Limitless Word
And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
Matthew 28:8 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
  • BSB So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples.
  • 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 16:8And 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.
  • Luke 24:36–41And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
  • John 16:20Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
  • John 20:20–21And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD.
  • John 16:22And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
  • Ezra 3:12–13But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 28:8YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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.