The Resurrection — Bible story for kids

On Friday, Jesus was brought before Pilate. Though Jesus had done nothing wrong, the crowd demanded that he be crucified. Roman soldiers led him away. They mocked him, placed a crown of thorns on his head, and nailed him to a cross. After hours of suffering, Jesus died. Joseph of Arimathea wrapped his body in linen and laid it inside a tomb cut from rock. A large stone was rolled across the entrance.

Before sunrise on the first day of the week, a great earthquake shook the ground. An angel of the Lord came down and rolled the heavy stone fully away. The dark entrance stood open. The Roman guards were so terrified that they trembled and fell down like dead men.

At first light, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome came carrying spices for Jesus’ body. On the way, they had wondered, “Who will roll away the stone for us?”

Then they looked up and stopped in astonishment. The enormous stone was already beside the open tomb. An angel dressed in white told them not to be afraid. Jesus, who had been crucified, was not there.

“He has risen!” the angel said. “See the place where they laid him.”

Mary ran to tell Peter and John that the tomb was open. The two disciples raced through the early morning light. John arrived first, but Peter went inside first. They stooped and looked around. Jesus’ body was gone. Only the linen burial cloths remained, with the cloth that had covered his head lying separately. The quiet tomb was empty.

Peter and John returned home, still trying to understand. But Mary stayed outside the open tomb, weeping. When she looked inside, she saw two angels. Then she turned and noticed a man standing nearby. Through her tears, she thought he was the gardener.

“Woman, why are you weeping?” he asked.

Mary begged him to tell her where Jesus’ body had been taken.

Then the man spoke one word: “Mary.”

She knew that voice. She turned toward him. Her sorrow broke into astonished joy.

“Rabboni!” she cried, which means “Teacher.”

It was Jesus. He was alive!

Jesus told Mary to go to his brothers with the news. She hurried down the garden path toward Jerusalem. “I have seen the Lord!” she told the disciples.

That evening, the disciples gathered behind locked doors because they were afraid. Suddenly, Jesus stood among them.

“Peace be with you,” he said.

He showed them the marks in his hands and his side. The disciples saw that it truly was Jesus. Fear gave way to wonder, relief, and joy. Their Lord had died, but death had not defeated him. Jesus had risen, just as he said.