"Do not be afraid," said Jesus, "go tell my brothers to go to Galilee and they shall see me there."
So these women went again to find the disciples and give them the news that Jesus was really living, and that they had seen him. All this was on Sunday morning—the first Easter-day.
Mary Magdalene turned and answered the strange man whom she thought was the gardener: "Oh, sir, if you have carried him anywhere, tell me where you have laid him." "Mary!" said Jesus. And as he spoke her name she knew him.
On that morning, when the soldiers who had fled from the tomb recovered from their terror, they went to the chief priests and told them about the earthquake and the angel who had rolled away the stone. The priests had a talk with the rulers of the city; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and told them to say to everybody:
"The disciples came at night, while we were asleep, and broke open the tomb, and stole the body of Jesus."
They knew that a soldier had no right to sleep while on guard; and the rule of the army was, that any soldier who slept on his post should be put to death. But the rulers said to them:
"If the governor hears about this, we will satisfy him, and see that no harm comes to you."
So the soldiers took their money and did as they were told. And the story that the body of Jesus was stolen from the tomb, was told among the Jewish people and believed by them.
