11 After they’d left, some of the guards from the tomb went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened, 12 so they met together with the elders and after some discussion, they gave a generous amount to the soldiers 13 and told them, “Tell everyone that his followers came in the dark and stole his body when you had fallen asleep. 14 If the governor hears about it, we’ll butter him up so that you won’t need to be afraid of getting punished.”

15 So they took the money and did what they had been asked.