What did the soliers say regarding the missing body of Jesus?

The soldiers assigned to guard Jesus' tomb reported that the body was missing after they experienced a great earthquake and saw an angel roll back the stone. They were frightened and went to the religious leaders to explain what had happened. The leaders then bribed the soldiers to spread a false story that Jesus' disciples had stolen the body while they were asleep. This account reflects the attempts to suppress the truth of the resurrection and maintain control over the narrative.