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Giotto's Resurrection "Noli me tangere" fresco (200 x 185 cm) from 1304-06 in the Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), in Padua, Italy. 

Visit it if you're in the area.  I enjoyed it very much, but you need to take your time and let the initial shock of the color and detail of the place wear off a bit.  Study the details closely, like the sleeping guards in this image.

I've reproduced below the relevant passages in both Italian and English, the King James version.

The image opposite is of a painting by Giotto.  It is after Jesus rises from his tomb.  He finds  Mary Magdalene crying because she believes someone has moved His body.

When she recognizes Him, He tells her "Do not hold me" ("Non mi trattenere", "Noli me tangere"), or "don't keep me here".  He's in a hurry to see the Lord, his Father.  

Jesus sends Mary to prepare the Apostles for his coming visit, which proves difficult, because they refuse to believe her.

I've more 'Noli me tangere' Italian paintings below.

Giovanni 19

[38]Dopo questi fatti, Giuseppe d'Arimatèa, che era discepolo di Gesù, ma di nascosto per timore dei Giudei, chiese a Pilato di prendere il corpo di Gesù. Pilato lo concesse. Allora egli andò e prese il corpo di Gesù. 

[39]Vi andò anche Nicodèmo, quello che in precedenza era andato da lui di notte, e portò una mistura di mirra e di aloe di circa cento libbre. 

[40]Essi presero allora il corpo di Gesù, e lo avvolsero in bende insieme con oli aromatici, com'è usanza seppellire per i Giudei. 

[41]Ora, nel luogo dove era stato crocifisso, vi era un giardino e nel giardino un sepolcro nuovo, nel quale nessuno era stato ancora deposto. 

[42]Là dunque deposero Gesù, a motivo della Preparazione dei Giudei, poiché quel sepolcro era vicino.

Giovanni 20

[1]Nel giorno dopo il sabato, Maria di Màgdala si recò al sepolcro di buon mattino, quand'era ancora buio, e vide che la pietra era stata ribaltata dal sepolcro. 

[2]Corse allora e andò da Simon Pietro e dall'altro discepolo, quello che Gesù amava, e disse loro: «Hanno portato via il Signore dal sepolcro e non sappiamo dove l'hanno posto!». 

[3]Uscì allora Simon Pietro insieme all'altro discepolo, e si recarono al sepolcro. 

[4]Correvano insieme tutti e due, ma l'altro discepolo corse più veloce di Pietro e giunse per primo al sepolcro. 

[5]Chinatosi, vide le bende per terra, ma non entrò. 

[6]Giunse intanto anche Simon Pietro che lo seguiva ed entrò nel sepolcro e vide le bende per terra, 

[7]e il sudario, che gli era stato posto sul capo, non per terra con le bende, ma piegato in un luogo a parte. 

[8]Allora entrò anche l'altro discepolo, che era giunto per primo al sepolcro, e vide e credette. 

[9]Non avevano infatti ancora compreso la Scrittura, che egli cioè doveva risuscitare dai morti. 

[10]I discepoli intanto se ne tornarono di nuovo a casa.

[11]Maria invece stava all'esterno vicino al sepolcro e piangeva. Mentre piangeva, si chinò verso il sepolcro 

[12]e vide due angeli in bianche vesti, seduti l'uno dalla parte del capo e l'altro dei piedi, dove era stato posto il corpo di Gesù. 

[13]Ed essi le dissero: «Donna, perché piangi?». Rispose loro: «Hanno portato via il mio Signore e non so dove lo hanno posto». 

[14]Detto questo, si voltò indietro e vide Gesù che stava lì in piedi; ma non sapeva che era Gesù. 

[15]Le disse Gesù: «Donna, perché piangi? Chi cerchi?». Essa, pensando che fosse il custode del giardino, gli disse: «Signore, se l'hai portato via tu, dimmi dove lo hai posto e io andrò a prenderlo». 

[16]Gesù le disse: «Maria!». Essa allora, voltatasi verso di lui, gli disse in ebraico: «Rabbunì!», che significa: Maestro! 

[17]Gesù le disse: «Non mi trattenere, perché non sono ancora salito al Padre; ma và dai miei fratelli e dì loro: Io salgo al Padre mio e Padre vostro, Dio mio e Dio vostro». 

[18]Maria di Màgdala andò subito ad annunziare ai discepoli: «Ho visto il Signore» e anche ciò che le aveva detto.

[19]La sera di quello stesso giorno, il primo dopo il sabato, mentre erano chiuse le porte del luogo dove si trovavano i discepoli per timore dei Giudei, venne Gesù, si fermò in mezzo a loro e disse: «Pace a voi!». 

