Matthew 27
27
Jesus Handed Over to Pilate
1When daybreak came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. # Mk 15:1; Lk 22:66; Jn 18:28 2After tying Him up, they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate, # Other mss read Pontius Pilate the governor. # Mt 20:19; Lk 13:1; Ac 3:13; 1Tm 6:13
Judas Hangs Himself
3Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. # Mt 21:29; 26:14-15 4“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said.
“What’s that to us? ” they said. “See to it yourself! ”
5So he threw the silver into the sanctuary # 2Sm 17:23; Lk 1:19,21; Ac 1:18 and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.
6The chief priests took the silver and said, “It’s not lawful # Mk 2:24; Jn 18:31 to put it into the temple treasury, # See Mk 7:11 where the same Gk word (Corban) means a gift pledged to the temple. since it is blood money.” # Lit the price of blood 7So they conferred together and bought the potter’s field with it as a burial place for foreigners. 8Therefore that field has been called “Blood Field” to this day. 9Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
They took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of Him whose price was set by the Israelites, 10and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me. # Jr 32:6-9; Zch 11:12-13; Mt 1:22 # Jr 32:6-9; Zch 11:12-13
Jesus Faces the Governor
11Now Jesus stood before the governor. # Mk 15:2-5; Lk 23:2-3; Jn 18:29-38 “Are You the King of the Jews? ” the governor asked Him.
Jesus answered, “You have said it.” # Or That is true, an affirmative oath; Mt 26:64; Mk 15:2 # Mt 2:2; 1Tm 6:13 12And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He didn’t answer. # Mt 26:63; Jn 19:9
13Then Pilate said to Him, “Don’t You hear how much they are testifying against You? ” 14But He didn’t answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. # Mk 15:5; Lk 23:9
Jesus or Barabbas
15At the festival # Mk 15:6-15; Lk 23:16-25; Jn 18:39-40; 19:16 the governor’s custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. 16At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. # Other mss read Jesus Barabbas 17So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Who is it you want me to release for you — Barabbas, # Other mss read Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called Messiah? ” # Mt 1:16; 27:22 18For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy.
19While he was sitting on the judge’s bench, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I’ve suffered terribly in a dream because of Him! ” # Gn 20:6; Nm 12:6; Jb 33:14-16; Mt 2:12; Jn 19:13
20The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. 21The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you? ”
“Barabbas! ” they answered.
22Pilate asked them, “What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah? ”
They all answered, “Crucify Him! ” # Lit “Him — be crucified!” # Mt 1:16; Ac 13:28
23Then he said, “Why? What has He done wrong? ”
But they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! ” all the more. # Lk 23:41; Jn 8:46
24When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, # Lit that it availed nothing but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. # Other mss read this righteous man’s blood See to it yourselves! ” # Dt 21:6-8; Ps 26:6; Mt 26:5; 27:4,19
25All the people answered, “His blood be on us # Jos 2:19; Ac 5:28 and on our children! ” 26Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, # Roman flogging was done with a whip made of leather strips embedded with pieces of bone or metal that brutally tore the flesh. he handed Him over to be crucified. # Is 53:5; Mk 15:15; Lk 23:16; Jn 19:1
Mocked by the Military
27Then # Mk 15:16-20; Jn 19:2-3 the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into headquarters and gathered the whole company around Him. # Jn 18:28,33; 19:9; Ac 10:1 28They stripped Him and dressed Him in a scarlet military robe. # Lk 23:11; Jn 19:2 29They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and placed a reed in His right hand. And they knelt down before Him and mocked Him: “Hail, King of the Jews! ” 30Then they spit on Him, took the reed, and kept hitting Him on the head. 31When they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the robe, put His clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. # Is 53:7; Mt 26:67
Crucified Between Two Criminals
32As they were going out, they found a Cyrenian man named Simon. They forced this man to carry His cross. # Nm 15:35; Mk 15:21; Lk 23:26; Heb 13:12 33When they came to a place called Golgotha # Mk 15:22-32; Lk 23:33-43; Jn 19:17-24 (which means Skull Place), 34they gave Him wine # Other mss read sour wine mixed with gall to drink. But when He tasted it, He would not drink it. 35After crucifying Him they divided His clothes by casting lots. # Other mss add that what was spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled: “They divided My clothes among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” # Ps 22:17; 69:21 36Then they sat down and were guarding Him there. 37Above His head they put up the charge against Him in writing:
THIS IS JESUSTHE KING OF THE JEWS.
38Then two criminals # Or revolutionaries were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. # Is 53:12; Mt 20:21; Jn 18:40 39Those who passed by were yelling insults at # Lit passed by blasphemed or were blaspheming Him, shaking their heads # Jb 16:4; Ps 22:7; 109:25; Lm 2:15; Mk 15:29 40and saying, “The One who would demolish the sanctuary and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross! ” # Mt 4:3,6; 26:61,63; Jn 2:19 41In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, # Other mss add and Pharisees mocked Him and said, 42“He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! He is the King of Israel! # Jn 1:49; 12:13 Let Him # Other mss read If He . . . Israel, let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43He has put His trust in God; let God rescue Him now — if He wants Him! # Or if He takes pleasure in Him For He said, ‘I am God’s Son.’ ” 44In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with Him kept taunting Him. # Ps 22:8; Lk 23:39-43
The Death of Jesus
45From noon until three in the afternoon # Lit From the sixth hour to the ninth hour darkness came over the whole land. # Or whole earth # Mk 15:33-41; Lk 23:44-49; Jn 19:28-30 46About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá # Some mss read lama ; other mss read lima sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken # Or abandoned Me?” # Ps 22:1; Heb 5:7 # Ps 22:1
47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah! ”
48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, and offered Him a drink. # Ps 69:21; Mk 15:36; Lk 23:36; Jn 19:29 49But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him! ”
50Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit. # Mk 15:37; Lk 23:46; Jn 10:18; 19:30 51Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary # A heavy curtain separated the inner room of the temple from the outer. # Ex 26:31-33; 2Ch 3:14; Heb 9:3 was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split. 52The tombs were also opened # Ezk 37:12 and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.
54When the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “This man really was God’s Son! ” # Or the Son of God # Jn 5:19; Heb 1:2
55Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and ministered to Him were there, looking on from a distance. # Ps 38:11; Lk 8:2-3; Jn 19:25 56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. # Mt 20:20; Mk 15:40; Jn 19:25
The Burial of Jesus
57When it was evening, # Mk 15:42-47; Lk 23:50-56; Jn 19:38-42 a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple # Mt 10:42; 28:19; Lk 14:26; Jn 8:31; 13:35; 15:8; Ac 6:1 of Jesus. 58He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Then Pilate ordered that it # Other mss read that the body be released. 59So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen, 60and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb. # Is 53:9; Mt 27:66; 28:2; Mk 16:4 61Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.
The Closely Guarded Tomb
62The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate # Mk 15:42; Lk 23:54; Jn 19:14,31,42 63and said, “Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive He said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ # Mt 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:19; Mk 8:31; 10:34; Lk 9:22; 18:33 64Therefore give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples # Mt 10:1, 26:56; Mk 3:7; 16:20; Lk 6:13; Jn 12:16 may come, steal Him, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ Then the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65“You have # Or “Take a guard of soldiers,” # It is uncertain whether this guard consisted of temple police or Roman soldiers. Pilate told them. “Go and make it as secure as you know how.” 66Then they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting the guard. # Lit stone with the guard # Dn 6:17; Mt 28:2,11
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Matthew 27: HCSB
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
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.
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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.