Matthew 27
27
The Death of Judas
1Early in the morning all the chief priests and the leaders of the people decided to execute Jesus. 2They tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
3Then Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 silver coins back to the chief priests and leaders. 4He said, “I’ve sinned by betraying an innocent man.”
They replied, “What do we care? That’s your problem.”
5So he threw the money into the temple, went away, and hanged himself.
6The chief priests took the money and said, “It’s not right to put it into the temple treasury, because it’s blood money.” 7So they decided to use it to buy a potter’s field for the burial of strangers. 8That’s why that field has been called the Field of Blood ever since. 9Then what the prophet Jeremiah had said came true, “They took the 30 silver coins, the price the people of Israel had placed on him, 10and used the coins to buy a potter’s field, as the Lord had directed me.”
Pilate Questions Jesus
(Mark 15:1–5; Luke 23:1–4; John 18:28–38)
11Jesus stood in front of the governor, ⌞Pilate⌟. The governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Yes, I am,” Jesus answered.
12While the chief priests and leaders were accusing him, he said nothing. 13Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear how many charges they’re bringing against you?”
14But Jesus said absolutely nothing to him in reply, so the governor was very surprised.
The Crowd Rejects Jesus
(Mark 15:6–15; Luke 23:18–25; John 18:39, 40)
15At every Passover festival the governor would free one prisoner whom the crowd wanted. 16At that time there was a well-known prisoner by the name of Barabbas. 17So when the people gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which man do you want me to free for you? Do you want me to free Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?” 18Pilate knew that they had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous.
19While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Leave that innocent man alone. I’ve been very upset today because of a dream I had about him.”
20But the chief priests and leaders persuaded the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus.
21The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to free for you?”
They said, “Barabbas.”
22Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?”
“He should be crucified!” they all said.
23Pilate asked, “Why? What has he done wrong?”
But they began to shout loudly, “He should be crucified!”
24Pilate saw that he was not getting anywhere. Instead, a riot was breaking out. So Pilate took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. He said, “I won’t be guilty of killing this man. Do what you want!”
25All the people answered, “The responsibility for killing him will rest on us and our children.”
26Then Pilate freed Barabbas for the people. But he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus
(Mark 15:16–19; John 19:1–3)
27Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the palace and gathered the whole troop around him. 28They took off his clothes and put a bright red cape on him. 29They twisted some thorns into a crown, placed it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. They knelt in front of him and made fun of him by saying, “Long live the king of the Jews!” 30After they had spit on him, they took the stick and kept hitting him on the head with it.
The Crucifixion
(Mark 15:20–32; Luke 23:33–38; John 19:16b–24)
31After the soldiers finished making fun of Jesus, they took off the cape and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
32On the way they found a man named Simon. He was from the city of Cyrene. The soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.
33They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34They gave him a drink of wine mixed with a drug called gall. When he tasted it, he refused to drink it. 35After they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice. 36Then they sat there and kept watch over him. 37They placed a written accusation above his head. It read, “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”
38At that time they crucified two criminals with him, one on his right and the other on his left.
39Those who passed by insulted him. They shook their heads 40and said, “You were going to tear down God’s temple and build it again in three days. Save yourself! If you’re the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41The chief priests together with the experts in Moses’ Teachings and the leaders made fun of him in the same way. They said, 42“He saved others, but he can’t save himself. So he’s Israel’s king! Let him come down from the cross now, and we’ll believe him. 43He trusted God. Let God rescue him now if he wants. After all, this man said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44Even the criminals crucified with him were insulting him the same way.
Jesus Dies on the Cross
(Mark 15:33–41; Luke 23:44–49; John 19:28–30)
45At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 46About three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” 47When some of the people standing there heard him say that, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” 48One of the men ran at once, took a sponge, and soaked it in some vinegar. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus a drink. 49The others said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50Then Jesus loudly cried out once again and gave up his life.
51Suddenly, the curtain in the temple was split in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split open. 52The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died came back to life. 53They came out of the tombs after he had come back to life, and they went into the holy city where they appeared to many people.
54An army officer and those watching Jesus with him saw the earthquake and the other things happening. They were terrified and said, “Certainly, this was the Son of God!”
55Many women were there watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee and had always supported him. 56Among them were Mary from Magdala, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
Jesus Is Placed in a Tomb
(Mark 15:42–47; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42)
57In the evening a rich man named Joseph arrived. He was from the city of Arimathea and had become a disciple of Jesus. 58He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate ordered that it be given to him.
59Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. 60Then he laid it in his own new tomb, which had been cut in a rock. After rolling a large stone against the door of the tomb, he went away. 61Mary from Magdala and the other Mary were sitting there, facing the tomb.
The Chief Priests and Pharisees Secure Jesus’ Tomb
62The next day, which was the day of rest—a holy day, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together and went to Pilate. 63They said, “Sir, we remember how that deceiver said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will be brought back to life.’ 64Therefore, give the order to make the tomb secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may steal him and say to the people, ‘He has been brought back to life.’ Then the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65Pilate told them, “You have the soldiers you want for guard duty. Go and make the tomb as secure as you know how.”
66So they went to secure the tomb. They placed a seal on the stone and posted the soldiers on guard duty.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. 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.