Mary Magdalene

55Many women were there, watching from far away. They had followed Jesus from Galilee and helped take care of him.

And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

NoteThese women gave money and food. That is how they helped take care of Jesus and his friends.

56Mary Magdalene was one of them. So was Mary, the mother of James and Joses. So was the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.

NoteMagdalene means she came from Magdala, a town by a lake. Many women then were named Mary.

57When evening came, a rich man from Arimathea arrived. His name was Joseph. He was a follower of Jesus.

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:

NoteArimathea was a small town. Usually Romans left bodies on the cross. Asking for the body took courage.

58He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate ordered that the body be given to him.

He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

59Joseph took the body. He wrapped it in a clean linen cloth.

And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

NoteLinen is a cloth like a sheet. Wrapping a body in it was how people said goodbye then.

60He laid it in his own new tomb, which was cut into the rock. He rolled a big stone across the door. Then he went away.

And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

NoteTombs were rooms cut into rock, like little caves. A big round stone rolled across the door to close it.

61Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there. They sat across from the tomb.

And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

1The Sabbath, the weekly day of rest, was over. Early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

NoteThe Sabbath was the weekly rest day for Jewish people. It ran from Friday evening to Saturday evening. So Sunday morning was the very next day. Mary Magdalene was a woman from a town called Magdala. Jesus had helped her, and she followed him.

2Suddenly the ground shook hard. That was because an angel, a messenger from God, came down from the sky. He rolled the big stone away from the door and sat on it.

And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

NoteA tomb was a small room cut into a rock hill. A dead person was laid inside on a stone shelf. Then a big round stone was rolled across the door. The stone was heavy. It took strong men to move it. An angel is a messenger who comes from God.

3The way he looked was like lightning. His clothes were as white as snow.

His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

NoteThe King James says his "raiment" was white as snow. Raiment is an old word for clothes. The King James says his "countenance" was like lightning. Countenance is an old word for the way someone looks.

4The soldiers guarding the tomb shook with fear. They became like dead men.

And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

NoteSoldiers had been sent to stand watch at the tomb. Their job was to make sure nobody took the body away. The King James calls them "the keepers," meaning the guards.

5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus, who was killed on a cross."

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

NoteJesus was killed on a cross. A cross was two big wooden beams. The Roman rulers put people to death this way. Everyone who heard this story knew what it meant.

6"He is not here. He is alive again, just as he said. Come and see the place where he was lying."

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Note"He is risen" means he got up and is alive again. It does not mean he floated up.

7"Now go quickly. Tell his disciples, the friends who followed him, that he is alive again. He is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Listen, I have told you."

And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

NoteGalilee was the part of the country where Jesus grew up. It was a few days' walk north of the city. His disciples were the friends who traveled with him and learned from him.

8So they hurried away from the tomb. They were afraid and very happy at the same time. They ran to tell his followers the news.

And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

NoteTheir fear was not the scared kind. It was the shaky feeling you get when something huge and wonderful happens.

9On the way, Jesus met them. He said, "Hello!" They came close, held his feet, and worshiped him.

And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

NoteThe King James has Jesus say "All hail." That was just a friendly hello in old English. Holding someone's feet was a way of showing you thought they were very great.

10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there."

Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Note"My brethren" means his close friends, not brothers born in his family.

40Some women were watching from far away. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.

There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

NoteMagdalene means she came from a town called Magdala. James is called "the younger" so people knew which James was meant.

41These women had followed Jesus in Galilee and taken care of him. Many other women had come with him to Jerusalem.

(Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.

42Evening came. It was Preparation Day, the day before the Sabbath, the day of rest.

And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,

NoteFor these people a new day started at sunset. So all work had to be finished before dark on Friday.

43Joseph from Arimathea was an important member of the council. He was waiting for God's kingdom to come. He went bravely to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

NoteArimathea was the town Joseph came from. Asking for the body was brave. Jesus had just been killed as an enemy of Rome.

44Pilate was surprised that Jesus was already dead. He called the officer and asked if Jesus had been dead for a while.

And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

45The officer told him it was. So Pilate let Joseph have the body.

And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

46Joseph bought a clean linen cloth. He took the body down and wrapped it in the cloth. He laid it in a tomb cut out of solid rock. Then he rolled a big stone over the doorway.

And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.

