The Resurrection Texts: Harmonization
I first put this together a number of years ago. A skeptic had put forward what was supposed
to be an unanswerable challenge: to take all the passages in the Bible
beginning with the day of Jesus’ resurrection and continuing to the day of his
ascension, and without omitting anything write a simple narrative that is
chronological and leaves out nothing.
Here are the texts requested, every requested verse included and
every account with the verses still in their original order, with the verses
from each account placed with the corresponding verses from other
accounts. What follows is the texts you
specified with the verses grouped so as to reconstruct the events from the
resurrection to the ascension from the existing accounts. On a few occasions when one account has an
event recorded in a single verse while another account has the same event
recorded in more detail over several verses, the more condensed version is
shown half a verse at a time, followed by the detailed verses from the other
account. I've added headings such as are
common in modern narratives, and one or two comments in brackets. I've also made four introductory remarks separately,
so that it doesn't interfere with the text below.
Introductory remarks:
1. The women's visits to the tomb.
Because of the way the names are listed and the comings and goings are
presented, I suspect that the women came in more than one group. They may have agreed to meet at the tomb
around dawn. If memory serves, Mary
Magdalene lived in
2. The timing of the earliest visits. The text of John begins with Mary Magdalene
setting out for the tomb "while it was still dark". Since walking to the tomb, perhaps a couple
of miles, would take some time, it's reasonable to
think that the sun rose while the women were on their way to the tomb. The events recorded for that morning would
probably take at least half an hour, perhaps over an hour, to complete.
3. The location of the ascension.
The original "challenge" presented the location of the
ascensions as "variously given" being either in
4. Various things concerning the angels. Since the events at the tomb that morning
may have taken half an hour to an hour, I am not going to concern myself with
where the angels were when Salome came versus where the angels were when Joanna
came, or anything of that sort. Even
supposing all the women came together as a single group, if one woman reported
to the disciples “we saw two angels, and they said such a thing” while another of
the women reported “someone in gleaming clothes said such a thing”, those two
statements are generally compatible.
[Introduction]
I Cor 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you
as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures,
I Cor 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised
on the third day according to the Scriptures,
Acts 1:3 After his suffering,
he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was
alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the
[Preparations]
Mark 16:1 When the Sabbath
was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so
that they might go to anoint Jesus' body.
[The beginning of the day]
John 20:1 [first half] Early on the first day of the week,
while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb
Matt 28:1 After the
Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary went to look at the tomb.
Luke 24:1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the
women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.
Mark 16:2 Very early on
the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the
tomb
Mark 16:3 and they asked
each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the
tomb?"
[Meanwhile, at the tomb]
Matt 28:2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord
came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on
it.
Matt 28:3 His appearance
was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
Matt 28:4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became
like dead men.
[The women arrive at the tomb; Mary Magdalen runs to get the disciples]
Mark 16:4 But when they
looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.
Luke 24:2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
John 20:1 [second half] and [Mary M.] saw that the stone had been
removed from the entrance.
John 20:2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple,
the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,
and we don't know where they have put him!"
[Meanwhile, the women are back at the tomb]
Luke 24:3 but when they
entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
Luke 24:4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in
clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.
Luke 24:5 [first half] In their fright the women bowed down
with their faces to the ground,
Mark 16:5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a
white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
Mark 16:6 "Don't be
alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was
crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.
Matt 28:5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I
know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
Matt 28:6 He is not here;
he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
Luke 24:5 [second half] but the men said to them, "Why do you
look for the living among the dead?
Luke 24:6 He is not here;
he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in
Luke 24:7 'The Son of Man
must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third
day be raised again.'"
Luke 24:8 Then they remembered his words.
Matt 28:7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from
the dead and is going ahead of you into
Mark 16:7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of
you into
Mark 16:8 Trembling and
bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to
anyone, because they were afraid. [Hold your horses, Mark gets to the part
where they tell the disciples in just a few verses. See Mark 16:10-11]
Matt 28:8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled
with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Luke 24:9 When they came
back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the
others.
