Jesus was in the tomb for parts of three days, roughly about 36 to 40 hours, from Friday afternoon until early Sunday morning. According to the Gospels, Jesus was crucified on Friday (around 3 p.m.) and rose early on Sunday, which aligns with the traditional Christian belief of a Friday crucifixion and Sunday resurrection
. The phrase "three days and three nights" from Matthew 12:40 has caused some debate because a literal 72-hour period does not fit the Friday-to-Sunday timeline. However, this expression is understood as a Jewish idiom for any part of three days rather than a strict 72-hour count. Jesus' time in the tomb is therefore seen as encompassing parts of Friday, all of Saturday, and part of Sunday, which was culturally counted as three days
. Some argue for a Wednesday crucifixion to accommodate a full three days and nights, but this view conflicts with other biblical and traditional accounts and Jewish customs
. The key emphasis in the New Testament is on the fact of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection rather than the exact number of hours spent in the tomb
. In summary, Jesus was in the tomb from Friday afternoon until early Sunday morning, which by Jewish reckoning counts as three days, fulfilling the scriptural references to his burial and resurrection
