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Chapter 31 - Jmmanuel's Flight From The Tomb
1. When dawn broke on the first day of the week after Passover, the three days and nights had passed following which Jmmanuel would live again after his near-death, as he had foretold.
2. And behold, a great thundering arose in the air, and a radiant light came from the sky and settled on the earth, not far from the tomb.
3. Then a guardian angel stepped forth from the light; his appearance was like lightning and his garment was as white as snow.
4. And he went to the tomb, and the soldiers, full of fear, moved out of his way.
5. He lifted his hand, and from it bright lightning sprang forth and struck the soldiers, one after the other.
6. And they fell to the ground and did not stir for a long time.
7. Then the guardian angel stepped up to the tomb, rolled the stone away from the door and said to Mary, the mother of Jmmanuel, and to Mary Magdalene, who were both there:
8. "Don't be afraid, I know you seek Jmmanuel, the crucified.
9. "He is not here, for he is alive just as he said he would be. Come here and behold the place where he has lain.
10. "Go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from near-death.
11. "Also tell them: He will walk before you to Galilee, and there you will see him. Behold, I have told you.
12. But Mary asked, "Yet he was dead and lay here dead. How can he then rise?"
13. The guardian angel answered, "Why are you seeking a live person among the dead?
14. "Go now and spread the news among his disciples, but beware of telling anyone else.
15. And the guardian angel went to the bright light and disappeared into it. Soon a great thundering came forth from it again, and it rose up into the air, shooting straight into the sky.
16. Jmmanuel's mother and Mary Magdalene then departed, leaving the tomb.
17. The soldiers, however, recovered from their paralysis and were greatly astonished. So they went into the city to spread the news of what had happened.
18. And secretly they met with the chief priests and elders of the council to decide what to tell the people.
19. The chief priests and elders gave sufficient money to the soldiers and said, "Tell the people his disciples came at night while we were sleeping and stole his body."
20. And the soldiers took the money and did as they had been instructed.
21. Mary and Mary Magdalene, however, left and did as they had been mandated by the guardian angel.
22. And behold, again a guardian angel met them on their way and said, "Remember what you have been instructed to do. Be careful and do not inadvertently tell the people.”
23. Mary Magdalene approached the guardian angel, who wore a brilliant white garment, and she wanted to grasp his hand.
24. But he stepped back from her and said, "Do not touch me, because I am of a different kind from you and my garment is a protection against this world.
25. "If you touch me you will die and be consumed by fire.
26. "Step back from me and be on your way as you have been instructed."
27. So they departed, and they met Peter and another disciple, telling them what had taken place.
28. Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb, with the other disciple arriving there first.
29. And he looked into the tomb and saw the linen bandages lying neatly on the ground, but he did not enter.
30. Then Peter arrived, went into the tomb and found everything just as the other disciple had.
31. The bandages had been carefully folded and placed on the ground. The sweat cloth, which had covered Jmmanuel's head, had been placed on a particular spot, together with the salves and herbs and clay figurines of peculiar appearance, the likes of which he had never seen before. Thus they were foreign to him.