Matthew 28:5-6

The angel answered the women, “Don’t be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.

Context and meaning

The scene takes place at dawn on the first day of the week. Two women go to the tomb — and, in the account, they are the first witnesses of the resurrection, a notable detail in a context where women's testimony carried little legal weight.

The announcement has four parts: don't be afraid, I know you seek Jesus who was crucified, he is not here, he has risen. The order matters: the fear is addressed before the news.

The phrase "just like he said" ties the event to the earlier predictions. It is not presented as a happy accident, but as fulfillment.

Then comes a practical command: "come, see the place where the Lord was lying" and "go quickly and tell". See and tell — the minimum structure of a testimony.

This is the central text of Christian Easter. For a full reading of resurrection morning, it is worth comparing the four accounts: Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20.

  1. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

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Scripture text: World English Bible (WEB), public domain. Prayers, introductions and reflections: original text by this site, not affiliated with any denomination. Devotional content; it does not replace medical, psychological or legal advice.

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