1When the day of worship was over, Mary from Magdala, Mary (the mother of James), and Salome bought spices to go and anoint Jesus. 2On Sunday they were going to the tomb very early when the sun had just come up. 3They said to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" 4When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. It was a very large stone. 5As they went into the tomb, they saw a young man. He was dressed in a white robe and sat on the right side. They were panic-stricken. 6The young man said to them, "Don't panic! You're looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been brought back to life. He's not here. Look at the place where they laid him. 7Go and tell his disciples and Peter that he's going ahead of them to Galilee. There they will see him, just as he told them." 8They went out of the tomb and ran away. Shock and trembling had overwhelmed them. They didn't say a thing to anyone, because they were afraid.

9After Jesus came back to life early on Sunday, he appeared first to Mary from Magdala, from whom he had forced out seven demons. 10She went and told his friends, who were grieving and crying. 11They didn't believe her when they heard that he was alive and that she had seen him.

12Later Jesus appeared to two disciples as they were walking to their home in the country. He did not look as he usually did. 13They went back and told the others, who did not believe them either.

14Still later Jesus appeared to the eleven apostles while they were eating. He put them to shame for their unbelief and because they were too stubborn to believe those who had seen him alive. 15Then Jesus said to them, "So wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the Good News. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17"These are the miraculous signs that will accompany believers: They will use the power and authority of my name to force demons out of people. They will speak new languages. 18They will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them. They will place their hands on the sick and cure them."

19After talking with the apostles, the Lord was taken to heaven, where God gave him the highest position. 20The disciples spread [the Good News] everywhere. The Lord worked with them. He confirmed his word by the miraculous signs that accompanied it.