Matthew 27
27
1 Then, when morning arrived, all the leaders of the priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, so that they might deliver him to death.
2 And they led him, bound, and handed him over to Pontius Pilate, the procurator.
3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that he had been condemned, regretting his conduct, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the leaders of the priests and the elders,
4 saying, "I have sinned in betraying just blood." But they said to him: "What is that to us? See to it yourself."
5 And throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed. And going out, he hanged himself with a snare.
6 But the leaders of the priests, having taken up the pieces of silver, said, "It is not lawful to put them into the temple offerings, because it is the price of blood."
7 Then, having taken counsel, they bought the potter's field with it, as a burying place for sojourners.
8 For this reason, that field is called Haceldama, that is, 'The Field of Blood,' even to this very day.
9 Then what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one being appraised, whom they appraised before the sons of Israel,
10 and they gave it for the potter's field, just as the Lord appointed to me."
11 Now Jesus stood before the procurator, and the procurator questioned him, saying, "You are the king of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "You are saying so."
12 And when he was accused by the leaders of the priests and the elders, he responded nothing.
13 Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how much testimony they speak against you?"
14 And he did not respond any word to him, so that the procurator wondered greatly.
15 Now on the solemn day, the procurator was accustomed to release to the people one prisoner, whomever they wished.
16 And at that time, he had a notorious prisoner, who was called Barabbas.
17 Therefore, having been gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Who is it that you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?"
18 For he knew that it was out of envy they had handed him over.
19 But as he was sitting in the place for the tribunal, his wife sent to him, saying: "It is nothing to you, and he is just. For I have experienced many things today through a vision for his sake."
20 But the leaders of the priests and the elders persuaded the people, so that they would ask for Barabbas, and so that Jesus would perish.
21 Then, in response, the procurator said to them, "Which of the two do you want to be released to you?" But they said to him, "Barabbas."
22 Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do about Jesus, who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified."
23 The procurator said to them, "But what evil has he done?" But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let him be crucified."
24 Then Pilate, seeing that he was able to accomplish nothing, but that a greater tumult was occurring, taking water, washed his hands in the sight of the people, saying: "I am innocent of the blood of this just man. See to it yourselves."
25 And the entire people responded by saying, "May his blood be upon us and upon our children."
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But Jesus, having been scourged, he handed over to them, so that he would be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the procurator, taking Jesus up to the praetorium, gathered the entire cohort around him.
28 And stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak around him.
29 And plaiting a crown of thorns, they placed it on his head, with a reed in his right hand. And genuflecting before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews."
30 And spitting on him, they took the reed and struck his head.
31 And after they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, and clothed him with his own garments, and they led him away to crucify him.
32 But as they were going out, they came upon a man of Cyrene, named Simon, whom they compelled to take up his cross.
33 And they arrived at the place which is called Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary.
34 And they gave him wine to drink, mixed with gall. And when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.
35 Then, after they had crucified him, they divided his garments, casting lots, in order to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying: "They divided my garments among them, and over my vestment they cast lots."
36 And sitting down, they observed him.
37 And they set his accusation above his head, written as: THIS IS JESUS, KING OF THE JEWS.
38 Then two robbers were crucified with him: one on the right and one on the left.
39 But those passing by blasphemed him, shaking their heads,
40 and saying: "Ah, so you would destroy the temple of God and in three days rebuild it! Save your own self. If you are the Son of God, descend from the cross."
41 And similarly, the leaders of the priests, with the scribes and the elders, mocking him, said:
42 "He saved others; he cannot save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him descend now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
43 He trusted in God; so now, let God free him, if he wills him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.' "
44 Then, the robbers who were crucified with him also reproached him with the very same thing.
45 Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over the entire earth, even until the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: "Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
47 Then certain ones who were standing and listening there said, "This man calls upon Elijah."
48 And one of them, running quickly, took a sponge and filled it with vinegar, and he set it on a reed and he gave it to him to drink.
49 Yet truly, the others said, "Wait. Let us see whether Elijah will come to free him."
50 Then Jesus, crying out again with a loud voice, gave up his life.
51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn into two parts, from top to bottom. And the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split apart.
52 And the tombs were opened. And many bodies of the saints, which had been sleeping, arose.
53 And going out from the tombs, after his resurrection, they went into the holy city, and they appeared to many.
54 Now the centurion and those who were with him, guarding Jesus, having seen the earthquake and the things that were done, were very fearful, saying: "Truly, this was the Son of God."
55 And in that place, there were many women, at a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.
56 Among these were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 Then, when evening had arrived, a certain wealthy man from Arimathea, named Joseph, arrived, who himself was also a disciple of Jesus.
58 This man approached Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered the body to be released.
59 And Joseph, taking the body, wrapped it in a clean finely-woven linen cloth,
60 and he placed it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and he went away.
61 Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulcher.
62 Then the next day, which is after the Preparation day, the leaders of the priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate together,
63 saying: "Lord, we have remembered that that this seducer said, while he was still alive, 'After three days, I will rise again.'
