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Gospels · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Matthew 28

Jesus is presented as Messiah and teacher who fulfills Scripture and announces God's kingdom.

New Testament

Matthew 28

1Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

2Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky and came and rolled away the stone from the door and sat on it.

3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.

4For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.

5The angel answered the women, “Don’t be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified.

6He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.

7Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.”

8They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.

9As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

10Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me.”

11Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests all the things that had happened.

12When they were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers,

13saying, “Say that his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept.

14If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry.”

15So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until today.

16But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them.

17When they saw him, they bowed down to him; but some doubted.

18Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

19Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Jesus is presented as Messiah and teacher who fulfills Scripture and announces God's kingdom. Read Matthew 28 within the complete Matthew overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Matthew 28

Matthew 28 contains 20 verses and about 407 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 20 closes: “teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include behold, disciples, saying, like, tell, galilee. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Matthew 28

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Matthew 28:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

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