Jesus Is Buried^(A)

⁴² This day was called Preparation day. (That means the day before the Sabbath day.) It was becoming dark. ⁴³ A man named Joseph from Arimathea was brave enough to go to Pilate and ask for Jesus’ body. Joseph was an important member of the high council. He was one of the people who wanted God’s kingdom to come.

⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead. So he called for the army officer in charge and asked him if Jesus was already dead. ⁴⁵ When Pilate heard it from the officer, he told Joseph he could have the body.

⁴⁶ Joseph bought some linen cloth. He took the body from the cross, wrapped it in the linen, and put the body in a tomb that was dug in a wall of rock. Then he closed the tomb by rolling a large stone to cover the entrance. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw the place where Jesus was put.

Jesus Is Buried^(A)

^50-51 A man named Joseph was there from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a good man, who lived the way God wanted. He was waiting for God’s kingdom to come. Joseph was a member of the Jewish council. But he did not agree when the other Jewish leaders decided to kill Jesus. ⁵² He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³ He took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in cloth. Then he put it in a tomb that was dug in a wall of rock. This tomb had never been used before. ⁵⁴ It was late on Preparation day. When the sun went down, the Sabbath day would begin.

⁵⁵ The women who had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph. They saw the tomb. Inside they saw where he put Jesus’ body. ⁵⁶ Then they left to prepare some sweet-smelling spices to put on the body.

On the Sabbath day they rested, as commanded in the Law of Moses.

Jesus Is Buried^(A)

³⁸ Later, a man named Joseph from Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. (Joseph was a follower of Jesus, but he did not tell anyone, because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders.) Pilate said Joseph could take Jesus’ body, so he came and took it away.

³⁹ Nicodemus went with Joseph. He was the man who had come to Jesus before and talked to him at night. He brought about 100 pounds^[a] of spices—a mixture of myrrh and aloes. ⁴⁰ These two men took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in pieces of linen cloth with the spices. (This is how the Jews bury people.) ⁴¹ In the place where Jesus was killed on the cross, there was a garden. In the garden there was a new tomb. No one had ever been buried there before. ⁴² The men put Jesus in that tomb because it was near, and the Jews were preparing to start their Sabbath day.