64 Therefore, order the sepulcher to be guarded until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples may come and steal him, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' And this last error would be worse than the first."
65 Pilate said to them: "You have a guard. Go, guard it as you know how."
66 Then, going out, they secured the sepulcher with guards, sealing the stone.
Currently Selected:
Matthew 27: CPDV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Matthew 27
27
Thirty Silver Coins
1-2In the first light of dawn, all the high priests and religious leaders met and put the finishing touches on their plot to kill Jesus. Then they tied him up and paraded him to Pilate, the governor.
3-4Judas, the one who betrayed him, realized that Jesus was doomed. Overcome with remorse, he gave back the thirty silver coins to the high priests, saying, “I’ve sinned. I’ve betrayed an innocent man.”
They said, “What do we care? That’s your problem!”
5Judas threw the silver coins into the Temple and left. Then he went out and hung himself.
6-10The high priests picked up the silver pieces, but then didn’t know what to do with them. “It wouldn’t be right to give this—a payment for murder!—as an offering in the Temple.” They decided to get rid of it by buying the “Potter’s Field” and use it as a burial place for the homeless. That’s how the field got called “Murder Meadow,” a name that has stuck to this day. Then Jeremiah’s words became history:
They took the thirty silver pieces,
The price of the one priced by some sons of Israel,
And they purchased the potter’s field.
And so they unwittingly followed the divine instructions to the letter.
Pilate
11Jesus was placed before the governor, who questioned him: “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”
Jesus said, “If you say so.”
12-14But when the accusations rained down hot and heavy from the high priests and religious leaders, he said nothing. Pilate asked him, “Do you hear that long list of accusations? Aren’t you going to say something?” Jesus kept silence—not a word from his mouth. The governor was impressed, really impressed.
15-18It was an old custom during the Feast for the governor to pardon a single prisoner named by the crowd. At the time, they had the infamous Jesus Barabbas in prison. With the crowd before him, Pilate said, “Which prisoner do you want me to pardon: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?” He knew it was through sheer spite that they had turned Jesus over to him.
19While court was still in session, Pilate’s wife sent him a message: “Don’t get mixed up in judging this noble man. I’ve just been through a long and troubled night because of a dream about him.”
20Meanwhile, the high priests and religious leaders had talked the crowd into asking for the pardon of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus.
21The governor asked, “Which of the two do you want me to pardon?”
They said, “Barabbas!”
22“Then what do I do with Jesus, the so-called Christ?”
They all shouted, “Nail him to a cross!”
23He objected, “But for what crime?”
But they yelled all the louder, “Nail him to a cross!”
24When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was imminent, he took a basin of water and washed his hands in full sight of the crowd, saying, “I’m washing my hands of responsibility for this man’s death. From now on, it’s in your hands. You’re judge and jury.”
25The crowd answered, “We’ll take the blame, we and our children after us.”
26Then he pardoned Barabbas. But he had Jesus whipped, and then handed over for crucifixion.
The Crucifixion
27-31The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor’s palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun. They stripped him and dressed him in a red robe. They plaited a crown from branches of a thornbush and set it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand for a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mocking reverence: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” they said. “Bravo!” Then they spit on him and hit him on the head with the stick. When they had had their fun, they took off the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they proceeded out to the crucifixion.
32-34Along the way they came on a man from Cyrene named Simon and made him carry Jesus’ cross. Arriving at Golgotha, the place they call “Skull Hill,” they offered him a mild painkiller (a mixture of wine and myrrh), but when he tasted it he wouldn’t drink it.
35-40After they had finished nailing him to the cross and were waiting for him to die, they killed time by throwing dice for his clothes. Above his head they had posted the criminal charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews. Along with him, they also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: “You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you’re really God’s Son, come down from that cross!”
41-44The high priests, along with the religion scholars and leaders, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—he can’t save himself! King of Israel, is he? Then let him get down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then! He was so sure of God—well, let him rescue his ‘Son’ now—if he wants him! He did claim to be God’s Son, didn’t he?” Even the two criminals crucified next to him joined in the mockery.
45-46From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around mid-afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
47-49Some bystanders who heard him said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” One of them ran and got a sponge soaked in sour wine and lifted it on a stick so he could drink. The others joked, “Don’t be in such a hurry. Let’s see if Elijah comes and saves him.”
50But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last.
51-53At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. What’s more, tombs were opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were raised. (After Jesus’ resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.)
54The captain of the guard and those with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was happening, were scared to death. They said, “This has to be the Son of God!”
55-56There were also quite a few women watching from a distance, women who had followed Jesus from Galilee in order to serve him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the Zebedee brothers.
The Tomb
57-61Late in the afternoon a wealthy man from Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, arrived. His name was Joseph. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate granted his request. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linens, put it in his own tomb, a new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the entrance. Then he went off. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary stayed, sitting in plain view of the tomb.
62-64After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate. They said, “Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will be raised.’ We’ve got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There’s a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, ‘He’s risen from the dead.’ Then we’ll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first.”
65-66Pilate told them, “You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can.” So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.