But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3They entered in, and didn’t find the Lord ‘ISA’s1 body. 4It happened, while they were greatly perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling clothing. 5Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth.
They said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6He isn’t here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee, 7saying that the SON OF MAN2 must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again?”
8They remembered his words, 9returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. 10Now they were Maryam Magdalene, Joanna, and Maryam the mother of James. The other women with them told these things to the apostles. 11These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn’t believe them. 12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering what had happened.
13Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia3 from Jerusalem. 14They talked with each other about all of these things which had happened. 15It happened, while they talked and questioned together, that ‘ISA himself came near, and went with them. 16But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk, and are sad?”
18One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things which have happened there in these days?”
19He said to them, “What things?”
They said to him, “The things concerning ‘ISA, the Nasrani4, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; 20and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21But we were hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Also, certain women of our company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb; 23and when they didn’t find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24Some of us went to the tomb, and found it just like the women had said, but they didn’t see him.”
25He said to them, “Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26Didn’t AL-MASIH5 have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” 27Beginning from Musa and from all the Prophets6, he explained to them in all of Al-Kitab the things concerning himself. 28They drew near to the village, where they were going, and he acted like he would go further.
29They urged him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.”
He went in to stay with them. 30It happened, that when he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them. 31Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight. 32They said to one another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened Al-Kitab to us?” 33They rose up that very hour, returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and those who were with them, 34saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
36As they said these things, ‘ISA himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be upon you.”
37But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.” 40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While they still didn’t believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
42They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43He took them, and ate in front of them. 44He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the Taurat of Musa, the Prophets, and the Zabur7, concerning me must be fulfilled.”
45Then he opened their minds, that they might understand Al-Kitab. 46He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for AL-MASIH to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49Behold, I send forth the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.”
50He led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51It happened, while he blessed them, that he withdrew from them, and was carried up into heaven. 52They worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the Temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
- 24:3 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 24:7 SON OF MAN, a title for the Messiah, ‘ISA AL-MASIH, derived from the prophecy of Daniel 7:13-14, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like a SON OF MAN coming with the clouds of the sky, and he came to the ANCIENT OF DAYS, and they brought him near before him. There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” The title SON OF MAN was Prophet ‘ISA Ibn Maryam’s most common way of referring to himself. ↩︎
- 24:13 sixty stadia, about 11 kilometers or 7 miles. ↩︎
- 24:19 Nasrani, the Greek text says “Nazaranou,” which means “inhabitant of Nazareth.” Nazareth is an ancient city in the northern regions of Palestine. ↩︎
- 24:26 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them pointed ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 24:27 from Musa and from all the Prophets, that is the whole Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), which here we refer to simply as the Taurat. The Arabic word Taurat is derived from Torah (Hebrew) which literally means “instruction” or “teaching.” Depending on context, Taurat can refer to,
1. The whole Hebrew Bible of 39 books contained here under the title Taurat, equivalent to what Jews today call Tanakh, and what Christians call the Old Testament.
2. The book of Prophet Musa, which is also called the Law (of Moses), or the Pentateuch. Pentateuch is a Greek word meaning “five books” and includes Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
3. Taurat can refer to divine instruction and teaching in general without reference to a particular book. ↩︎ - 24:44 the Taurat of Musa, the Prophets, and the Zabur, Prophet ‘ISA here speaks of the 3 sections of today’s Hebrew Bible or Tanakh. The modern name Tanakh was derived from today’s names for those 3 sections: TAurah (Torah), NAviim (the Prophets), and KHetuvim (the Writings, which begins with the Zabur or Psalms). ↩︎