Luke 24:10
It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the
others with them who told this to the apostles.
Luke 24:11
But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to
them like nonsense.
[Peter goes to the tomb. The time overlaps in
part with the time some women were still at the tomb or coming from the tomb]
John 20:3
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
Luke 24:12
Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the
strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself
what had happened.
John 20:4 Both [Peter and
John] were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb
first.
John 20:5 He bent over and
looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
John 20:6
Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb.
He saw the strips of linen lying there,
John 20:7 as well as the burial cloth that had been
around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself,
separate from the linen.
John 20:8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first,
also went inside. He saw and believed.
John 20:9 (They still did
not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
John 20:10
Then the disciples went back to their homes,
[Mary's second visit to the tomb; she meets
Jesus]
John 20:11
but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent
over to look into the tomb
John 20:12
and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been,
one at the head and the other at the foot.
John 20:13
They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They
have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have
put him."
Mark 16:9 When Jesus rose
early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of
whom he had driven seven demons.
John 20:14
At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she
did not realize that it was Jesus.
John 20:15
"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it
you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir,
if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get
him."
John 20:16
Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and
cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
John 20:17
Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet
returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am
returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your
God.'"
John 20:18
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have
seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Mark 16:10
She [Mary M.] went and told those who had been with him and who
were mourning and weeping.
Mark 16:11
When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him,
they did not believe it.
[Jesus shows himself to the women near the tomb]
Matt 28:9 Suddenly Jesus
met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet
and worshiped him.
Matt 28:10
Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my
brothers to go to
[The guards]
Matt 28:11
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into
the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.
Matt 28:12
When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a
plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money,
Matt 28:13
telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during
the night and stole him away while we were asleep.'
Matt 28:14
If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep
you out of trouble."
Matt 28:15
So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.
And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
[Jesus meets two on the road to Emmaus]
Mark 16:12
Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while
they were walking in the country.
Luke 24:13
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called
Emmaus, about seven miles from
Luke 24:14
They were talking with each other about everything that had
happened.
Luke 24:15
As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus
himself came up and walked along with them;
Luke 24:16
but they were kept from recognizing him.
Luke 24:17
He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk
along?" They stood still, their faces downcast.
Luke 24:18
One of them, named Cleopas, asked him,
"Are you only a visitor to
Luke 24:19
"What things?" he asked. "About Jesus of
Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed
before God and all the people.
Luke 24:20
The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced
to death, and they crucified him;
Luke 24:21
but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem
Luke 24:22
In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb
early this morning
Luke 24:23
but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had
seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
Luke 24:24
Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as
the women had said, but him they did not see."
Luke 24:25
He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart
to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Luke 24:26
Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his
glory?"
Luke 24:27
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to
them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Luke 24:28
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus
acted as if he were going farther.
Luke 24:29
But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly
evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
Luke 24:30
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks,
broke it and began to give it to them.
Luke 24:31
Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he
disappeared from their sight.
Luke 24:32
They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within
us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
[Jesus meets his disciples that evening]
Mark 16:13
These [the two walking in the country] returned and reported it
to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
Luke 24:33
They [the two in the country who had been on the road to Emmaus]
got up and returned at once to
Luke 24:34
and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared
to Simon."
I Cor 15:5 [first half] and that he
[Jesus] appeared to Peter,
Luke 24:35
Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was
recognized by them when he broke the bread.
I Cor 15:5 [second half] and then [Jesus
appeared] to the Twelve.
Luke 24:36
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood
among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
John 20:19 On the evening
of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors
locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace
be with you!”
Luke 24:37
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
Mark 16:14
Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he
rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe
those who had seen him after he had risen.
Luke 24:38
He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in
your minds?
