Matthew 27
27
Jesus Condemned by the Religious Leaders
1Before dawn that morning, all the chief priests and religious leaders resolved to take action against Jesus and decided that he should be executed. 2So they bound him and led him away to Pilate, the Roman governor.
Judas Commits Suicide
3Now, when Judas, the betrayer, saw that Jesus had been sentenced to death, remorse filled his heart. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and religious leaders, 4saying, “I have sinned by betraying an innocent man.”
They replied, “Why are you bothering us? That’s your problem.”
5Then Judas flung the silver coins inside the temple and went out and hanged himself.
6The chief priests, picking up the pieces of silver, said, “We can’t keep this, for it’s unlawful to put blood money into the temple treasury.” 7So after some deliberation, they decided to purchase the potter’s field of clay, # 27:7 Implied in the historical context. This was the field owned by a potter, used for making clay vessels. to use as a cemetery for burying strangers. 8That’s why that land has been called “The Field of Blood.” 9This fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah: # 27:9 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew. See Zech. 11:12–13. The Greek manuscripts incorrectly identify the prophecy as from Jeremiah. There is no clear prophecy found in Jeremiah that is quoted here by Matthew. The Aramaic reads simply, “spoken of by the prophet.” The Hebrew Matthew correctly states, “spoken through Zechariah.”
They took the thirty pieces of silver, # 27:9 Thirty pieces of silver is also the price someone owed if their ox killed a slave (Ex. 21:32).
the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,
the price of a precious man, # 27:9 As translated from the Aramaic.
10And they bought the potter’s field,
as the Lord directed. # 27:10 Or “as the Lord directed me.”
Jesus Brought before Pilate
11As Jesus stood in front of the Roman governor, Pilate asked him, “So, you are the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “You have just spoken it.” 12Then he was accused by the chief priests and religious leaders, but he remained silent.
13Pilate said, “Don’t you hear these allegations?” 14But Jesus offered no defense to any of the charges, much to the great astonishment of Pilate.
15Now, every year at Passover it was the custom of the governor to pardon a prisoner and release him to the people—anyone they wanted. 16And at that time, Pilate was holding in custody a notorious criminal named Jesus Barabbas. # 27:16 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew and a few Greek manuscripts. Most Greek texts have only Barabbas. The name Barabbas is Aramaic and means “son of a father” or “son who is like his father.” He becomes a picture of every son of Adam, our father. Some believe this is a figure of speech, a nickname for one who was born an illegitimate son, with no known father. The true Son of the Father was crucified that day. 17So as the crowds of people assembled outside of Pilate’s residence, he went out and offered them a choice. He asked them, “Who would you want me to release to you today, Jesus who is called Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Anointed One?” 18(Now, Pilate was fully aware that the religious leaders had handed Jesus over to him because of their bitter jealousy.)
19Just then, as Pilate was presiding over the tribunal, # 27:19 Or “sat on the judgment seat.” his wife sent him an urgent message: “Don’t harm that holy man, # 27:19 As translated from the Aramaic. for I suffered a horrible nightmare last night about him!”
20Meanwhile, the chief priest and the religious leaders were inciting the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be freed and to have Jesus killed. 21So Pilate asked them again, “Which of the two men would you like me to release for you?”
They shouted, “Barabbas.”
22Pilate asked them, “Then what would you have me to do with Jesus who is called the Anointed One?”
They all shouted back, “Crucify him!”
23“Why?” Pilate asked. “What has he done wrong?”
But they kept shouting out, “Crucify him!”
Jesus Condemned to Death
24When Pilate realized that a riot was about to break out and that it was useless to try to reason with the crowd, he sent for a basin of water. After washing his hands # 27:24 See Deut. 21:6–7. in front of the people, he said, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. # 27:24 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew and the Aramaic. The responsibility for his death is now yours!” # 27:24 The Aramaic is “You do as you please!”
25And the crowd replied, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”
26So he released Barabbas to the people. He ordered that Jesus be beaten with a whip of leather straps embedded with metal, and afterward be crucified. 27Then the guards took him into their military compound, where a detachment of nearly six hundred soldiers surrounded him.
