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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Matthew 28:4

And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Cowardice;   Fear of God;   Friendship;   Jesus, the Christ;   Love;   Thompson Chain Reference - Dead, the;   Mortality-Immortality;   Resurrection;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Dead, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Miracle;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Mary;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Appear, Appearance;   Burial;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Angel;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Resurrection of Christ;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - New Testament;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fear;   Mary;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Angels;   Fear ;   Keeping;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Angel;   Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Mary;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Angel;   Fear;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for October 15;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men.
King James Version (1611)
And for feare of him, the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
King James Version
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
English Standard Version
And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.
New American Standard Bible
The guards shook from fear of him and became like dead men.
New Century Version
The soldiers guarding the tomb shook with fear because of the angel, and they became like dead men.
Amplified Bible
The guards shook, paralyzed with fear [at the sight] of him and became like dead men [pale and immobile].
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the guards quaked from fear of him and became like dead men.
Berean Standard Bible
The guards trembled in fear of him and became like dead men.
Contemporary English Version
The guards shook from fear and fell down, as though they were dead.
Complete Jewish Bible
The guards were so terrified at him that they trembled and became like dead men.
Darby Translation
And for fear of him the guards trembled and became as dead men.
Easy-to-Read Version
The soldiers guarding the tomb were very afraid of the angel. They shook with fear and then became like dead men.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And for feare of him, the keepers were astonied, and became as dead men.
George Lamsa Translation
And for fear of him the guards who were watching trembled, and became as if they were dead.
Good News Translation
The guards were so afraid that they trembled and became like dead men.
Lexham English Bible
And the guards trembled from the fear of him and became like dead men.
Literal Translation
And those keeping guard were shaken from the fear of him, and they became as dead.
American Standard Version
and for fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men.
Bible in Basic English
And for fear of him the watchmen were shaking, and became as dead men.
Hebrew Names Version
For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.
International Standard Version
Because they were so afraid of him, the guards shook and became like dead men.
Etheridge Translation
And with fear of him they who were watching were shaken, and became as the dead.
Murdock Translation
and from fear of him the keepers were astounded, and became as dead men.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And for feare of him, the kepers were astonyed, and became as dead men.
English Revised Version
and for fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men.
World English Bible
For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And for fear of him the guards trembled, and became as dead men.
Weymouth's New Testament
For fear of him the guards trembled violently, and became like dead men.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and for drede of hym the keperis weren afeerd, and thei weren maad as deede men.
Update Bible Version
and for fear of him the watchers quaked, and became as dead men.
Webster's Bible Translation
And for fear of him the keepers trembled and became as dead [men].
New English Translation
The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him.
New Living Translation
The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.
New Life Bible
The soldiers were shaking with fear and became as dead men.
New Revised Standard
For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and, for fear of him, they who were keeping watch were thrown into a commotion, and became as dead men.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And for fear of him, the guards were struck with terror and became as dead men.
Revised Standard Version
And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And for feare of him the kepers were astunnyed and became as deed men.
Young's Literal Translation
and from the fear of him did the keepers shake, and they became as dead men.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But ye watch me were troubled for feare of him, and became as though they were deed.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for fear of whom the keepers shook, and were almost struck dead.
Simplified Cowboy Version
The deputies saw him and got so dad-gummed scared that they fell down like dead men.

Contextual Overview

1 Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10">[xr] Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, [fn] and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." 8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. 9 And as they went to tell His disciples, [fn] behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the: Matthew 28:11, Matthew 27:65, Matthew 27:66

shake: Job 4:14, Psalms 48:6, Daniel 10:7, Acts 9:3-7, Acts 16:29, Revelation 1:17

Reciprocal: Judges 13:6 - terrible Mark 16:6 - Be not Acts 12:6 - and the

Cross-References

Genesis 12:7
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Genesis 28:1
Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.
Genesis 28:3
"May God Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an assembly of peoples;
Genesis 28:5
So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.
Genesis 28:6
Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,"
Genesis 28:7
and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram.
Genesis 28:8
Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac.
Genesis 28:9
So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.
Genesis 28:12
Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Genesis 28:13
And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And for fear of him the keepers did shake,.... Though they were soldiers, Roman soldiers and veterans, who had been used to terrible sights in the field of battle; were men of courage, and fearless of danger; and yet were seized with a panic, and every limb of them shook and trembled at the sight of the angel, for fear he was come as an executioner of divine vengeance upon them; who had been concerned in the crucifixion of Christ, had watched him as he hung upon the cross, and now his body in the sepulchre: and even supposing no consciousness of guilt in them, or dread of punishment from him; yet such was the glory and majesty in which he appeared, of which they had never seen the like before, that it had this effect upon them:

and became as dead men: they turned pale, as dead men, and had scarce any life, or spirit, left in them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The keepers did shake - It was night. The appearance was sudden and unexpected, and to them terrific. The stone was probably suddenly removed. At the noise, the light, the suddenness of the appearance, they were affrighted.

And became as dead men - Probably by terror they fainted, or were thrown into a swoon. At this time it is probable that the Lord Jesus arose, and hence he was not seen by them when he came forth. At what precise time of the night this was we are not certainly informed. The narrative, however, leads us to suppose that it was not long before the women came to the sepulchre, or near the break of day.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 28:4. The keepers - became as dead men.] God can, by one and the same means, comfort his servants, and terrify his enemies. The resurrection of Christ is a subject of terror to the servants of sin, and a subject of consolation to the sons of God; because it is a proof of the resurrection of both, the one to shame and everlasting contempt-the other to eternal glory and joy.


 
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