Matthew 27:46-66

46 About three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"

47 When some of the people standing there heard him say that, they said, "He's calling Elijah."

48 One of the men ran at once, took a sponge, and soaked it in some vinegar. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus a drink.

49 The others said, "Leave him alone! Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."

50 Then Jesus loudly cried out once again and gave up his life.

51 Suddenly, the curtain in the temple was split in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split open.

52 The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died came back to life.

53 They came out of the tombs after he had come back to life, and they went into the holy city where they appeared to many people.

54 An army officer and those watching Jesus with him saw the earthquake and the other things happening. They were terrified and said, "Certainly, this was the Son of God!"

55 Many women were there watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee and had always supported him.

56 Among them were Mary from Magdala, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

57 In the evening a rich man named Joseph arrived. He was from the city of Arimathea and had become a disciple of Jesus.

58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate ordered that it be given to him.

59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth.

60 Then he laid it in his own new tomb, which had been cut in a rock. After rolling a large stone against the door of the tomb, he went away.

61 Mary from Magdala and the other Mary were sitting there, facing the tomb.

62 The next day, which was the day of worship, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together and went to Pilate.

63 They said, "Sir, we remember how that deceiver said while he was still alive, 'After three days I will be brought back to life.'

64 Therefore, give the order to make the tomb secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may steal him and say to the people, 'He has been brought back to life.' Then the last deception will be worse than the first."

65 Pilate told them, "You have the soldiers you want for guard duty. Go and make the tomb as secure as you know how."

66 So they went to secure the tomb. They placed a seal on the stone and posted the soldiers on guard duty.