51. When Jesus died, the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces. The tear started at the top and tore all the way to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks were broken.
52. The graves opened, and many of God’s people who had died were raised from death.
53. They came out of the graves. And after Jesus was raised from death, they went into the holy city, and many people saw them.
54. The army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything that happened. They were very afraid and said, “He really was the Son of God!”
55. Many women were standing away from the cross, watching. These were the women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for him.
56. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were there.
57. That evening a rich man named Joseph came to Jerusalem. He was a follower of Jesus from the town of Arimathea.
58. He went to Pilate and asked to have Jesus’ body. Pilate gave orders for the soldiers to give Jesus’ body to him.
59. Then Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a new linen cloth.
60. He put Jesus’ body in a new tomb that he had dug in a wall of rock. Then he closed the tomb by rolling a very large stone to cover the entrance. After he did this, he went away.
61. Mary Magdalene and the other woman named Mary were sitting near the tomb.
62. That day was the day called Preparation day. The next day, the leading priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.