Answer: “3 days and 3 nights” (Matthew 12:40).
Many believe that Christ died Friday night and rose Sunday morning–that would be two nights and one day. However, the Bible says differently, and our quizzes are strictly based on the Bible.
Scripture tells us that Jesus was in the grave for exactly 3 days and 3 nights. Jesus said He would give no sign except this one to prove who He was.
Here’s what He said:
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Matthew 12:40
Jesus confirms this number of days after His resurrection too:
…it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day…
Luke 24:46
If we count from Friday night, one day later would be: Saturday night. Two days later would be Sunday night. And that puts us past Easter morning.
Friday night to Easter Sunday is only 2 nights and 1 day. This doesn’t match what Jesus said.
This exact 3 days and 3 nights was so important, Jesus said that this was to be the only sign to be given in this case:
…no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Matthew 12:39
Because Jesus was in the tomb three days and three nights and the tomb was empty Sunday morning (Luke 24:1-7), Jesus couldn’t have died right before Saturday.
The math works out if you account for an annual Sabbath. The Jews may also keep a Sabbath during the week if there’s a high day (or Holy Day). A unique Sabbath is mentioned in the book of John:
Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day)
John 19:31
To conclude the answer to this question, Jesus died during the week and was in the tomb three days and three nights.
For more detail, see the following timeline of events during the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Left-hand column shows the beginning of each day/time-period. Sabbaths start at sunset. To the right, see the event that occurred with Scriptural references.
Similar questions to this are in these two quizzes:
2 replies on “How many days was Jesus in the tomb?”
John 19.42 NIV
So, there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.
Jesus was buried fast because of Jews preparation day, not on preparation day. therefore, Jesus was buried on Thursday evening not Friday the day of preparation but before it.
Stayed in the grave:
Thursday -day and night
Friday – day and night
Saturday – day and night
Sunday – resurrection day!!
I agree that Jesus was in the grave for three days and three nights. However, He was buried on the preparation day (the day before the Sabbath/high day):
“The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day…” – John 19:31, NIV
“And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.” – Mark 15:42-45, NIV
“Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.” – Luke 23:52-54, NIV