Before dawn -- way early on Sunday morning while it was still dark -- Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. And she saw that the big rock which had served as a door to the tomb had been moved. 2 So she ran to Simon Peter and the other apprentice (the one whom Jesus loved) and reported, “Someone has broken into the tomb and stolen the Master's body. We don’t know where they’ve taken him!”
3-4 Peter and the other apprentice bolted out to the tomb. They ran neck and neck part of the way but eventually, the other apprentice picked up some steam and outran Peter. 5 Arriving first, he bent down and looked into the tomb. He saw the uninhabited burial linens lying in there but he didn’t go in.
6 Once Simon Peter arrived, he actually entered the tomb and like his companion, saw the burial linens lying there. 7 Peter also saw that the face cloth which had been on Jesus’ head was neatly folded and separate from the linens. 8 Then the other apprentice, the one who had arrived first, also went inside the tomb. When he saw that the tomb was really empty he believed. 9 (At that point they didn’t yet understand the biblical teaching about the necessity of Jesus rising from the dead.) 10 Then the two apprentices went home.
11 On the other hand, emotionally-distraught Mary maintained a vigil outside the empty tomb. During an episode of tears she bent down to look inside. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting on the shelf where Jesus' body had been laid. One sat where his head had been and the other where his feet rested. 13 “Dear woman," the angels asked her, "why all the tears?”
She replied, “They've moved my master's body, and I don’t know where they’ve taken him.” 14 No sooner did these words slip from her mouth when she heard something behind her. Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing there -- except she didn't realize it was him.
15 Jesus said to her, “Dear woman, why all the tears? Who are you looking for?”
She mistook him for the gardener and replied, “Sir, if you've moved his body, please tell me where he is and I'll go take care of him.”
16 Jesus said to her -- “Mary.”
She did a double-take and exclaimed in Aramaic, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).
17 She wrapped her arms around him as though she’d never let him go. Jesus said to her, “Don’t get all clingy. I've still got to go meet-up with my Father. I want you to go tell my brothers and sisters that, ‘I’m on the way up to my Father -- who is your Father -- to my God -- who is your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went and informed the apprentices, “I’ve seen the Master.” She then told them what he had said to her.
