Luke 24

1At the break of dawn on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb, carrying the spices they had gotten ready.

2They discovered that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb,

3but on going inside they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4They were still at a loss about this when two men in clothing bright as lightning suddenly stood beside them.

5Terrified, the women bent their faces toward the ground, and the men said to them, “Why are you searching among the dead for the one who is alive?

6He is not here; he has been raised! Think back to what he told you while he was still in Galilee,

7that the Son of Man had to be handed over into the hands of sinful human beings, be crucified, and on the third day rise.”

8Then they called his words to mind,

9and they came back from the tomb and reported all of this to the Eleven and to everyone else.

10The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; they and the other women with them were the ones telling these things to the apostles.

11But to the apostles what they said sounded like foolish talk, and they would not believe them.

12Peter, though, got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping to peer inside, he saw nothing there but the linen wrappings, and he went off home, wondering at what had taken place.

13On that same day, two of them were traveling to a village named Emmaus, sixty stadia from Jerusalem.

14They were conversing with one another about all that had occurred.

15In the middle of their conversation and debate, Jesus himself came up to them and walked along beside them,

16but their eyes were held so that they did not recognize him.

17He asked them, “What are these things you are going back and forth about as you walk?” They came to a halt, their faces downcast.

18One of them, a man named Cleopas, replied, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who has not learned what has taken place there over these days?”

19“What sort of things?” he asked them. They replied, “Everything about Jesus the Nazarene, a man who was a prophet mighty in action and speech in the sight of God and of all the people,

20and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to die, and crucified him.

21As for us, we were hoping he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. What is more, on top of all this, today is the third day since these things took place.

22And some women from among us have left us stunned. They were at the tomb at daybreak

23but did not find his body, and they came telling us they had even seen angels in a vision, who say he is alive.

24Then some of our companions went off to the tomb and found things exactly as the women had described, but they did not see him.”

25He said to them, “How senseless you are, and how slow in heart to trust all that the prophets declared!

26Did the Messiah not have to suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

27Starting from Moses and from all the Prophets, he explained to them the things about himself throughout all the Scriptures.

28When they got close to the village they were heading for, he gave the impression that he was going farther.

29But they pressed him hard: “Remain with us, since evening is coming on and the day is already fading.” So he went inside to stay with them.

30As he reclined to eat with them, he took the bread, said a blessing, broke it, and handed it to them.

31Then their eyes were opened wide and they knew him, and he disappeared from their view.

32They said to one another, “Was not our heart on fire inside us as he spoke to us along the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?”

33They set out at once and went back to Jerusalem, where they found the Eleven assembled with their companions,

34saying, “The Lord has really been raised, and he has appeared to Simon!”

35The two then described what had taken place on the road and how he had been made known to them when he broke the bread.

36They were still speaking about these things when Jesus himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace to you.”

37Alarmed and filled with fear, they supposed they were looking at a spirit.

38He said to them, “Why are you so shaken? Why are these doubts rising up in your hearts?

39Look at my hands and my feet—it is really me. Put your hands on me and see, because a spirit has no flesh and bones, as you can see I have.”

40After saying this, he let them see his hands and feet.

41Because of their joy they still could not believe it, and they were full of wonder; so he asked them, “Is there anything to eat here?”

42They handed him a piece of fish that had been broiled,

43and he took it and ate it while they watched.

44He told them, “These were my words to you while I was still with you: all that has been written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms has to be fulfilled.”

45Then he opened up their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

46He told them, “Here is what is written: the Messiah was to suffer and to rise from among the dead on the third day,

47and in his name repentance leading to the forgiveness of sins was to be announced to all the nations, starting from Jerusalem.

48You are witnesses of these things.

49Now look, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. You, though, are to remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from above.”

50He led them out until they were near Bethany, and raising his hands he blessed them.

51In the act of blessing them, he withdrew from them and was lifted up into heaven.

52They bowed down in worship before him and went back to Jerusalem filled with great joy,

53and they spent all their time in the temple, blessing God.