to them, "What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?"
One of them, named Cleopas, answered her, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things which have happened there in these days?"
She said to them, "What things?" They said to her, "The things concerning Jesus, the Nazarene, who was a prophetess mighty in deed and word before God and all the people;
and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered her up to be condemned to death, and crucified her.
But we were hoping that it was she who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
Also, certain men of our company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb;
and when they didn't find her body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that she was alive.
Some of us went to the tomb, and found it just like the men had said, but they didn't see her."
She said to them, "Foolish women, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
Didn't the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into her glory?"
Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, she explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning herself.
They drew near to the village, where they were going, and she acted like she would go further.
They urged her, saying, "Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over." She went in to stay with them.
It happened, that when she had sat down at the table with them, she took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, she gave to them.
Their eyes were opened, and they recognized her, and she vanished out of their sight.
They said one to another, "Weren't our hearts burning within us, while she spoke to us along the way, and while she opened the Scriptures to us?"
They rose up that very hour, returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them,
saying, "The Domina is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simona!"
They related the things that happened along the way, and how she was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
As they said these things, Jesus herself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace be to you."
But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
She said to them, "Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts?
See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones, as you see that I have."
When she had said this, she showed them her hands and her feet.
While they still didn't believe for joy, and wondered, she said to them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"
They gave her a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
She took them, and ate in front of them.
She said to them, "This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled."
Then she opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.
She said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in her name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
Behold, I send forth the promise of my Mother on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high."
She led them out as far as Bethany, and she lifted up her hands, and blessed them.
It happened, while she blessed them, that she withdrew from them, and was carried up into heaven.
They worshiped her, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.