A ressurreição
(Mt 28.1-10; Mc 16.1-8; Jo 20.1-9)
1Contudo, na madrugada de domingo, ao levarem os perfumes para o túmulo, 2verificaram que a enorme pedra que tapava a entrada tinha sido removida. 3Entraram, mas o corpo do Senhor Jesus tinha desaparecido. 4Ficaram perplexas! De súbito, apareceram dois homens vestidos de roupas reluzentes. 5As mulheres ficaram cheias de medo, com os olhos postos no chão, e aqueles homens perguntaram-lhes: “Porque procuram no túmulo quem afinal está vivo? 6Ele não está aqui, ressuscitou! Não se lembram do que vos disse na Galileia, 7que o Filho do Homem seria traído, entregue a gente má e crucificado, e que tornaria a viver ao terceiro dia?”
8Então elas lembraram-se! 9-10E voltaram a correr para Jerusalém, para contar aos onze apóstolos e aos outros o que tinha acontecido. As mulheres que foram ao túmulo eram Maria Madalena, Joana, Maria (mãe de Tiago) e várias outras. 11Tudo aquilo, porém, parecia uma história sem sentido e não acreditaram. 12Mesmo assim, Pedro foi a correr até ao túmulo para averiguar o que se passava. Curvando-se, espreitou e, ao ver os lençóis abandonados, voltou para casa, interrogando-se sobre o teria sucedido.
No caminho de Emaús
13Naquele mesmo dia, dois dos discípulos de Jesus iam a caminho da aldeia de Emaús que ficava a uns 11 quilómetros de distância de Jerusalém. 14E comentavam entre si tudo o que acontecera. 15De repente Jesus apareceu e juntou-se a eles, caminhando ao seu lado. 16Mas os seus olhos estavam impossibilitados de o reconhecer.
17“O que é que vão aí a discutir pelo caminho?” perguntou-lhes. E eles pararam de caminhar; estavam tristes.
18Um deles, Cleopas, respondeu: “Deves ser a única pessoa em toda a cidade de Jerusalém que não sabe das terríveis coisas que ali sucederam nestes últimos dias.”
19“Que coisas?”, perguntou Jesus. Eles retorquiram:
“O que aconteceu a Jesus de Nazaré, um profeta de Deus que fez milagres poderosos. Era um grande ensinador e altamente considerado tanto por Deus como pelos homens. 20Mas os principais sacerdotes e os nossos líderes prenderam-no e entregaram-no ao governador romano para ser condenado à morte e crucificaram-no. 21E nós pensávamos que ele era o Cristo que vinha para resgatar Israel! Além disto que aconteceu há três dias, 22umas mulheres do nosso grupo dos seus discípulos foram de manhã cedo ao túmulo, onde ele foi colocado, 23e regressaram com a notícia de que o seu corpo desaparecera e de que tinham visto lá uns anjos que lhes disseram que Jesus se encontrava vivo! 24Alguns dos nossos homens foram a correr ver o que se teria passado e não há dúvida de que o corpo de Jesus desapareceu, tal como as mulheres contaram.”
25Então Jesus disse-lhes: “Vocês não estão a ser sensatos! É assim tão difícil crer em tudo o que os profetas escreveram nas Escrituras? 26Não foi claramente predito por eles que o Cristo teria de sofrer todas estas coisas antes de entrar na sua glória?” 27E fez-lhes compreender as Escrituras, começando com os livros de Moisés e dos profetas, explicando o que esses textos diziam a seu respeito.
28Entretanto, aproximavam-se da localidade para onde iam. Jesus parecia querer prosseguir no caminho, 29mas pediram-lhe que ficasse com eles, porque se estava a fazer tarde, e ele acedeu. 30Quando se sentaram para comer, ele pediu a bênção de Deus sobre o alimento e, pegando num pequeno pão, partiu-o e distribuiu-o por eles. 31Foi então que, de repente, os seus olhos se abriram e o reconheceram. E naquele preciso momento ele desapareceu.
32Começaram, pois, a lembrar-se de como os seus corações se tinham animado, enquanto lhes falava, explicando-lhes as Escrituras pela estrada fora.
33Levantaram-se nesse momento e voltaram a Jerusalém, para se encontrarem com os onze discípulos e os companheiros destes que os receberam com estas palavras: 34“Não há dúvida de que o Senhor ressuscitou! Apareceu a Simão!” 35Os dois de Emaús contaram como Jesus lhes aparecera também, enquanto seguiam pela estrada, e como o tinham reconhecido quando partiu o pão.
Jesus aparece aos discípulos
(Jo 20.19-23)
36Enquanto assim falavam, o próprio Jesus surgiu no meio deles, saudando-os: “A paz seja convosco!” 37Mas todo o grupo ficou muito assustado, pensando que via um fantasma. 38“Porque se assustam?”, perguntou ele. “Porque é que duvidam que seja realmente eu? 39Olhem as minhas mãos; olhem para os meus pés! Estão a ver que sou eu mesmo. Toquem-me e verifiquem que não sou nenhum fantasma. Porque os fantasmas não têm carne nem ossos, como veem que eu tenho!” 40Depois de lhe dizer isto, mostrou-lhes as mãos e os pés.
