So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples.
Parallel translations
- WEB They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
- KJV And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
- NKJV So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
- NASB And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to report to His disciples.
- NLT The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The women leave the tomb quickly with both fear and great joy, running to tell the disciples. Awe and gladness mingle as they obey the angel's command.
Overview
Their mixed emotions of fear and joy capture the proper human response to encountering God's mighty work. Rather than being paralyzed, they run to obey, modeling prompt faith. Their eager errand shows that the resurrection naturally produces both reverent awe and overflowing joy that must be shared.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ps 2:11Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
- Mark 16:8So the women left the tomb and ran away, trembling and bewildered. And in their fear they did not say a word to anyone.
- Luke 24:36–41While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
- John 16:20Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
- John 20:20–21After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
- John 16:22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
- Ezra 3:12–13But many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first temple wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this temple. Still, many others shouted joyfully.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 28:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.