2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

4 And when they {a} looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

(a) When they cast their eyes toward the sepulchre.

5 And entering into the {b} sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

(b) Into the cave out of which the sepulchre was cut.

6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

9 {1} Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

(1) Christ himself appears to Mary Magdalene to reprove the disciple's incredulity.

10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

12 {2} After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

(2) Christ appears to two other disciples and at length to the eleven.

13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

14 {c} Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

(c) The evangelist did not consider the chronological sequence of events, but rather what took place, which he divided into three parts: The first shows how he appeared to the women, the second to his disciples, the third to his apostles, and therefore he says finally.

15 {3} And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to {d} every creature.

(3) The apostles are appointed, and their office is limited to them, which is to preach that which they heard from him, and to minister the sacraments which Christ has instituted, having in addition to this the power to do miracles.

(d) Not to the Jews only, nor in Judea only, but to all men and everywhere: and so must all the apostles do.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with {e} new tongues;

(e) Strange tongues, ones which they did not know before.

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19 {4} So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

(4) Christ, having accomplished his office on earth, ascends into heaven, from where (the doctrine of his apostles being confirmed with signs) he will govern his Church, until the world's end.

20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming {f} the word with signs following. Amen.

(f) That is, the doctrine: therefore doctrine must go before and signs must follow after.