NoteLinen is a smooth cloth. Dead bodies were wrapped in it. A tomb was a small room cut into a rock hill. A big round stone was rolled across the doorway to close it.

47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid.

And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.

1The day of rest was over. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought sweet spices. They wanted to put the spices on Jesus' body.

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

NoteThe day of rest was Saturday. Jewish people did no work on that day, so the women waited. Sweet spices were things that smelled good, like perfume. People put them on a dead body to show love and care. Mary Magdalene was a woman Jesus had helped, and she followed him.

2Very early on Sunday morning, just as the sun came up, they went to the tomb.

And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

NoteFor these people the week started on Sunday, so Sunday was the first day. A tomb was a small room cut into rock. A dead body was laid inside it.

3They said to each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the door of the tomb?"

And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

NoteA big flat stone was rolled across the door of a tomb to close it. It was so heavy that one person could not move it.

4Then they looked up. The stone was already rolled away. And it was a very big stone.

And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

5They went inside the tomb. A young man in a long white robe was sitting on the right side. The women were frightened.

And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

NoteThe King James Bible says the women were "affrighted." That is an old word. It simply means they were frightened.

6He said to them, "Do not be frightened. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was killed on a cross. He is alive again. He is not here. Look at the place where they laid him.

And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

NoteNazareth was the small town where Jesus grew up. A cross was two wooden beams. Soldiers nailed a person to it to kill him.

7Now go and tell his followers, and tell Peter. Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you."

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.

NoteHis followers were the friends who traveled with him and learned from him. Galilee was the part of the country where Jesus grew up and taught. Peter was one of his closest friends.

8The women hurried out and ran from the tomb. They were shaking, and they were amazed. They were so afraid that they told no one anything.

And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

9Jesus came back to life early on Sunday. The first person he showed himself to was Mary Magdalene. He had once sent seven evil spirits out of her.

Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

NoteEvil spirits were unseen beings that troubled and hurt people. Jesus sent them out and the person got better.

10She went to the people who had been with Jesus. They were crying and very sad. She told them what she had seen.

And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

11They heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him. But they did not believe it.

And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

1After that, Jesus went to every town and village. He told the good news about God's kingdom. His twelve close helpers, called disciples, went with him.

And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,

NoteGod's kingdom means God ruling as king. It is not a country on a map.

2Some women went too. Jesus had healed them from evil spirits and sickness. One was Mary, called Magdalene. Seven demons had come out of her.

And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

NoteMagdalene means she came from Magdala, a town by the lake. A demon is an evil spirit. In this book, demons can live inside a person and hurt them.

3Joanna was there too. Her husband Chuza ran Herod's house. Susanna came, and many other women. They used their own money to help Jesus.

And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

NoteHerod was the ruler of that part of the country. Chuza took care of Herod's money, house, and workers. That was a big job. Some old copies of this verse say the women helped "them," meaning Jesus and his helpers.

1On Sunday, very early in the morning, the women came to the tomb. They brought the sweet-smelling spices they had made ready. Some other people came with them.

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

NoteA tomb was a small room cut into rock. A dead body was laid inside it. People put sweet-smelling spices on a body to honor the person.

2They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb.

And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

NoteA big round stone was rolled across the door of a tomb. It was very heavy to move.

3They went inside. The body of the Lord Jesus was not there.

And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4They did not know what to think. Just then two men in shining clothes stood beside them.

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5The women were afraid and bowed their faces to the ground. The two men said, "Why are you looking for the living among the dead?

And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

6He is not here. He is alive again! Remember what he told you back in Galilee.

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

NoteGalilee was the part of the country where Jesus grew up and taught.

7He said the Son of Man, the name Jesus used for himself, must be handed over to sinful men. He would be nailed to a cross. On the third day he would rise again."

Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

NoteA cross was two wooden beams. Rulers killed people by nailing them to it.

8Then the women remembered what Jesus had said.

And they remembered his words,

9They came back from the tomb. They told all of this to the eleven apostles and to everyone else.

And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

NoteApostles were the friends Jesus chose to go with him. There had been twelve. Now only eleven were left.

10The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. Other women were with them. They are the ones who told the apostles.

It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

NoteMagdalene means she came from a town called Magdala.

11But the apostles thought it was silly talk. They did not believe the women.

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

NoteBack then many people did not trust a woman's word. That is one reason the men found this hard to believe.