(John) He Shows Goodwill Tells the Good Story 20
20
HIS BODY IS GONE
1Early on the first day of the week, Strong Tears (Mary) from Tower of Creator’s High Lodge (Magdala) came to the burial cave early in the morning while it was still dark. When she saw the stone had been removed from the burial cave, 2she ran to find Stands on the Rock (Peter) and He Shows Goodwill (John), the much-loved follower of Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
She found them and, catching her breath, she said to them, “They have taken the body of our Wisdomkeeper away, and we do not know where he is!”
3-4Stands on the Rock (Peter) raced to the burial cave, but the other follower outran him and came there first. 5-7He stooped low to look inside but did not go in all the way. He saw strips of cloth lying there, but the cloth that had been wrapped around the head of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was rolled into a bundle, lying by itself. Stands on the Rock (Peter) arrived behind him and came to the cave. When he went inside, he saw the same things.
8The other follower, who arrived first, now found the courage to go inside all the way. He saw the burial cave was empty—and believed. 9But they still did not understand from the Sacred Teachings that he would return from death. 10Then they went back to the place where they were staying.
A WOMAN SEES HIM FIRST
After the men left, Strong Tears (Mary) from Creator’s High Lodge (Magdala) went back to the garden.
11Her heart was on the ground as she stood outside the cave, weeping. As the tears ran down her face, she looked inside. 12There she saw two spirit-messengers dressed in white. They were sitting, one at the head, the other at the feet, of where the body of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) had once lain.
13They looked at her and said, “Honored woman, why do you weep?”
“My Wisdomkeeper is gone,” she answered, “and I do not know where they have taken him.”
14She turned around to see a man standing behind her. It was Creator Sets Free (Jesus), but she did not recognize him.
15“Honored woman, why the tears?” he said to her. “Who are you looking for?”
She thought he was the keeper of the garden, so she said, “If you have carried him away, tell me where, and I will find him.”
16“Strong Tears (Mary),” he said to her in a soft and kind voice.
She looked closer at him and her eyes grew wide. Then she hugged him close and whispered in his ear in her native language.
“Rabboni!” she said, meaning Wisdomkeeper.
17“You must let me go,” he said back to her. “I have not yet gone up to the Father. Go to my brothers who walked the road with me and say to them, ‘I am going up to my Father and your Father, to the one who is the Great Spirit and Father of us all.’”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) had chosen to show himself first to a woman, Strong Tears (Mary) from Creator’s High Lodge (Magdala), the one he had set free from seven evil spirits.
18Strong Tears (Mary) then went and found the followers of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and said, “I have seen our Wisdomkeeper!”
She then told them everything she had heard from him.
HIS FOLLOWERS SEE HIM
19It was now late in the same day, the first day of the week. His followers were all hiding behind locked doors in fear of being captured by the tribal leaders.
Suddenly, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) himself was standing in front of them and said, “Peace be with you!”
20He then showed them where the iron nails had pierced his hands and where the spear had cut into his side.
When they saw their Wisdomkeeper, the hearts of his followers were filled with joy, 21so he said to them again, “Peace be with you! In the same way the Father above has sent me, I am now sending you.”
22He blew his breath on them and said, “You will breathe in and receive the Holy Spirit. With his wisdom and guidance, 23if you release others from their bad hearts and broken ways, they are released. If you do not release them, they are not released.”
PUT AWAY YOUR DOUBTS
24Looks Like His Brother (Thomas), one of the original twelve followers, was not there when Creator Sets Free (Jesus) showed himself to the others. 25They told him, “We have seen the Wisdomkeeper with our own eyes.”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into them, and put my hand into the hole in his side, I will not believe.”
26Eight days later his followers were gathered together again, and Looks Like His Brother (Thomas) was with them. The doors were all locked, but Creator Sets Free (Jesus) came in and stood before them all.
“Peace be with you,” he said. 27Then he turned to Looks Like His Brother (Thomas) and said, “Look closely at my hands and touch my scars with your finger. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Then put away your doubts and trust in me.”
28“You are my Honored Chief and my Creator,” he said.
29“Now you believe, because you have seen me?” he said to him. “A greater blessing will rest on the ones who have not seen but still believe.”
30Creator Sets Free (Jesus) did many more powerful signs before the eyes of his followers that have not been written down in this book. 31But I have told this much so you will believe that Creator Sets Free (Jesus) is the Chosen One, the Son of the Great Spirit. When you put your trust in all that his name represents, the life of beauty and harmony he has promised to all will be yours.
Selectat acum:
(John) He Shows Goodwill Tells the Good Story 20: FNVNT
Evidențiere
Împărtășește
Copiază
Dorești să ai evidențierile salvate pe toate dispozitivele? Înscrie-te sau conectează-te
Copyright ©2023 InterVarsity Press
