16:2a

Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise: This verse part uses several phrases to describe the time that the women went to the tomb.

Very early: In this context the Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Very early emphasizes the time, which was immediately after sunrise.

on the first day of the week: The phrase the first day of the week refers to the day after the Sabbath. This corresponds to Sunday. Several English versions have the word Sunday here. For example, the Contemporary English Version says:

on Sunday

You may want to include a footnote about this. For example:

The Greek text has literally “the first day of the week.” The Jews considered the day after the Sabbath to be the first day of the week. So “the first day of the week” is Sunday.

just after sunrise: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as just after sunrise is literally “the sun having risen.” Each of the other three Gospels use a slightly different way to talk about the time. But all of them indicate that the women went to the tomb around the time that the sun was rising. It may have been dark when they started walking and just after sunrise when they arrived (See John 20:1). It is good to use a general expression here that refers to this time of day. For example, the Good News Bible says:

at sunrise (Good News Bible)

16:2b

they went to the tomb: The context shows that they had not yet arrived at the tomb when they asked the question in 16:3. They asked the question before they saw the entrance to the tomb (16:4). The Good News Bible makes this explicit:

On the way they said to one another…

the tomb: The phrase the tomb refers to the tomb where Jesus’ body had been buried after he died. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as tomb was also used in 15:46d. This is the first time that the tomb has been mentioned in this section. In some languages it may be natural to refer to it with a more specific phrase. For example:

the tomb where Jesus had been buried

General Comment on 16:2a–b

The Revised Standard Version has followed the Greek order of the phrases in the verse. It mentions sunrise at the end of the verse:

2aAnd very early on the first day of the week 2b they went to the tomb 2awhen the sun had risen.

You should follow the order that is most natural in your language.

General Comment on 16:1–2

The idea of going to the tomb is mentioned in both 16:1 and 16:2. In some languages it may be natural to mention it only in 16:2, as the Contemporary English Version has done:

1aAfter the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James 1bbought some spices to put on Jesus’ body. 2aVery early on Sunday morning, just as the sun was coming up, 2bthey went to the tomb.

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