51 At that moment the heavy thick curtain that closed off the most holy place in the Temple split into two pieces from top to bottom. That signified that ordinary people could now go into the presence of God. The earth shook, and some large rocks split open. 52 Some tombs opened up, and the bodies of many godly people who had died became alive again. 53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus became alive again, they went into Jerusalem and appeared to many people there.

54 The officer who supervised the soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross was standing nearby. His soldiers who had been on guard so that no one would rescue Jesus were also there. When they felt the earthquake and saw all the other things that happened, they were terrified. They exclaimed, "Truly he was both man and God! (OR, a Son of God)."