Luke 24:39
Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a
ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
Luke 24:40
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
John 20:20
After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The
disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
John 20:21
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent
me, I am sending you."
John 20:22
And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy
Spirit.
John 20:23
If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not
forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Mark 16:15
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news
to all creation.
Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does
not believe will be condemned.
Mark 16:17
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they
will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
Mark 16:18 they will pick
up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt
them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get
well.”
Luke 24:41
And while they still did not believe it because of joy and
amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
Luke 24:42
They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
Luke 24:43
and he took it and ate it in their presence.
Luke 24:44
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with
you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses,
the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Luke 24:45
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the
Scriptures.
Luke 24:46
He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day,
Luke 24:47
and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his
name to all nations, beginning at
Luke 24:48
You are witnesses of these things.”
[Jesus’ other appearances after that dinner,
exact timeframe for these is not given]
I Cor 15:6 After that, he appeared to more than five
hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though
some have fallen asleep.
I Cor 15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all
the apostles,
[The first time Thomas sees the risen Jesus]
John 20:24
Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the
Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
John 20:25
So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the
Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands
and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will
not believe it."
John 20:26
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas
was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them
and said, “Peace be with you!”
John 20:27
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands.
Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
John 20:28
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
John 20:29
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have
believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:30
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his
disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
John 20:31 But these are
written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that
by believing you may have life in his name.
[Jesus meets the disciples again in
Matt 28:16 [first half] Then the eleven disciples went to
John 21:1 Afterward Jesus
appeared again to his disciples, by the
John 21:2 Simon Peter,
Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael
from Cana in
John 21:3 “I'm going out
to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We'll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but
that night they caught nothing.
John 21:4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the
disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
John 21:5 He called out to
them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered.
John 21:6 He said,
"Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find
some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the
large number of fish.
John 21:7 Then the
disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as
Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer
garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
John 21:8 The other
disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not
far from shore, about a hundred yards.
John 21:9 When they
landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
John 21:10
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just
caught.”
John 21:11
Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was
full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
John 21:12
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are
you?” They knew it was the Lord.
John 21:13
Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same
with the fish.
John 21:14
This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after
he was raised from the dead.
John 21:15
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes,
Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said,
"Feed my lambs."
John 21:16
Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love
me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus
said, "Take care of my sheep."
John 21:17
The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you
love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do
you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I
love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
John 21:18
I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself
and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your
hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to
go."
John 21:19
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter
would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
John 21:20
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was
following them. (This was the one who had leaned back
against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray
you?")
John 21:21
When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
John 21:22
Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I
return, what is that to you? You must follow me."
John 21:23
Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this
disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only
said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to
you?"
John 21:24
This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote
them down. We know that his testimony is true.
Matt 28:16 [second half] to the mountain where Jesus had told them
to go.
Matt 28:17
When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
Matt 28:18
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven
and on earth has been given to me.
Matt 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Matt 28:20
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.""
[Jesus’ ascension]
Luke 24:49
"I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but
stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
Acts 1:4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them
this command: "Do not leave
Acts 1:5
For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 1:6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are
you at this time going to restore the kingdom to
Acts 1:7 He said to them:
"It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his
own authority.
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on
you; and you will be my witnesses in
Luke 24:50
When he had led them out to the vicinity of
Luke 24:51
While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into
heaven.
Mark 16:19
After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into
heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.
Acts 1:9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes,
and a cloud hid him from their sight.
Acts 1:10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going,
when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
Acts 1:11 "Men of Galilee," they said,
"why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same
Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way
you have seen him go into heaven."
Acts 1:12 Then they
returned to
Luke 24:52
Then they worshiped him and returned to
Luke 24:53
And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. [until Pentecost
anyway, but that is outside the scope of the request]
[Conclusion]
Mark 16:20
Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord
worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
I Cor 15:8 and last of all he appeared to me
[Paul] also, as to one abnormally born.
John 21:25
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were
written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the
books that would be written.