Pilate put guards at the tomb because some men were afraid Jesus' disciples would steal his body and say he was risen from the dead. In fact, the Jewish leaders did pay the soldiers to lie and say his body had been stolen while they slept.

Early on Sunday morning women went to the tomb. There was a great earthquake and the stone was rolled away. An angel sat on top of the stone and announced that Jesus was not there, but had risen just as he said he would.

When the women told the apostles, they did not believe them, but dismissed their words as idle tales.

Jesus appeared to two men on the road to Emmaus. They didn't recognize him until they all sat down to eat. Then Jesus simply disappeared from their sight.

He appeared to his apostles by entering the room where they were, even though the door was locked. Thomas wasn't present at that time and said he would not believe unless he could see the prints of the nails and put his hand into his side. Later when Thomas was present Jesus encouraged him to do just that. Thomas answered, "My Lord and my God."

For forty days Jesus made appearances. Many people saw him after he was raised from the dead. On one occasion 500 people saw him. His apostles saw him again by the seaside and Jesus even cooked breakfast for them.

Luke in the book of Acts tells of his ascension into heaven. Two men dressed in white (angels) said to the men, "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."