Matthew 27

1 Now when morning was come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:2 and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pilate the governor.

3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,4 saying, I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou to it.5 And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.6 And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.8 Wherefore that field was called, the field of blood, unto this day.9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was priced, whom certain of the children of Israel did price;10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.12 And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.13 Then saith Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?14 And he gave him no answer, not even to one word: insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.15 Now at the feast the governor was wont to release unto the multitude one prisoner, whom they would.16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.17 When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him up.19 And while he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.21 But the governor answered and said unto them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas.22 Pilate saith unto them, What then shall I do unto Jesus who is called Christ? They all say, Let him be crucified.23 And he said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out exceedingly, saying, Let him be crucified.24 So when Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing, but rather that a tumult was arising, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; see ye to it.25 And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.26 Then released he unto them Barabbas; but Jesus he scourged and delivered to be crucified.

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered unto him the whole band.28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.29 And they platted a crown of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!30 And they spat upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the head.31 And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the robe, and put on him his garments, and led him away to crucify him.

32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to go with them, that he might bear his cross.

33 And they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, The place of a skull,34 they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted it, he would not drink.35 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots;36 and they sat and watched him there.37 And they set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.38 Then are there crucified with him two robbers, one on the right hand and one on the left.39 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads,40 and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross.41 In like manner also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. He is the King of Israel; let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe on him.43 He trusteth on God; let him deliver him now, if he desireth him: for he said, I am the Son of God.44 And the robbers also that were crucified with him cast upon him the same reproach.

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?47 And some of them stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calleth Elijah.48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.49 And the rest said, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to save him.50 And Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.51 And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were rent;52 and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were raised;53 and coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered into the holy city and appeared unto many.54 Now the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.55 And many women were there beholding from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:56 among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

57 And when even was come, there came a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:58 this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded it to be given up.59 And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

62 Now on the morrow, which is the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together unto Pilate,63 saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive, After three days I rise again.64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest haply his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: and the last error will be worse than the first.65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a guard: go, make it as sure as ye can.66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them.

Matthew 27

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

1 Whent it was early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to execute him.

2 Theyt tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilates the governor.s

Judas’ Suicide

3 Now whent Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesust had been condemned, he regretted what he had done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders,4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!”5 Sot Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself.6 Thet chief priests took the silver and said, “It is not lawful to put this into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.”7 Aftert consulting together they bought the Potter’s Field with it, as a burial place for foreigners.8 For this reason that field has been called the “Field of Blood” to this day.9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiahs the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one whose price had been set by the people of Israel,t

10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”ss

Jesus and Pilate

11 Thent Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him,t “Are you the kings of the Jews?” Jesust said, “You say so.”s12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond.13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?”

14 But he did not answer even one accusation, so that the governor was quite amazed.
15 During the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd,s whomever they wanted.16 At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesuss Barabbas.17 So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesuss Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?”ts18 (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.)s19 Ast he was sitting on the judgment seat,ts his wife sent a messaget to him:t “Have nothing to do with that innocent man;t I have suffered greatly as a result of a dreamt about him today.”20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.21 Thet governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!”22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?”ts They all said, “Crucify him!”ts

23 He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”

Jesus is Condemned and Mocked

24 Whent Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!”s25 Int reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”26 Then he released Barabbas for them. But after he had Jesus flogged,ts he handed him overt to be crucified.s27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residencets and gathered the whole cohorts around him.28 Theyt stripped him and put a scarlet robes around him,29 and after braidingt a crown of thorns,s they put it on his head. Theyt put a stafft in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him:t “Hail, king of the Jews!”ts30 Theyt spat on him and took the stafft and struck him repeatedlyt on the head.

31 Whent they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Thent they led him away to crucify him.

The Crucifixion

32 Ast they were going out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, whom they forcedt to carry his cross.s33 Theyt came to a place called Golgothat (which means “Place of the Skull”)s34 and offered Jesust wine mixed with gall to drink.s But after tasting it, he would not drink it.35 Whent they had crucifieds him, they divided his clothes by throwing dice.ts36 Then they sat down and kept guard over him there.37 Abovet his head they put the charge against him,s which read:t “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”38 Then two outlaws were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.39 Thoset who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads40 and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself!s If you are God’s Son, come downs from the cross!”41 Int the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the lawt and elderst – were mocking him:t42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes downt now from the cross, we will believe in him!43 He trusts in God – let God, if he wants to, deliver him nows because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’!”

44 Thet robbers who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him.s

Jesus’ Death

45 Now from noon until three,t darkness came over all the land.s46 Att about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice,t “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”s47 Whent some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.”48 Immediatelyt one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine,s put it on a stick,t and gave it to him to drink.49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.”s50 Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.51 Just thent the temple curtaint was torn in two, from top to bottom. Thet earth shook and the rocks were split apart.52 And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had diedt were raised.53 (Theyt came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.)54 Now when the centurions and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this one was God’s Son!”55 Manyt women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and given him supportts were also there, watching from a distance.

56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Jesus’ Burial

57 Nowt when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus.s58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.s Then Pilate ordered that it be given to him.59 Josepht took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,t60 and placed its in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock.t Then he rolled a great stone across the entrancet of the tomb and went away.

61 (Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there, opposite the tomb.)

The Guard at the Tomb

62 Thet next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Phariseess assembled before Pilate63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’64 So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his bodyt and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”65 Pilate said to them, “Taket a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can.”

66 Sot they went with the soldierst of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.