Matthew 28: The empty tomb, and Jesus sends out his disciples
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Greek. How to read a study
What happens?
Toward dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary come to the tomb. After an earthquake, an angel rolls the stone away and tells them Jesus has risen and is going ahead of the disciples into Galilee. Jesus meets the women on the way, the guards report to the chief priests who pay them to tell another story, and the eleven go to the mountain in Galilee where Jesus speaks to them.
Who is speaking?
No verse is in gold. The narrator tells the story. The angel speaks to the women in verses 5 to 7. Jesus speaks in verses 9, 10 and 18 to 20. The chief priests and elders speak to the soldiers in verses 13 and 14. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
In plain English: After the Sabbath (or: late on the Sabbath), as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
The Greek words: The verse begins opse de sabbatōn. Opse is "late in the day" or, by extension, "after the close of the day", in the dictionary. Sabbatōn is "of the Sabbaths", and the word comes twice: first here, and then in "toward one of the Sabbaths", which the World English Bible gives as "the first day of the week". The dictionary says the word can mean the Sabbath or "the interval between two Sabbaths", a week.
How it is translated: In Matthew the World English Bible has "Sabbath" for this word in all 9 of its verses, and "week" in 1, this one.
What changes: Read as "late on the Sabbath", the women come while the Sabbath is still going. Read as "after the Sabbath", they come once it is over. Either way, the verse says it was beginning to dawn.
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2Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky and came and rolled away the stone from the door and sat on it.
In plain English: And look, there was a great earthquake. An angel of the Lord came down from the sky (or: heaven), came up, rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it.
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3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
In plain English: His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was white as snow.
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4For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.
In plain English: The guards shook with fear of him and became like dead men.
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5The angel answered the women, “Don’t be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified.
In plain English: The angel answered the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who has been crucified.
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6He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.
In plain English: He is not here, for he has risen, just as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.
Good to know: The Tischendorf Greek in the corpus ends "the place where he was lying", without "the Lord".
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7Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.”
In plain English: Go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has risen from the dead, and look, he is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Look, I have told you."
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8They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
In plain English: They left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
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9As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.
In plain English: As they went to tell his disciples, look, Jesus met them and said, "Rejoice (or: Greetings)!" They came up, took hold of his feet, and worshiped (or: bowed down to) him.
The Greek words: "Rejoice" is chairete, a word that is a greeting and also means "be glad". The dictionary gives "to be cheerful, ... especially as salutation (on meeting or parting)". "Worshiped" is prosekynēsan, from proskyneō, which the dictionary gives as "to prostrate oneself in homage".
How it is translated: In Matthew chairō is in 6 verses. The World English Bible has "rejoice" or "rejoiced" in 4, "Hail" in 1 (, the soldiers' mocking) and "Greetings" in 1 (). Proskyneō is in 13 verses, with "worship" in 10 and "bow", "kneel" or "knelt" in the other 3.
What changes: Read as "Rejoice", Jesus tells the women to be glad. Read as "Greetings", he greets them as he meets them. Read as "worshiped", the women worship him; read as "bowed down", they bow low before him. The plain line gives both.
Good to know: The Tischendorf Greek in the corpus does not have "As they went to tell his disciples"; it begins "And look, Jesus met them".
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10Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me.”
In plain English: Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go into Galilee, and there they will see me."
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11Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests all the things that had happened.
In plain English: While the women were going, look, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened.
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12When they were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers,
In plain English: The chief priests gathered with the elders and made a plan. They gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers,
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13saying, “Say that his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept.
In plain English: saying, "Say that his disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.
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14If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry.”
In plain English: If this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and keep you free of worry."
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15So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until today.
In plain English: So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying has spread among the Jews, and it continues until today.
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16But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them.
In plain English: But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
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17When they saw him, they bowed down to him; but some doubted.
In plain English: When they saw him, they worshiped (or: bowed down to) him, but some doubted (or: hesitated).
The Greek word: "Doubted" is edistasan, from distazō, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to duplicate, i.e. (mentally) to waver (in opinion)". In Matthew it is in 2 verses, and the World English Bible has "doubt" in both, here and in .
What changes: Read as "doubted", some did not believe or were unsure. Read as "hesitated", they held back. The verse says "some" and does not say who they were or what they doubted.
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18Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
In plain English: Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
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19Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
In plain English: Go and make disciples of all nations (or: peoples; or: non-Jewish peoples), baptizing them in (or: into) the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
The Greek words: "Make disciples" is one Greek word, mathēteusate, which the dictionary gives as "to disciple, i.e. enrol as scholar". "Nations" is ethnē, which the dictionary gives as "a race ... a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one". In Matthew the World English Bible has "nation" or "nations" in 10 of its 14 verses with this word and "Gentiles" in 4.
What changes: Read as "nations" or "peoples", the word is about every people. Read as "Gentiles", it is about the peoples who are not Jewish. The plain line gives both.
Good to know: Where the World English Bible has "in the name", the Greek is eis to onoma, which can also be read "into the name". says, "Be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins". The two verses are set side by side here and not joined. In Matthew onoma is in 19 verses, and the World English Bible has "name" in 17 and "named" or "names" in the other 2.
Church tradition: Many churches baptize with these words. The text says "baptizing them in (or: into) the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit", and says nothing more about how it is done.
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20teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
In plain English: and teaching them to keep all the things that I commanded you. And look, I am with you always (literally: all the days), to the end of the age (or: world)." Amen.
The Greek words: "The end of the age" is synteleia tou aiōnos. Synteleia is "entire completion" in the dictionary, and aiōn is "an age" and, by extension, "the world". "Always" is word for word "all the days".
How it is translated: In Matthew synteleia is in 5 verses, with "end" in all 5. Aiōn is in 9 verses, with "age" in 6 and "world" in 1.
What changes: Read as "age", it is the end of a period of time. Read as "world", it is the end of the world. The plain line gives both.
Good to know: The Tischendorf Greek in the corpus does not have "Amen" at the end.
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