Luke 24
24
Looking for the Living One in a Cemetery
1-3At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn’t find the body of the Master Jesus.
4-8They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, “Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?” Then they remembered Jesus’ words.
9-11They left the tomb and broke the news of all this to the Eleven and the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them kept telling these things to the apostles, but the apostles didn’t believe a word of it, thought they were making it all up.
12But Peter jumped to his feet and ran to the tomb. He stooped to look in and saw a few grave clothes, that’s all. He walked away puzzled, shaking his head.
The Road to Emmaus
13-16That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was.
17-18He asked, “What’s this you’re discussing so intently as you walk along?”
They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?”
19-24He said, “What has happened?”
They said, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn’t find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn’t see Jesus.”
25-27Then he said to them, “So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don’t you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?” Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him.
28-31They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: “Stay and have supper with us. It’s nearly evening; the day is done.” So he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared.
32Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?”
A Ghost Doesn’t Have Muscle and Bone
33-34They didn’t waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: “It’s really happened! The Master has been raised up—Simon saw him!”
35Then the two went over everything that happened on the road and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.
36-41a While they were saying all this, Jesus appeared to them and said, “Peace be with you.” They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death. He continued with them, “Don’t be upset, and don’t let all these doubting questions take over. Look at my hands; look at my feet—it’s really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn’t have muscle and bone like this.” As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. They still couldn’t believe what they were seeing. It was too much; it seemed too good to be true.
41b-43 He asked, “Do you have any food here?” They gave him a piece of leftover fish they had cooked. He took it and ate it right before their eyes.
You’re the Witnesses
44Then he said, “Everything I told you while I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled.”
45-49He went on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way. He said, “You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day, and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations—starting from here, from Jerusalem! You’re the first to hear and see it. You’re the witnesses. What comes next is very important: I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you’re equipped with power from on high.”
50-51He then led them out of the city over to Bethany. Raising his hands he blessed them, and while blessing them, made his exit, being carried up to heaven.
52-53And they were on their knees, worshiping him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy. They spent all their time in the Temple praising God. Yes.
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Luke 24: MSG
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Luke 24
24
Jesus Comes Back to Life
(Matthew 28:1–10; Mark 16:1–8; John 20:1–10)
1Very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb. They were carrying the spices that they had prepared. 2They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. 3When they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were puzzled about this, two men in clothes that were as bright as lightning suddenly stood beside them. 5The women were terrified and bowed to the ground.
The men asked the women, “Why are you looking among the dead for the living one? 6He’s not here. He has been brought back to life! Remember what he told you while he was still in Galilee. 7He said, ‘The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people, be crucified, and come back to life on the third day.’ ” 8Then the women remembered what Jesus had told them.
9The women left the tomb and went back to the city. They told everything to the eleven apostles and all the others. 10The women were Mary from Magdala, Joanna, and Mary (the mother of James). There were also other women with them. They told the apostles everything.
11The apostles thought that the women’s story didn’t make any sense, and they didn’t believe them.
12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent down to look inside and saw only the strips of linen. Then he went away, wondering what had happened.
Jesus Appears to Disciples on a Road to Emmaus
13On the same day, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village called Emmaus. It was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking to each other about everything that had happened.
15While they were talking, Jesus approached them and began walking with them. 16Although they saw him, they didn’t recognize him.
17He asked them, “What are you discussing?”
They stopped and looked very sad. 18One of them, Cleopas, replied, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who doesn’t know what has happened recently?”
19“What happened?” he asked.
They said to him, “We were discussing what happened to Jesus from Nazareth. He was a powerful prophet in what he did and said in the sight of God and all the people. 20Our chief priests and rulers had him condemned to death and crucified. 21We were hoping that he was the one who would free Israel. What’s more, this is now the third day since everything happened. 22Some of the women from our group startled us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23and didn’t find his body. They told us that they had seen angels who said that he’s alive. 24Some of our men went to the tomb and found it empty, as the women had said, but they didn’t see him.”
25Then Jesus said to them, “How foolish you are! You’re so slow to believe everything the prophets said! 26Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27Then he began with Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets to explain to them what was said about him throughout the Scriptures.
28When they came near the village where they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29They urged him, “Stay with us! It’s getting late, and the day is almost over.” So he went to stay with them.
30While he was at the table with them, he took bread and blessed it. He broke the bread and gave it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. But he vanished from their sight.
32They said to each other, “Weren’t we excited when he talked with us on the road and opened up the meaning of the Scriptures for us?”
33That same hour they went back to Jerusalem. They found the eleven apostles and those who were with them gathered together. 34They were saying, “The Lord has really come back to life and has appeared to Simon.”
35Then the two disciples told what had happened on the road and how they had recognized Jesus when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Apostles
(John 20:19–23)
36While they were talking about what had happened, Jesus stood among them. He said to them, “Peace be with you!” 37They were terrified, and thought they were seeing a ghost.
38He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Why do you have doubts? 39Look at my hands and feet, and see that it’s really me. Touch me, and see for yourselves. Ghosts don’t have flesh and bones, but you can see that I do.” 40As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
41The disciples were overcome with joy and amazement because this seemed too good to be true. Then Jesus asked them, “Do you have anything to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish. 43He took it and ate it while they watched him.
44Then he said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you. I told you that everything written about me in Moses’ Teachings, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to come true.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46He said to them, “Scripture says that the Messiah would suffer and that he would come back to life on the third day. 47Scripture also says that by the authority of Jesus people would be told to turn to God and change the way they think and act so that their sins will be forgiven. This would be told to people from all nations, beginning in the city of Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses to these things.
49“I’m sending you what my Father promised. Wait here in the city until you receive power from heaven.”
50Then Jesus took them to a place near Bethany. There he raised his hands and blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken to heaven.
52The disciples worshiped him and were overjoyed as they went back to Jerusalem. 53They were always in the temple, where they praised God.
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