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.

MATTHEW 27

Jesus Is Taken to Pilate

(Mark 15.1; Luke 23.1,2; John 18.28-32)

1 Early the next morning all the chief priests and the nation's leaders met and decided that Jesus should be put to death.

2 They tied him up and led him away to Pilate the governor.

The Death of Judas

(Acts 1.18,19)

4 and said, “I have sinned by betraying a man who has never done anything wrong.”
“So what? That's your problem,” they replied.

5 Judas threw the money into the temple and then went out and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests picked up the money and said, “This money was paid to have a man killed. We can't put it in the temple treasury.” 7 Then they had a meeting and decided to buy a field that belonged to someone who made clay pots. They wanted to use it as a graveyard for foreigners. 8 This is why people still call that place “Field of Blood.”

9 t So the words of the prophet Jeremiah came true,
“They took
the thirty silver coins,
the price of a person
among the people of Israel.

10 They paid it
for a potter's field, t
as the Lord
had commanded me.”

Pilate Questions Jesus

(Mark 15.2-5; Luke 23.3-5; John 18.33-38)

11 Jesus was brought before Pilate the governor, who asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Those are your words!” Jesus answered.

12 And when the chief priests and leaders brought their charges against him, he did not say a thing.
13 Pilate asked him, “Don't you hear what crimes they say you have done?”

14 But Jesus did not say anything, and the governor was greatly amazed.

The Death Sentence

(Mark 15.6-15; Luke 23.13-26; John 18.39—19.16)

18 Pilate knew the leaders had brought Jesus to him because they were jealous.

19 While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Don't have anything to do with that innocent man. I have had nightmares because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the leaders convinced the crowds to ask for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be killed.

21 Pilate asked the crowd again, “Which of these two men do you want me to set free?”
“Barabbas!” they shouted.

22 Pilate asked them, “What am I to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?”
They all yelled, “Nail him to a cross!”

23 Pilate answered, “But what crime has he done?”
“Nail him to a cross!” they yelled even louder.

24  t Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do and that the people were starting to riot. So he took some water and washed his handst in front of them and said, “I won't have anything to do with killing this man. You are the ones doing it!”

25 Everyone answered, “We and our own families will take the blame for his death!”

26 Pilate set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross.

Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus

(Mark 15.16-21; John 19.2,3)

30 Then they spit on him. They took the stick from him and beat him on the head with it.

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross

(Mark 15.22-32; Luke 23.27-43; John 19.17-27)

32 On the way they met a man named Simon who was from Cyrene, and they forced him to carry Jesus' cross.
33 They came to a place named Golgotha, which means “Place of a Skull.”t

34 t There they gave Jesus some wine mixed with a drug to ease the pain. But when Jesus tasted what it was, he refused to drink it.
35  t The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes. 36 Then they sat down to guard him. 37 Above his head they put a sign that told why he was nailed there. It read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

38 The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one to the right of Jesus and the other to his left.
39  t People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and

40 t shouted, “So you're the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days! If you are God's Son, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
41 The chief priests, the leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses also made fun of Jesus. They said, 42 “He saved others, but he can't save himself. If he is the king of Israel, he should come down from the cross! Then we will believe him. 43 t He trusted God, so let God save him, if he wants to. He even said he was God's Son.”

44 The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus.

The Death of Jesus

(Mark 15.33-41; Luke 23.44-49; John 19.28-30)

46 t Then about that time Jesus shouted, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”t which means, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?”
47 Some of the people standing there heard Jesus and said, “He's calling for Elijah.”t

48 t One of them at once ran and grabbed a sponge. He soaked it in wine, then put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus.
49 Others said, “Wait! Let's see if Elijah will comet and save him.”

50 Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died.
51  t At once the curtain in the templet was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and rocks split apart. 52 Graves opened, and many of God's people were raised to life.

53 They left their graves, and after Jesus had risen to life, they went into the holy city, where they were seen by many people.

54 The officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus felt the earthquake and saw everything else that happened. They were frightened and said, “This man really was God's Son!”
55  t Many women had come with Jesus from Galilee to be of help to him, and they were there, looking on at a distance.

56 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and Johnt were some of these women.

Jesus Is Buried

(Mark 15.42-47; Luke 23.50-56; John 19.38-42)

60 Then Joseph put the body in his own tomb that had been cut into solid rockt and had never been used. He rolled a big stone against the entrance to the tomb and went away.

61 All this time Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb.
62 On the next day, which was a Sabbath, the chief priests and the Pharisees went together to Pilate. 63 t They said, “Sir, we remember what this liar said while he was still alive. He claimed in three days he would come back from death.

64 So please order the tomb to be carefully guarded for three days. If you don't, his disciples may come and steal his body. They will tell the people he has been raised to life, and this last lie will be worse than the first one.”t
65 Pilate said to them, “All right, take some of your soldiers and guard the tomb as well as you know how.” 66 So they sealed it tight and placed soldiers there to guard it.