Matthew 27:53

53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and^[a] went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

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Matthew 27:53 in Other Translations

KJV

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

ESV

53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

NLT

53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.

MSG

53 (After Jesus' resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.)

CSB

53 And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.

Matthew 27:53 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 27:53

And came out of the graves after his resurrection
The resurrection of Christ; for he rose as the first fruits, as the first begotten of the dead, and the firstborn from the dead; for he was the first that was raised to an immortal life; for though others were raised before him, by himself, and in the times of the prophets, yet to a mortal life; but these saints came forth to the resurrection of life, and therefore it was necessary that Christ the first fruits, should rise first. The Arabic version indeed reads, "after their own resurrection"; and the Ethiopic version, "after they were raised"; both wrong, and scarcely sense:

and went into the holy city;
the city of Jerusalem, which though now a very wicked city, was so called, because of the temple, and the worship of God, and his residence in it: the burying places of the Jews were without the city ^F1, and therefore these risen saints, are said to go into it:

and appeared unto many;
of their friends and acquaintance, who had personally known them, and conversed with them in their lifetime. These saints, I apprehend, continued on earth until our Lord's ascension, and then joining the retinue of angels, went triumphantly with him to heaven, as trophies of his victory over sin, Satan, death, and the grave.

FOOTNOTES:

F1 Vid. Gloss. in T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 80. 2. & Maimon. Hilch. Shemitta veyobel, c. 13. sect. 3.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Matthew 27:53 In-Context

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split

52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.