41Ainda indecisos, eles contemplavam-no, cheios de espanto e alegria. Então Jesus perguntou-lhes: “Têm aqui alguma coisa que se possa comer?” 42Deram-lhe um pedaço de peixe assado. 43E pôs-se a comê-lo enquanto o observavam.
44Então disse-lhes: “Quando andava convosco, não se lembram de vos ter dito que tudo o que se escreveu acerca de mim, nos livros de Moisés, nos escritos dos profetas e nos Salmos, teria de realizar-se?” 45Então abriu-lhes o entendimento para compreenderem as Escrituras. 46E disse-lhes: “Estava escrito que o Cristo deveria sofrer, morrer e ressuscitar ao terceiro dia. 47E que em seu nome se pregaria o arrependimento e o perdão dos pecados em todas as nações, começando por Jerusalém. 48Vocês viram como esses escritos sagrados se cumpriram.
49Agora vou mandar-vos a promessa que o meu Pai vos fez. Permaneçam aqui na cidade até que vocês sejam revestidos de poder do céu!”
A ascensão
(Mc 16.19-20; At 1.9-11)
50Jesus levou-os pelo caminho de Betânia. E levantando as mãos para o céu, abençoou-os. 51Então afastou-se deles e elevou-se até ao céu. 52Eles adoraram-no e regressaram a Jerusalém, cheios de alegria. 53E estavam continuamente no templo, louvando a Deus.
Jesus Rises From the Dead
1It was very early in the morning on the first day of the week. The women took the spices they had prepared. Then they went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from it. 3When they entered the tomb, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4They were wondering about this. Suddenly two men in clothes as bright as lightning stood beside them. 5The women were terrified. They bowed down with their faces to the ground. Then the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6Jesus is not here! He has risen! Remember how he told you he would rise. It was while he was still with you in Galilee. 7He said, ‘The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people. He must be nailed to a cross. On the third day he will rise from the dead.’ ” 8Then the women remembered Jesus’ words.
9They came back from the tomb. They told all these things to the 11 apostles and to all the others. 10Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them were the ones who told the apostles. 11But the apostles did not believe the women. Their words didn’t make any sense to them. 12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent over and saw the strips of linen lying by themselves. Then he went away, wondering what had happened.
On the Road to Emmaus
13That same day two of Jesus’ followers were going to a village called Emmaus. It was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked about those things, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them. 16But God kept them from recognizing him.
17Jesus asked them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?”
They stood still, and their faces were sad. 18One of them was named Cleopas. He said to Jesus, “Are you the only person visiting Jerusalem who doesn’t know? Don’t you know about the things that have happened there in the last few days?”
19“What things?” Jesus asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet. He was powerful in what he said and did in the sight of God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed Jesus over to be sentenced to death. They nailed him to a cross. 21But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to set Israel free. Also, it is the third day since all this happened. 22Some of our women amazed us too. Early this morning they went to the tomb. 23But they didn’t find his body. So they came and told us what they had seen. They saw angels, who said Jesus was alive. 24Then some of our friends went to the tomb. They saw it was empty, just as the women had said. They didn’t see Jesus’ body there.”
25Jesus said to them, “How foolish you are! How long it takes you to believe all that the prophets said! 26Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and then receive his glory?” 27Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures. He began with Moses and all the Prophets.
28They approached the village where they were going. Jesus kept walking as if he were going farther. 29But they tried hard to keep him from leaving. They said, “Stay with us. It is nearly evening. The day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30He joined them at the table. Then he took bread and gave thanks. He broke it and began to give it to them. 31Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. But then he disappeared from their sight. 32They said to each other, “He explained to us what the Scriptures meant. Weren’t we excited as he talked with us on the road?”
33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the 11 disciples and those with them. They were all gathered together. 34They were saying, “It’s true! The Lord has risen! He has appeared to Simon!” 35Then the two of them told what had happened to them on the way. They told how they had recognized Jesus when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36The disciples were still talking about this when Jesus himself suddenly stood among them. He said, “May you have peace!”
37They were surprised and terrified. They thought they were seeing a ghost. 38Jesus said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do you have doubts in your minds? 39Look at my hands and my feet. It’s really me! Touch me and see. A ghost does not have a body or bones. But you can see that I do.”
40After he said that, he showed them his hands and feet. 41But they still did not believe it. They were amazed and filled with joy. So Jesus asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of cooked fish. 43He took it and ate it in front of them.
44Jesus said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you. Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms must come true.”
45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, “This is what is written. The Messiah will suffer. He will rise from the dead on the third day. 47His followers will preach in his name. They will tell others to turn away from their sins and be forgiven. People from every nation will hear it, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You have seen these things with your own eyes. 49I am going to send you what my Father has promised. But for now, stay in the city. Stay there until you have received power from heaven.”
Jesus Is Taken Up Into Heaven
50Jesus led his disciples out to the area near Bethany. Then he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he left them. He was taken up into heaven. 52Then they worshiped him. With great joy, they returned to Jerusalem. 53Every day they went to the temple, praising God.