28They stripped off his clothing # 27:28 The Greek word ekduo means “to fully undress.” This was an act meant to shame and humiliate. and placed a scarlet robe on him to make fun of him. 29Then they braided a crown of thorns and forcefully shoved it onto his head. After placing a reed staff in his right hand, they knelt down before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 30Then they spat in his face and took the reed staff from his hand and hit him repeatedly on his head, driving the crown of thorns deeper. 31When they finished ridiculing him, they took off the scarlet robe and put his own clothes back on him and led him away to be crucified. 32And as they came out of the city, they stopped an African man named Simon, from Libya, # 27:32 Or “from Cyrene,” which is present-day Tripoli, Libya. and compelled him to carry the cross for Jesus.
The Crucifixion
33They brought Jesus to Golgotha, which means “Skull Hill.” # 27:33 The Aramaic word Golgotha is, in Latin, calvaria, or Calvary. Origen, an early church father (185–253 AD), recorded that Jesus was crucified at the place where Adam was buried and where his skull was found. David brought Goliath’s head (Goliath and Golgotha are taken from the same root word) and buried it outside of Jerusalem. Some believe this is where it got its name, Golgotha (the place of the skull). The cross has to pierce the place of the skull for our minds to submit to the revelation of the cross. 34And there the soldiers offered him a mild painkiller, a drink of wine mixed with gall, # 27:34 See Ps. 69:21. Jesus was twice offered a painkiller on the cross and did not drink it. He knew he was to drink the cup of suffering the Father had given him. He did that for you. but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.
35Then they crucified Jesus, nailing his hands and feet to the cross. The soldiers divided his clothing among themselves by rolling dice to see who would win them. 36And the soldiers stood there to watch what would happen and to keep guard over him. 37Above his head they placed a sign that read, “This is Jesus of Nazareth, # 27:37 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew. See John 19:20. The sign was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. Aramaic was the language of the common people in Israel. Hebrew ceased to be their spoken language after 450 BC, when the Jews returned from Babylon. Aramaic remained the language of Israel for nearly one thousand years. Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire. The inscription was also in Greek, for the Alexandrian Jews who had come to observe the Passover in Jerusalem would be unable to read Aramaic. The words were “Jesus, the Nazarene, King of the Jews.” The first letters of each of the four words written on the sign in Aramaic (Hebrew) were Y-H-W-H (Y’shua Hanozri Wumelech a Yehudim). To write these letters, YHWH (also known as the Tetragrammaton), was the Hebrew form of writing the sacred name “Yahweh.” No wonder the chief priests were so offended by this sign and insisted that Pilate change it. This was a sign given to Israel, for over Jesus’ head on the cross was written “Y-H-W-H! God, the Savior, bled to death for you.” King of Israel.”
38Two criminals were also crucified with Jesus, one on each side of him. # 27:38 See Isa. 53:12. 39And those who passed by shook their heads and ridiculed him, 40saying, “We heard you boast that you could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days! Why don’t you save yourself now? If you’re really God’s Son, come down from the cross!”
41Even the ruling priests, with the Jewish scholars and religious leaders, joined in the mockery # 27:41 See Pss. 22:17; 109:25; Lam. 2:15. 42and kept on saying, “He saved others, but he can’t even save himself! Israel’s king, is he? He should pull out the nails and come down from the cross right now; then we’ll believe in him! 43He puts his trust in God, so let’s see if it’s true, and see if God really wants to rescue him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
44Even the two criminals who were crucified with Jesus began to taunt him, hurling their insults on him.
The Death of the Savior
45For three hours, beginning at noon, a sudden and unexpected darkness came over the earth. # 27:45 Or “the land.” 46And at three o’clock Jesus shouted with a mighty voice in Aramaic, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” # 27:46 The last words of Jesus were spoken in Aramaic. Every Greek text gives a transliteration of the Aramaic words and then translates them back into Greek. —that is, “My God, My God, why have you deserted me?” # 27:46 See Pss. 22:1; 42:9. The Aramaic can be translated “for this purpose you have spared me.” 47Some who were standing near the cross misunderstood and said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” 48One bystander ran and got a sponge, soaked it with sour wine, then put it on a stick and held it up for Jesus to drink. 49But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah comes to rescue him.” # 27:49 A few Greek manuscripts have an additional sentence: “A soldier took a lance and pierced him in the side and blood and water poured out.” It is not found in the Aramaic and many Greek texts of Matthew. If included, it would mean the soldier took Jesus’ life with his lance. However, Jesus said that no man could take his life from him. The evidence is compelling that it was not part of the original text, but was taken from John 19:34 and added here.
50Jesus passionately cried out, # 27:50 See Luke 23:46 and John 19:30 to read the words he shouted out at death. took his last breath, and gave up his spirit.
