JESUS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS--BURIED--TOMB SEALED.
And, behold, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves
were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came
out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city,
and appeared unto many.
And when the centurion, which stood over against him, and they that were
with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were
done, that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, they feared greatly,
saying, Truly this was the Son of God. And all the people that came
together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote
their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women
that followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him, stood afar off,
beholding these things; among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the
mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome, the mother of
Zebedee's children; (who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and
ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto
Jerusalem.
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies
should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath
day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken,
and _that_ they might be taken away.
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the
other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw
that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: but one of the
soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout
blood and water. And he that saw _it_ bare record, and his record is
true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For
these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone
of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They
shall look on him whom they pierced.
And after this, when the even was come, because it was the preparation,
that is, the day before the sabbath, there came a rich man of Arimathea
named Joseph, an honorable counsellor, _and he was_ a good man, and a
just: (the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) _he
was_ of Arimathea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the
kingdom of God, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the
Jews. This _man_ went in boldly into Pilate, and begged that he might
take away the body of Jesus.
And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead; and calling _unto him_ the
centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he
knew _it_ of the centurion, then Pilate commanded the body to be
delivered unto Joseph. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by
night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound
_weight_. And when Joseph had taken the body down, he wrapped it in a
clean linen cloth, with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to
bury.
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the
garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they
Jesus therefore in his own new tomb which he had hewn out in the rock:
because of the Jews' preparation _day_; for the sepulchre was nigh at
hand: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and
departed. And that day was the preparation and the sabbath drew on.
And the women also, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, _the mother_ of
Joses, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and sitting
over against the sepulchre, beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was
laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested
the sabbath day according to the commandment.
Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief
priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we
remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three
days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made
sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal
him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the
last error shall be worse than the first.
Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make _it_ as sure
as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone,
and setting a watch.