53. They came out of the tombs. After Jesus was raised to life, they went into the holy city. There they appeared to many people.
54. The Roman commander and those guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened. They were terrified. They exclaimed, "He was surely the Son of God!"
55. Not very far away, many women were watching. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to take care of his needs.
56. Mary Magdalene was among them. Mary, the mother of James and Joses, was also there. So was the mother of Zebedee's sons.
57. As evening approached, a rich man came from the town of Arimathea. His name was Joseph. He had become a follower of Jesus.
58. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate ordered that it be given to him.
59. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth.
60. He placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb. Then he went away.
61. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there across from the tomb.
62. The next day was the day after Preparation Day. The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.
63. "Sir," they said, "we remember something that liar said while he was still alive. He claimed, 'After three days I will rise again.'
64. So give the order to make the tomb secure until the third day. If you don't, his disciples might come and steal the body. Then they will tell the people that Jesus has been raised from the dead. This last lie will be worse than the first."