Matthew 27
27
Jesus before Pilate
1Early in the morning all the chief priests and the elders of the people reached the decision to have Jesus put to death. 2They bound him, led him away, and turned him over to Pilate the governor.
Judas’ death
3When Judas, who betrayed Jesus, saw that Jesus was condemned to die, he felt deep regret. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, and 4said, “I did wrong because I betrayed an innocent man.”
But they said, “What is that to us? That’s your problem.” 5Judas threw the silver pieces into the temple and left. Then he went and hanged himself.
6The chief priests picked up the silver pieces and said, “According to the Law it’s not right to put this money in the treasury. Since it was used to pay for someone’s life, it’s unclean.” 7So they decided to use it to buy the potter’s field where strangers could be buried. 8That’s why that field is called “Field of Blood” to this very day. 9This fulfilled the words of Jeremiah the prophet: And I took the thirty pieces of silver, the price for the one whose price had been set by some of the Israelites, 10and I gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.#27.10 Zech 11:12-13; Jer 32:6-9
Questioned by Pilate
11Jesus was brought before the governor. The governor said, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus replied, “That’s what you say.” 12But he didn’t answer when the chief priests and elders accused him.
13Then Pilate said, “Don’t you hear the testimony they bring against you?” 14But he didn’t answer, not even a single word. So the governor was greatly amazed.
Death sentence
15It was customary during the festival for the governor to release to the crowd one prisoner, whomever they might choose. 16At that time there was a well-known prisoner named Jesus Barabbas. 17When the crowd had come together, Pilate asked them, “Whom would you like me to release to you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18He knew that the leaders of the people had handed him over because of jealousy.
19While he was serving as judge, his wife sent this message to him, “Leave that righteous man alone. I’ve suffered much today in a dream because of him.”
20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and kill Jesus. 21The governor said, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”
“Barabbas,” they replied.
22Pilate said, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”
They all said, “Crucify him!”
23But he said, “Why? What wrong has he done?”
They shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”
24Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was starting. So he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I’m innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It’s your problem.”
25All the people replied, “Let his blood be on us and on our children.” 26Then he released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus whipped, then handed him over to be crucified.
Soldiers mocking Jesus
27The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s house, and they gathered the whole company#27.27 Or cohort (approximately six hundred soldiers) of soldiers around him. 28They stripped him and put a red military coat on him. 29They twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand. Then they bowed down in front of him and mocked him, saying, “Hey! King of the Jews!” 30After they spit on him, they took the stick and struck his head again and again. 31When they finished mocking him, they stripped him of the military coat and put his own clothes back on him. They led him away to crucify him.
Crucifixion
32As they were going out, they found Simon, a man from Cyrene. They forced him to carry his cross. 33When they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Skull Place, 34they gave Jesus wine mixed with vinegar to drink. But after tasting it, he didn’t want to drink it. 35After they crucified him, they divided up his clothes among them by drawing lots. 36They sat there, guarding him. 37They placed above his head the charge against him. It read, “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” 38They crucified with him two outlaws, one on his right side and one on his left.
39Those who were walking by insulted Jesus, shaking their heads 40and saying, “So you were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, were you? Save yourself! If you are God’s Son, come down from the cross.”
41In the same way, the chief priests, along with the legal experts and the elders, were making fun of him, saying, 42“He saved others, but he can’t save himself. He’s the king of Israel, so let him come down from the cross now. Then we’ll believe in him. 43He trusts in God, so let God deliver him now if he wants to. He said, ‘I’m God’s Son.’” 44The outlaws who were crucified with him insulted him in the same way.
Death
45From noon until three in the afternoon the whole earth was dark. 46At about three Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my God, why have you left me?”#27.46 Ps 22:1
47After hearing him, some standing there said, “He’s calling Elijah.” 48One of them ran over, took a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a pole. He offered it to Jesus to drink.
49But the rest of them said, “Let’s see if Elijah will come and save him.”
50Again Jesus cried out with a loud shout. Then he died.
51Look, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, 52and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised. 53After Jesus’ resurrection they came out of their graves and went into the holy city where they appeared to many people. 54When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what had just happened, they were filled with awe and said, “This was certainly God’s Son.”
55Many women were watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to serve him. 56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
Burial
57That evening a man named Joseph came. He was a rich man from Arimathea who had become a disciple of Jesus. 58He came to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission to take it. 59Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had carved out of the rock. After he rolled a large stone at the door of the tomb, he went away. 61Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting in front of the tomb.