51At that moment the veil in the Holy of Holies was torn in two from the top to the bottom. # 27:51 It was obviously the hand of God that tore the veil from top to bottom. In Matthew 26:56 it was the High Priest who tore his clothes in the presence of Jesus. Now God tears his veil in the presence of the High Priest offering the Passover blood in the Holy of Holies. The earth shook violently, rocks were violently split apart, 52and graves were opened. Then many of the holy ones who had died were brought back to life and came out of their graves. 53And after Jesus’ resurrection, # 27:53 The Aramaic reads “after their rising.” they were seen by many people walking in Jerusalem. # 27:53 Perhaps one was Joseph, for he had asked that his bones be buried in the promised land. He saw a resurrection coming and didn’t want to be left out. See Heb. 11:22. Jesus’ resurrection was so powerful that many were instantly raised back to life again along with him.
54Now, when the Roman military officer and his soldiers witnessed what was happening and felt the powerful earthquake, they were extremely terrified. They said, “There is no doubt, this man was the Son of God!”
55Watching from a distance were many of the women who had followed him from Galilee and given him support. 56Among them were Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of Jacob and Joseph; and the mother of Jacob and John.
The Burial of Jesus
57At the end of the day, a wealthy man named Joseph, a follower of Jesus from the village of Ramah, # 27:57 As translated from the Aramaic. Ramah (formerly Ramathaim Zophim) was the village of Samuel, situated on a hill overlooking Jerusalem. The Greek is “Joseph of Arimathea.” Luke tells us that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. See Luke 23:50–51. It is possible that Joseph may have lost a son the age of Jesus when Herod killed the infants. 58approached Pilate and asked if he could take custody of the body of Jesus. So Pilate consented and ordered that the body be given to him. 59Then Joseph wrapped the body in a shroud of fine linen and placed it in his own unused tomb, which had only recently been cut into the rock. 60They rolled a large stone to seal the entrance of the tomb and left.
61Sitting across from the tomb were Mary Magdalene and the other Marys, # 27:61 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew. See v. 56 and 28:1. watching all that took place.
62The next day, the day after Preparation Day for Passover, the chief priests and the Pharisees went together to Pilate. 63They said to him, “Our master, we remember that this imposter claimed that he would rise from the dead after three days. 64So please, order the tomb to be sealed until after the third day. Seal it so that his disciples can’t come and steal the corpse and tell people he rose from the dead. Then the last deception would be worse than the first!”
65“I will send soldiers to guard the tomb,” Pilate replied. “Go with them and make the tomb as secure as possible.” 66So they left and sealed the stone, # 27:66 This official seal, if broken, would bring the death penalty to the offender. and Pilate’s soldiers secured the tomb.
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Matthew 27: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationMatthew 27
27
Judas’ Remorse
1When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) conferred together against Jesus, [plotting how] to put Him to death [since under Roman rule they had no power to execute anyone]; 2so they bound Him, and led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate the governor [of Judea, who had the authority to condemn prisoners to death].
3When Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was gripped with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They replied, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” 5And throwing the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary, he left; and went away and #Possibly people later threw Judas’ body over the cliff into the Valley of Hinnom where his body was mangled on the rocks below (Acts 1:18). Suicides were not given a proper burial.hanged himself. 6The chief priests, picking up the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put these in the treasury [of the temple], because it is the price of blood.” 7So after consultation they used the money to buy the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. 8Therefore that piece of ground has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9Then the words spoken by Jeremiah the prophet were fulfilled: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him on whom a price had been set by the sons of Israel; 10and they gave them for the Potter’s Field, as the Lord directed me.”
Jesus before Pilate
11Now Jesus stood before [Pilate] the governor, and the governor asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” [In affirmation] Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” 12But when the charges were brought against Him by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. 13Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they are testifying against You?” 14But Jesus did not reply to him, not even to a single accusation, so that the governor was greatly astonished.
15Now at the feast [of the Passover] the governor was in the habit of setting free any one prisoner whom the people chose. 16And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner [guilty of insurrection and murder], called Barabbas. 17So when they had assembled [for this purpose], Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to set free for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18For Pilate knew that it was because of jealousy that the chief priests and elders had handed Jesus over to him.
19While he was seated on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous and innocent Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.” 20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. 21The governor said to them, “Which of the two do you wish me to set free for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all replied, “Let Him be crucified!” 23And he said, “Why, what has He done that is evil?” But they continued shouting all the louder, “Let Him be crucified!”
