Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The detail that this tomb was "cut in stone" and "where no one had ever yet been laid" emphasizes its profound significance. This wasn't just any burial spot; it was a new, untouched place, highlighting Jesus' unique role as the firstborn from the dead and ensuring his burial was distinct and undeniable.
Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus' body has just been taken down from the cross, and a man named Joseph, a wealthy and respected follower who had previously kept his discipleship quiet, boldly requested the body from Pilate. Rushing before the Sabbath began, Joseph, with Nicodemus's help, wrapped Jesus’ body in fine linen and laid it in Joseph's own new tomb, cut into a rock, ensuring no one had ever been buried there before. This act, done with haste due to the approaching Sabbath, sets the stage for the quiet that would fall over Jesus’ followers as they observed the holy day.
Jesus' death was a public spectacle, but his burial was a quiet act of reverence. How could such a stark contrast happen in just a few hours?
The crucifixion ended on the cusp of the Sabbath. Jewish law strictly prohibited work on the Sabbath, which began at sunset. This meant Jesus' body had to be buried quickly, before the holy day commenced.
Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent and respected figure, acted decisively. He boldly approached Pilate to request the body and then, with Nicodemus, carefully prepared Jesus for burial. This swift action, despite the ritual uncleanness it incurred (preventing them from participating in the Passover Feast), shows their deep devotion and respect for Jesus, even in death.
This hurried burial highlights God's providential timing, ensuring Jesus was laid to rest before the Sabbath, fulfilling the prophecies and preparing for His resurrection.
Jesus was laid in a tomb 'where no one had ever yet been laid.' Why was this detail so significant?
The choice of a new tomb, hewn from solid rock and never before used, was profoundly symbolic. It wasn't just about respecting Jesus' body; it was about declaring His unique status.
This detail, emphasized by all the Gospel writers, served a crucial purpose: to prevent any confusion or doubt about the resurrection. If Jesus had been buried in a tomb where others lay, it would have been easier to suggest that someone else's body was raised, or that Jesus' body was mistakenly identified.
Ask a follow-up
By placing Jesus in a virgin tomb, God ensured that when He rose, the victory over death would be undeniable and exclusively His. This new tomb becomes a powerful symbol of the new life and new covenant Jesus inaugurated.
Understand the original words
sindoni · Greek Noun
Fine cloth made from flax, typically white, used for clothing, priestly garments, and burial wrappings. Its use for burial signifies dignity and the care taken to honor the deceased.
mnēmati · Greek Noun
A place of burial, often a cave or carved opening in rock. In Scripture, it serves as the final resting place for the dead and is the site where the miracle of the resurrection occurs.
The careful burial of Jesus in a new, stone-cut tomb by a prominent figure like Joseph of Arimathea, rather than a hasty burial due to the approaching Sabbath, underscores the significance of His death and prepares for the reality of His resurrection.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Death
Jesus is crucified under Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. After His death, the crowds disperse.
c. 30-33 AD
Joseph of Arimathea Requests the Body
Joseph, a wealthy and respected member of the Sanhedrin, boldly approaches Pilate to ask for Jesus' body. Pilate, after confirming Jesus' death, grants the request.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus is Buried in a New Tomb
Joseph wraps Jesus' body in fine linen and places it in his own newly cut tomb in a nearby garden. A large stone is rolled to seal the entrance.
c. 30-33 AD
Women Witness the Burial
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary observe where Jesus' body is laid, resolving to return after the Sabbath to anoint His body with spices.
This prophecy speaks of the suffering servant making 'his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death.' Luke's account highlights Joseph, a rich man, fulfilling this prophetic detail by providing a tomb.
John 19:41-42John's Gospel adds that the tomb was in a garden and that Nicodemus assisted Joseph, showing the care and honorable nature of Christ's burial, which was hastily arranged due to the approaching Sabbath.
Matthew 27:60Matthew's Gospel specifically mentions the 'new tomb' and the large stone rolled to seal it, emphasizing the security and the physical reality of Jesus' death and burial.
1 Corinthians 15:4Paul's summary of the Gospel message includes that Christ 'was buried,' underscoring the theological significance of this event as a foundational truth of Christian faith.
Genesis 50:26This Old Testament passage records that after Joseph died in Egypt, his body was embalmed and placed in a coffin, showing an ancient precedent for honorable burial practices, which Joseph of Arimathea echoed for Jesus.
vincentLuke 23:53: "And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid."
Linen (σινδόνι)See on Mark 14:51; and compare Luke 16:19.Hewn in stone (λαξευτῷ)Only here in New Testament, and not at all in classical Greek.
calvinLuke 23:50-56: "And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counseller; and he was a good man, and a just:"
- And when the evening was come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself was a disciple of Jesus. 58. He went to Pilate, and requested the body of Jesus; then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. 59. And Joseph, having received the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. 60. And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock, and having ro…
The detail that this tomb was "cut in stone" and "where no one had ever yet been laid" emphasizes its profound significance. This wasn't just any burial spot; it was a new, untouched place, highlighting Jesus' unique role as the firstborn from the dead and ensuring his burial was distinct and undeniable.
Jesus' body has just been taken down from the cross, and a man named Joseph, a wealthy and respected follower who had previously kept his discipleship quiet, boldly requested the body from Pilate. Rushing before the Sabbath began, Joseph, with Nicodemus's help, wrapped Jesus’ body in fine linen and laid it in Joseph's own new tomb, cut into a rock, ensuring no one had ever been buried there before. This act, done with haste due to the approaching Sabbath, sets the stage for the quiet that would fall over Jesus’ followers as they observed the holy day.
Jesus' body has just been taken down from the cross, and a man named Joseph, a wealthy and respected follower who had previously kept his discipleship quiet, boldly requested the body from Pilate. Rushing before the Sabbath began, Joseph, with Nicodemus's help, wrapped Jesus’ body in fine linen and laid it in Joseph's own new tomb, cut into a rock, ensuring no one had ever been buried there before. This act, done with haste due to the approaching Sabbath, sets the stage for the quiet that would fall over Jesus’ followers as they observed the holy day.
"Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid." — The detail that this tomb was "cut in stone" and "where no one had ever yet been laid" emphasizes its profound significance. This wasn't just any burial spot; it was a new, untouched place, highlight…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026