Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

SECT. CXLII. THE WOMEN ENTER THE SEPULCHRE AND SEE THE ANGELS.

But the women entering into the sepulchre found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were astonished in their mind at this, behold, two men stood by them, in shining apparel. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces towards the ground, they said unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified, Why seek ye the living with the dead? He is not here, for he is risen as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay. Remember how he spake unto you, when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him as he said unto you: lo I have told you. And they remembered his words; and went out quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and did run to tell his disciples.

SECT. CXLIII. ST. PETER AND ST. JOHN VISIT THE SEPULCHRE.

Peter therefore went out,* and that other disciple, and they came to the sepulchre. And they both ran together, and that other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And when he stooped down he saw the linen-cloths lying; but yet he went not in. Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulchre, and saw the linen-cloths lying; and the napkin that had been about his head not lying with the linen-cloths, but

i.e. in consequence of what they had been told by St. Mary Magdalene.

apart, wrapt up into one place. Then the other disciple also went in, who came first to the sepulchre ; and he saw and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. The disciples therefore departed again to their home.

SECT. CXLIV. JESUS APPEARS TO ST. MARY MAGDALENE, AND TO THE OTHER WOMEN, AND TO ST. PETER.

First*

appearance.

But Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weeping. Now as she was weeping, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre; and she saw two angels in white, sitting one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had been laid. They say to her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing; and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith to her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith to him, Sir, if thou hast taken him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith to her, Mary. She turned herself and saith to him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master; Jesus saith to her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God.

Second

And as the other women went to tell his disciples, behold Jesus met them, and said, All hail. But they came up and took hold of his feet, and adored him. Then Jesus said to them, Fear not; go, tell my brethren that they go into Galilee; there they shall see me.

appearance.

* According to the Vulgate, St. Mark says, "But he, rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils."

And they went back from the sepulchre, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, who told these things to the apostles.

And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they did not believe them.

Third appearance.

And Christ was seen of Cephas.*

SECT. CXLV. THE GUARD REPORT TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

Now, behold some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests all things that had been done. And they being assembled together with the elders, taking counsel, gave a great sum of money to the soldiers, saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away when we were asleep. And if the governor shall hear of this, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught; and this account is spread abroad among the Jews even unto this day.

SECT. CXLVI. JESUS APPEARS TO THE TWO DISCIPLES GOING TO EMMAUS.

The afternoon of the first day of the week, the 17th of Nisan. And behold two of them went the same day to a town which was sixty furlongs from On the way Jerusalem named Emmaus; and they talked together of all the things that had

to Emmaus.

happened.

And it came to pass that while they talked and reasoned with themselves, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were held, This appearance is also referred to in

* See 1 Cor. xv. 5. Sect. cxlvi.

Fourth

that they should not know him. And he said to them, What are these discourses that ye hold one with another as ye walk, and are sad? And one of them, whose name was Cleophas, answered and said to him, Art thou a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things that have been done there in these days? And he said to them, What things? And they said, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in work and word before God and all the people; and how our chief priests and princes delivered appearance. him to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we hoped that it was he that should have redeemed Israel; and now, besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company affrighted us, who before it was light were at the sepulchre ; and when they found not his body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he is alive. And some of our people went to the sepulchre, and found it even as the women had said, but him they found not.

Then he said to them, O foolish, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

And they drew nigh to the town whither they were going, and he made as though he would go farther; but they constrained him, saying, Abide with us, for it is towards evening, and the day is now far spent. And he went in with them. And it came to pass, whilst he was at table with them, he took bread, and blessed and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight.

And they rose up the same hour and returned to

Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

SECT. CXLVII. JESUS APPEARS TO THE ASSEMBLED APOSTLES
IN THE ABSENCE OF ST. THOMAS.

The evening at the end of the first day of the week,
the 17th of Nisan.

And as they thus spake, the doors being shut where the disciples were assembled for Jerusalem. Fifth fear of the Jews, came Jesus himself and appearance. stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were troubled and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said to them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had said this he showed them his hands and his feet and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. When he had said this he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins ye forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins ye retain, they are retained.

And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish and of an honeycomb; and he took it, and did eat before them.

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my fingers into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.