World English Bible · Under Rome
Matthew 28
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Now after the , as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, and the other came to see the . Behold, there was a great earthquake, for of descended from and came and rolled away the stone from the door and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like men. answered the women, "Don't be afraid, for I know that you seek , who has been . He is not here, for he has , like he said. Come, see the place where was lying. Go quickly and tell his , 'He has from , and behold, he goes before you into ; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you." They departed quickly from the with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his word. As they went to tell his , behold, met them, saying, "Rejoice!" They came and took hold of his feet, and him. Then said to them, "Don't be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into , and there they will see me." Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city and told the all the things that had happened. When they were assembled with the and had taken , they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers, saying, "Say that his came by night and stole him away while we slept. If this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry." So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the , and continues until today. But the eleven went into , to the mountain where had sent them. When they saw him, they to him; but some doubted. came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All has been given to me in and on earth. Go and make of all nations, them in the name of and of the Son and of , teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." .
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
Christians read this chapter differently
- How does the Trinity work? · Matthew 28:19
Every view at its strongest, with who holds it and what it has to answer for.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.