The Guard at the Tomb (MAT 27:62-66)

[27:62] The next day, which was a Sabbath, the chief priests and the Pharisees met with Pilate

[27:63] and said, “Sir, we remember that while that liar was still alive he said, ‘I will be raised to life three days later.’

[27:64] Give orders, then, for his tomb to be carefully guarded until the third day, so that his disciples will not be able to go and steal the body, and then tell the people that he was raised from death. This last lie would be even worse than the first one.”

[27:65] “Take a guard,” Pilate told them; “go and make the tomb as secure as you can.”

[27:66] So they left and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and leaving the guard on watch.

The Resurrection (MAT 28:1-10)

[28:1] After the Sabbath, as Sunday morning was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

[28:2] Suddenly there was a violent earthquake; an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled the stone away, and sat on it.

[28:3] His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

[28:4] The guards were so afraid that they trembled and became like dead men.

[28:5] The angel spoke to the women. “You must not be afraid,” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

[28:6] He is not here; he has been raised, just as he said. Come here and see the place where he was lying.

[28:7] Go quickly now, and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from death, and now he is going to Galilee ahead of you; there you will see him!’ Remember what I have told you.”

[28:8] So they left the tomb in a hurry, afraid and yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

[28:9] Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Peace be with you.” They came up to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

[28:10] “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to them. “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

The Report of the Guard (MAT 28:11-15)

[28:11] While the women went on their way, some of the soldiers guarding the tomb went back to the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened.

[28:12] The chief priests met with the elders and made their plan; they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers

[28:13] and said, “You are to say that his disciples came during the night and stole his body while you were asleep.

[28:14] And if the Governor should hear of this, we will convince him that you are innocent, and you will have nothing to worry about.”

[28:15] The guards took the money and did what they were told to do. And so that is the report spread around by the Jews to this very day.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples (MAT 28:16-20)

[28:16] The eleven disciples went to the hill in Galilee where Jesus had told them to go.

[28:17] When they saw him, they worshiped him, even though some of them doubted.

[28:18] Jesus drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

[28:19] Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

[28:20] and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Preaching of John the Baptist (MRK 1:1-8)

[1:1] This is the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

[1:2] It began as the prophet Isaiah had written: “God said, ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you.’

[1:3] Someone is shouting in the desert, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord; make a straight path for him to travel!’”

[1:4] So John appeared in the desert, baptizing and preaching. “Turn away from your sins and be baptized,” he told the people, “and God will forgive your sins.”

[1:5] Many people from the province of Judea and the city of Jerusalem went out to hear John. They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

[1:6] John wore clothes made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

[1:7] He announced to the people, “The man who will come after me is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to bend down and untie his sandals.

[1:8] I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus (MRK 1:9-13)

[1:9] Not long afterward Jesus came from Nazareth in the province of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

[1:10] As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, he saw heaven opening and the Spirit coming down on him like a dove.

[1:11] And a voice came from heaven, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.”

[1:12] At once the Spirit made him go into the desert,

[1:13] where he stayed forty days, being tempted by Satan. Wild animals were there also, but angels came and helped him.

Jesus Calls Four Fishermen (MRK 1:14-20)

[1:14] After John had been put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee and preached the Good News from God.

[1:15] “The right time has come,” he said, “and the Kingdom of God is near! Turn away from your sins and believe the Good News!”

[1:16] As Jesus walked along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two fishermen, Simon and his brother Andrew, catching fish with a net.

[1:17] Jesus said to them, “Come with me, and I will teach you to catch people.”

[1:18] At once they left their nets and went with him.

[1:19] He went a little farther on and saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in their boat getting their nets ready.

[1:20] As soon as Jesus saw them, he called them; they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went with Jesus.

A Man with an Evil Spirit (MRK 1:21-28)

[1:21] Jesus and his disciples came to the town of Capernaum, and on the next Sabbath Jesus went to the synagogue and began to teach.

[1:22] The people who heard him were amazed at the way he taught, for he wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.

[1:23] Just then a man with an evil spirit came into the synagogue and screamed,

[1:24] “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are—you are God's holy messenger!”

[1:25] Jesus ordered the spirit, “Be quiet, and come out of the man!”

[1:26] The evil spirit shook the man hard, gave a loud scream, and came out of him.

[1:27] The people were all so amazed that they started saying to one another, “What is this? Is it some kind of new teaching? This man has authority to give orders to the evil spirits, and they obey him!”

[1:28] And so the news about Jesus spread quickly everywhere in the province of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many People (MRK 1:29-34)

[1:29] Jesus and his disciples, including James and John, left the synagogue and went straight to the home of Simon and Andrew.

[1:30] Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and as soon as Jesus arrived, he was told about her.

[1:31] He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to wait on them.

[1:32] After the sun had set and evening had come, people brought to Jesus all the sick and those who had demons.

[1:33] All the people of the town gathered in front of the house.

[1:34] Jesus healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases and drove out many demons. He would not let the demons say anything, because they knew who he was.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee (MRK 1:35-39)

[1:35] Very early the next morning, long before daylight, Jesus got up and left the house. He went out of town to a lonely place, where he prayed.

[1:36] But Simon and his companions went out searching for him,

[1:37] and when they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

[1:38] But Jesus answered, “We must go on to the other villages around here. I have to preach in them also, because that is why I came.”

[1:39] So he traveled all over Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and driving out demons.