Guard at the tomb
62The next day, which was the day after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate. 63They said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will arise.’ 64Therefore, order the grave to be sealed until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people, ‘He’s been raised from the dead.’ This last deception will be worse than the first.”
65Pilate replied, “You have soldiers for guard duty. Go and make it as secure as you know how.” 66Then they went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and posting the guard.
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Matthew 27: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Matthew 27
27
1And when it was morning all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus so that they might put him to death. 2And having bound him they led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor. 3Then Judas, who delivered him up, seeing that he had been condemned, filled with remorse, returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4saying, I have sinned in having delivered up guiltless blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5And having cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, he left the place, and went away and hanged himself. 6And the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, It is not lawful to cast them into the Corban, since it is the price of blood. 7And having taken counsel, they bought with them the field of the potter for a burying-ground for strangers. 8Wherefore that field has been called Blood-field unto this day. 9Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremias the prophet, saying, And I took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was set a price on, whom they who were of the sons of Israel had set a price on, 10and they gave them for the field of the potter, according as the Lord commanded me.
11But Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor questioned him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said to him, Thou sayest. 12And when he was accused of the chief priests and the elders, he answered nothing. 13Then says Pilate to him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14And he answered him not so much as one word, so that the governor wondered exceedingly. 15Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd, whom they would. 16And they had then a notable prisoner, named Barabbas. 17They therefore being gathered together, Pilate said to them, Whom will ye that I release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ? 18For he knew that they had delivered him up through envy. 19But, as he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent to him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man; for I have suffered to-day many things in a dream because of him. 20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should beg for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21And the governor answering said to them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas. 22Pilate says to them, What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ? They all say, Let him be crucified. 23And the governor said, What evil then has he done? But they cried more than ever, saying, Let him be crucified. 24And Pilate, seeing that it availed nothing, but that rather a tumult was arising, having taken water, washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am guiltless of the blood of this righteous one: see ye to it. 25And all the people answering said, His blood be on us and on our children.
26Then he released to them Barabbas; but Jesus, having scourged him, he delivered up that he might be crucified. 27Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken Jesus with them to the praetorium, gathered against him the whole band, 28and having taken off his garment, put on him a scarlet cloak; 29and having woven a crown out of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and, bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30And having spit upon him, they took the reed and beat him on his head. 31And when they had mocked him, they took the cloak off him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify. 32And as they went forth they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; him they compelled to go with them that he might bear his cross.
33And having come to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a skull, 34they gave to him to drink vinegar mingled with gall; and having tasted it, he would not drink. 35And having crucified him, they parted his clothes amongst themselves, casting lots. 36And sitting down, they kept guard over him there. 37And they set up over his head his accusation written: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. 38Then are crucified with him two robbers, one on the right hand and one on the left. 39But the passers-by reviled him, shaking their heads 40and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou art Son of God, descend from the cross. 41And in like manner the chief priests also, mocking, with the scribes and elders, said, 42He saved others, himself he cannot save. He is King of Israel: let him descend now from the cross, and we will believe on him. 43He trusted upon God; let him save him now if he will have him. For he said, I am Son of God. 44And the robbers also who had been crucified with him cast the same reproaches on him. 45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour; 46but about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 47And some of those who stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calls for Elias. 48And immediately one of them running and getting a sponge, having filled it with vinegar and fixed it on a reed, gave him to drink. 49But the rest said, Let be; let us see if Elias comes to save him.
50And Jesus, having again cried with a loud voice, gave up the ghost. 51And lo, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom, and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were rent, 52and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints fallen asleep arose, 53and going out of the tombs after his arising, entered into the holy city and appeared unto many. 54But the centurion, and they who were with him on guard over Jesus, seeing the earthquake and the things that took place, feared greatly, saying, Truly this man was Son of God. 55And there were there many women beholding from afar off, who had followed Jesus from Galilee ministering to him, 56among whom was Mary of Magdala, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57Now when even was come there came a rich man of Arimathaea, his name Joseph, who also himself was a disciple to Jesus. 58He, going to Pilate, begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up. 59And Joseph having got the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn in the rock; and having rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, went away. 61But Mary of Magdala was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the sepulchre. 62Now on the morrow, which is after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees came together to Pilate, 63saying, Sir, we have called to mind that that deceiver said when he was still alive, After three days I arise. 64Command therefore that the sepulchre be secured until the third day, lest his disciples should come and steal him away, and say to the people, He is risen from the dead; and the last error shall be worse than the first. 65And Pilate said to them, Ye have a watch: go, secure it as well as ye know how. 66And they went and secured the sepulchre, having sealed the stone, with the watch besides.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.