[20]Detto questo, mostrò loro le mani e il costato. E i discepoli gioirono al vedere il Signore. 

[21]Gesù disse loro di nuovo: «Pace a voi! Come il Padre ha mandato me, anch'io mando voi». 

[22]Dopo aver detto questo, alitò su di loro e disse: «Ricevete lo Spirito Santo; 

[23]a chi rimetterete i peccati saranno rimessi e a chi non li rimetterete, resteranno non rimessi».

[24]Tommaso, uno dei Dodici, chiamato Dìdimo, non era con loro quando venne Gesù. 

[25]Gli dissero allora gli altri discepoli: «Abbiamo visto il Signore!». Ma egli disse loro: «Se non vedo nelle sue mani il segno dei chiodi e non metto il dito nel posto dei chiodi e non metto la mia mano nel suo costato, non crederò».

[26]Otto giorni dopo i discepoli erano di nuovo in casa e c'era con loro anche Tommaso. Venne Gesù, a porte chiuse, si fermò in mezzo a loro e disse: «Pace a voi!». 

[27]Poi disse a Tommaso: «Metti qua il tuo dito e guarda le mie mani; stendi la tua mano, e mettila nel mio costato; e non essere più incredulo ma credente!». 

[28]Rispose Tommaso: «Mio Signore e mio Dio!». 

[29]Gesù gli disse: «Perché mi hai veduto, hai creduto: beati quelli che pur non avendo visto crederanno!».

Source:  I quote here from an on-line Italian Bible that is no longer available.  I'll keep looking for a free one on-line.   

John 19

38After this Joseph of Arimathe'a, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took away his body. 

39Nicode'mus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds' weight. 

40They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 

41Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. 

42So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

John 20

1Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 

2So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." 

3Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. 

4They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; 

5and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 

6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, 

7and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. 

8Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;

9for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 

10Then the disciples went back to their homes. 

11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; 

12and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 

13They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." 

14Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 

15Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." 

16Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rab-bo'ni!" (which means Teacher). 

17Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." 

18Mary Mag'dalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her. 

19On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 

20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 

21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 

22And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 

23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." 

24Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 

25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 

26Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 

27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 

28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 

29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

Source:  The Bible, online at Bible.com which offers various versions and various translations of The Bible online.

Noli me tangere Gallery

Here are some other representations of the Noli me tangere passage from the Bible by Italian artists.  I''ve arranged them roughly chronologically so you can see the progression of Italian style from Iconic through the Renaissance to Mannerist.

Giotto, 1304

The most accurate to the Bible's description of the scene, with the sleeping guards, the rocky surroundings, the stone tomb, the two angels in white on the tomb, and Jesus heading to his Father.  Mary is the central figure just as in the Biblical story.

Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308, tempera on wood

Subdued, golden and peaceful in dry, rocky surroundings with people who look Middle-Eastern.

Fra Angelico, 1440, fresco

Still peaceful and golden, but greener, and with a pale, blond Mary and Jesus, and an interesting straw fence along the background, and a very architectural door on the tomb which is now carved into the stone wall.

Bramantino fresco

A disdainful Jesus and very humble-looking Mary, but suddenly Jesus is practically nude.  Seems odd Mary would mistake Him for a gardener, and they seem to be in the middle of Jerusalem now.

Tiziano, 1512

Jesus is even more nude here, and Mary has become very Gothic-Romance looking with her flowing red-blond hair, her prostrate position, and rich, red and which robes.  I'm not sure which sea that's supposed to be in the background, and there is not a tomb in sight.

Correggio, 1525

Jesus is clearly pointing to God above as He asks Mary not to keep Him from joining His Father.  Mary is an enamored blond now, loose flowing locks, in a rich, golden gown with red robe. It's looking very green and lush in Jerusalem.

Pontormo, 1530

A very disdainful look on Jesus's face in Pontormo's version, but at least Jesus is dressed again.  Mary's outfit is unusual, a bit like a cheeky scullery-maid, and the background is rocky again with details of Jerusalem in view.

Bronzino (trained by Pontormo), 1561

A beefy, red-headed Jesus in one of Bronzino's typical awkward poses.  Note the three crosses from the crucifixion in the top left corner of the painting, Jerusalem in the distance, and the picket fence and flowers.  Bronzino's paintings are always rich in detail and color, like the expensive blue of Mary's dress.  It could be my imagination, but it looks like the fallen sheets are shouting at Mary to let Jesus go, on the ground between she and Jesus.

The Stations of the Cross (La Via Cruces)