24So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands [to ceremonially cleanse himself of guilt] in the presence of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this [righteous] Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” 25And all the people answered, “Let [the responsibility for] His blood be on us and on our children!” 26So he set Barabbas free for them; but after having Jesus severely whipped (scourged), he handed Him over to be crucified.
Jesus Is Mocked
27Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into #The official residence of a governor of a Roman province.the Praetorium, and they gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. 28They stripped him and put a scarlet #A ranking Roman officer’s outer cloak.robe on Him [as a king’s robe]. 29And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and put a reed in His right hand [as a scepter]. Kneeling before Him, they ridiculed Him, saying, “Hail (rejoice), King of the Jews!” 30They spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him repeatedly on the head. 31After they finished ridiculing Him, they stripped Him of the scarlet robe and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.
32Now as they were coming out, they found a man of #A port city in north Africa.Cyrene named #The father of Alexander and Rufus, disciples in Rome.Simon, whom they forced into service #The crossbeam was usually placed on the nape of the neck like a yoke.to carry the cross of Jesus.
The Crucifixion
33And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means #Latin: Calvarius; or Calvary; Aram: Golgotha; Greek: Kranion.Place of a Skull, 34they offered Him wine mixed with gall (myrrh, a bitter-tasting narcotic) to drink; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.
35And when they had crucified Him, they divided His clothes among them by casting #This fulfilled the prophecy of Ps 22:18, “They divide My clothes among them.”lots. 36Then sitting down there, they began to keep watch over Him [to guard against any rescue attempt]. 37And above His head they put the accusation against Him which read, “#The wording of the inscription, which was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, varies slightly in each Gospel account and was probably a combination of them all, “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
38At the same time two robbers were crucified with Jesus, one on the right and one on the left. 39Those who passed by were hurling abuse at Him and jeering at Him, wagging their heads [in scorn and ridicule], 40and they said [tauntingly], “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself [from death]! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, mocked Him, saying, 42“He saved others [from death]; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him and acknowledge Him. 43He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44The robbers who had been crucified with Him also began to insult Him in the same way.
45Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.). 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud [agonized] voice, #See note John 19:30.“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47When some of the bystanders there heard it, they began saying, “This man is calling for #The Jews believed that the prophet Elijah would return before the Messiah appeared.Elijah.” 48Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, soaked it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49But the rest said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him [from death].” 50And Jesus cried out again with a loud [agonized] voice, and gave up His spirit [voluntarily, sovereignly dismissing and releasing His spirit from His body in submission to His Father’s plan]. 51And [at once] the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was #God tearing the veil of the Holy of Holies is significant in that it symbolizes that God’s presence was now open to all people and not just the High Priest.torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and the rocks were split apart. 52The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints (God’s people) who had fallen asleep [in death] were raised [to life]; 53and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city (Jerusalem) and appeared to many people. 54Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, they were terribly frightened and filled with awe, and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
55There were also many women there looking on from a distance, who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him. 56Among them was #Jesus delivered this woman from seven demons (Luke 8:2). She was from the town of Magdala in Galilee.Mary Magdalene, and #Perhaps the same Mary identified as the wife of Clopas (Gr Alphaeus). See John 19:25. Believed to be a sister or sister-in-law of Mary the mother of Jesus.Mary the mother of #This apostle was known as James the Less or James the Younger (Mark 15:40).James and Joseph, and [Salome] the #Salome, believed to be a sister of Mary the mother of Jesus (John 19:25).mother of Zebedee’s sons [James and John].
Jesus Is Buried
57When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. 58He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus [so that he might bury Him], and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth (burial wrapping), 60and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock; and he rolled a large stone over the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other #The mother of the apostle known as James the Less or James the Younger.Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
62The next day, that is, the day after the [day of] preparation [for the Sabbath], the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate, 63and said, “Sir, we have remembered that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise [from the dead].’ 64Therefore, give orders to have the tomb made secure and safeguarded until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception [the reporting of His resurrection] will be worse than the first [the reporting that He is the Messiah].” 65Pilate said to them, “You have a guard [of soldiers]; go [with them], make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66So they went and #In ancient times a tomb was secured by stretching a cord across the stone, then sealing each end of the cord to the rock wall with wax. The wax was marked with the official Roman seal.made the tomb secure, and along with [stationing] a guard of soldiers [to be on watch] they set a seal on the stone.
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