Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus doesn't just command them to tell the disciples; he calls them "my brethren," a term of endearment that powerfully communicates his enduring love and forgiveness despite their recent desertion. This name highlights his humility and his desire to restore their broken relationship, not to condemn them.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The women have just encountered angels at the empty tomb and are fleeing with a mixture of fear and joy. Jesus himself then appears to them on the road, offering reassurance and a vital message. This encounter immediately precedes their task of informing the disciples about his resurrection and the specific instruction to meet him in Galilee, a place significant from the beginning of his ministry.
The women ran from the tomb with 'fear and great joy.' It sounds like a contradiction, right? But Jesus’ first words to them echo this complex emotion.
The resurrection of Jesus was a moment of overwhelming awe. The women, having seen the empty tomb and the angels, were understandably overcome with a mixture of terror and elation. Jesus meets them right in that emotional space. His command, 'Do not be afraid,' isn't just a dismissal of their fear, but an invitation to lean into the joy and certainty of His resurrection. This fear, though rooted in awe, is contrasted with the 'peace of the Spirit' that full faith brings. Jesus' presence and His gentle reassurance are what begin to settle their hearts.
Jesus calls His disciples 'my brothers.' Considering they had just abandoned Him, this tender name is astounding.
In this pivotal moment, Jesus doesn't address the disciples as failures or deserters. Instead, He calls them 'my brothers.' This is a profound act of grace, restoring their dignity and emphasizing their new identity in Him. It highlights Jesus’ humanity, as He identifies with them, and their divine adoption, making God their Father too. This term of endearment wasn't just for the women to relay; it was a message to the disciples that their relationship with Jesus transcended their mistakes. It’s a powerful reminder that our identity in Christ is not based on our performance, but on His unshakeable love.
Jesus sends the women with a specific instruction: meet Him in Galilee. Why Galilee, and why this specific rendezvous?
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Galilee wasn't just a random location; it was where Jesus’ public ministry began. Sending them there for a meeting was both a callback to their shared past and a setup for their future. It was a deliberate choice to take them away from Jerusalem's chaos to a place of familiarity and quiet reflection. This 'appointment' served to confirm the angel's message and, more importantly, to prepare the disciples for their commission. Jesus met them where they were, in a place they knew, to solidify their faith and send them out to share the good news.
Understand the original words
adelphois · Greek Noun
A term of endearment and spiritual identification used by the resurrected Jesus for His disciples, signifying the new covenant family relationship established through His death and resurrection.
This encounter happens in the immediate aftermath of Jesus' resurrection, a moment of profound shock and joy for the women, and initial disbelief for the disciples. Jesus' instruction to meet in Galilee fulfills a prior promise and sets the stage for future encounters.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Resurrection
The central event of Christian faith, Jesus is crucified, buried, and then resurrected from the dead, appearing to his followers.
c. 30 AD
Women Visit the Empty Tomb
Following the Sabbath, women including Mary Magdalene discover the tomb is empty and are told by angels that Jesus has risen.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
Jesus reveals himself to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb, commissioning her to tell his disciples.
c. 30 AD
Disciples Initially Disbelieve
The disciples, hearing the women's report of the resurrection and Jesus' appearance, initially dismiss it as 'idle talk' or fanciful tales.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Appears to the Women
Jesus meets the women, including Mary Magdalene, who had gone to tell the disciples, and reiterates the command to go to Galilee.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Appears in Jerusalem
Shortly after the resurrection, Jesus appears to his disciples in and around Jerusalem before they travel to Galilee.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Appears in Galilee
Jesus meets his disciples in Galilee as promised, reinforcing their faith and commissioning them for their mission.
This passage shows Jesus telling Mary Magdalene not to hold onto Him because He hasn't yet ascended, and instructing her to go tell His 'brothers' (the disciples) that He is ascending to His Father and their Father.
Hebrews 2:11This New Testament letter highlights the concept of Jesus not being ashamed to call believers His 'brothers,' which echoes Jesus' own tender term for the disciples in Matthew 28:10.
1 Corinthians 15:6This passage lists Jesus appearing to over 500 brothers at one time, underscoring the reality of His post-resurrection appearances and the importance of the message spreading to His followers.
Matthew 26:32Here, Jesus predicts His resurrection and tells Peter that after He is raised, He will go before them to Galilee, directly referencing the location He later tells the women to direct the disciples to in Matthew 28:10.
calvinMatthew 28:8-10: "And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word."
- And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to inform his disciples. 9. And while they went to inform his disciples, then, lo, Jesus met them, saying, Hail. [305] And they approached, and held his feet, and worshipped him. 10. Then Jesus saith to them, Fear not; go, tell my brethren to go into Galilee; and there shall they see me.
8.…
gillMatthew 28:10: "Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me."
Then said Jesus unto them, be not afraid,.... Of me, or what you have seen; or lest there should be any deception in the case. In other respects the saints are subject to fears; as lest they should have no share in the love of God, nor interest in Christ, or the work of God is not begun in their hearts; and by reason of sin, lest that should get the ascendant ov…
Jesus doesn't just command them to tell the disciples; he calls them "my brethren," a term of endearment that powerfully communicates his enduring love and forgiveness despite their recent desertion. This name highlights his humility and his desire to restore their broken relationship, not to condemn them.
The women have just encountered angels at the empty tomb and are fleeing with a mixture of fear and joy. Jesus himself then appears to them on the road, offering reassurance and a vital message. This encounter immediately precedes their task of informing the disciples about his resurrection and the specific instruction to meet him in Galilee, a place significant from the beginning of his ministry.
The women have just encountered angels at the empty tomb and are fleeing with a mixture of fear and joy. Jesus himself then appears to them on the road, offering reassurance and a vital message. This encounter immediately precedes their task of informing the disciples about his resurrection and the specific instruction to meet him in Galilee, a place significant from the beginning of his ministry.
"Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”" — Jesus doesn't just command them to tell the disciples; he calls them "my brethren," a term of endearment that powerfully communicates his enduring love and forgiveness despite their recent desertion.…
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Last reviewed October 2026