Matthew 27
27
Jesus Condemned by the Religious Leaders
1Before dawn that morning, all the chief priests and religious leaders resolved to take action against Jesus and decided that he should be executed. 2So they bound him and led him away to Pilate, the Roman governor.
Judas Commits Suicide
3Now, when Judas, the betrayer, saw that Jesus had been sentenced to death, remorse filled his heart. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and religious leaders, 4saying, “I have sinned by betraying an innocent man.”
They replied, “Why are you bothering us? That’s your problem.”
5Then Judas flung the silver coins inside the temple and went out and hanged himself.
6The chief priests, picking up the pieces of silver, said, “We can’t keep this, for it’s unlawful to put blood money into the temple treasury.” 7So after some deliberation, they decided to purchase the potter’s field of clay, # 27:7 Implied in the historical context. This was the field owned by a potter, used for making clay vessels. to use as a cemetery for burying strangers. 8That’s why that land has been called “The Field of Blood.” 9This fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah: # 27:9 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew. See Zech. 11:12–13. The Greek manuscripts incorrectly identify the prophecy as from Jeremiah. There is no clear prophecy found in Jeremiah that is quoted here by Matthew. The Aramaic reads simply, “spoken of by the prophet.” The Hebrew Matthew correctly states, “spoken through Zechariah.”
They took the thirty pieces of silver, # 27:9 Thirty pieces of silver is also the price someone owed if their ox killed a slave (Ex. 21:32).
the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,
the price of a precious man, # 27:9 As translated from the Aramaic.
10And they bought the potter’s field,
as the Lord directed. # 27:10 Or “as the Lord directed me.”
Jesus Brought before Pilate
11As Jesus stood in front of the Roman governor, Pilate asked him, “So, you are the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “You have just spoken it.” 12Then he was accused by the chief priests and religious leaders, but he remained silent.
13Pilate said, “Don’t you hear these allegations?” 14But Jesus offered no defense to any of the charges, much to the great astonishment of Pilate.
15Now, every year at Passover it was the custom of the governor to pardon a prisoner and release him to the people—anyone they wanted. 16And at that time, Pilate was holding in custody a notorious criminal named Jesus Barabbas. # 27:16 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew and a few Greek manuscripts. Most Greek texts have only Barabbas. The name Barabbas is Aramaic and means “son of a father” or “son who is like his father.” He becomes a picture of every son of Adam, our father. Some believe this is a figure of speech, a nickname for one who was born an illegitimate son, with no known father. The true Son of the Father was crucified that day. 17So as the crowds of people assembled outside of Pilate’s residence, he went out and offered them a choice. He asked them, “Who would you want me to release to you today, Jesus who is called Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Anointed One?” 18(Now, Pilate was fully aware that the religious leaders had handed Jesus over to him because of their bitter jealousy.)
19Just then, as Pilate was presiding over the tribunal, # 27:19 Or “sat on the judgment seat.” his wife sent him an urgent message: “Don’t harm that holy man, # 27:19 As translated from the Aramaic. for I suffered a horrible nightmare last night about him!”
20Meanwhile, the chief priest and the religious leaders were inciting the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be freed and to have Jesus killed. 21So Pilate asked them again, “Which of the two men would you like me to release for you?”
They shouted, “Barabbas.”
22Pilate asked them, “Then what would you have me to do with Jesus who is called the Anointed One?”
They all shouted back, “Crucify him!”
23“Why?” Pilate asked. “What has he done wrong?”
But they kept shouting out, “Crucify him!”
Jesus Condemned to Death
24When Pilate realized that a riot was about to break out and that it was useless to try to reason with the crowd, he sent for a basin of water. After washing his hands # 27:24 See Deut. 21:6–7. in front of the people, he said, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. # 27:24 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew and the Aramaic. The responsibility for his death is now yours!” # 27:24 The Aramaic is “You do as you please!”
25And the crowd replied, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”
26So he released Barabbas to the people. He ordered that Jesus be beaten with a whip of leather straps embedded with metal, and afterward be crucified. 27Then the guards took him into their military compound, where a detachment of nearly six hundred soldiers surrounded him.
28They stripped off his clothing # 27:28 The Greek word ekduo means “to fully undress.” This was an act meant to shame and humiliate. and placed a scarlet robe on him to make fun of him. 29Then they braided a crown of thorns and forcefully shoved it onto his head. After placing a reed staff in his right hand, they knelt down before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 30Then they spat in his face and took the reed staff from his hand and hit him repeatedly on his head, driving the crown of thorns deeper. 31When they finished ridiculing him, they took off the scarlet robe and put his own clothes back on him and led him away to be crucified. 32And as they came out of the city, they stopped an African man named Simon, from Libya, # 27:32 Or “from Cyrene,” which is present-day Tripoli, Libya. and compelled him to carry the cross for Jesus.
The Crucifixion
33They brought Jesus to Golgotha, which means “Skull Hill.” # 27:33 The Aramaic word Golgotha is, in Latin, calvaria, or Calvary. Origen, an early church father (185–253 AD), recorded that Jesus was crucified at the place where Adam was buried and where his skull was found. David brought Goliath’s head (Goliath and Golgotha are taken from the same root word) and buried it outside of Jerusalem. Some believe this is where it got its name, Golgotha (the place of the skull). The cross has to pierce the place of the skull for our minds to submit to the revelation of the cross. 34And there the soldiers offered him a mild painkiller, a drink of wine mixed with gall, # 27:34 See Ps. 69:21. Jesus was twice offered a painkiller on the cross and did not drink it. He knew he was to drink the cup of suffering the Father had given him. He did that for you. but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.
35Then they crucified Jesus, nailing his hands and feet to the cross. The soldiers divided his clothing among themselves by rolling dice to see who would win them. 36And the soldiers stood there to watch what would happen and to keep guard over him. 37Above his head they placed a sign that read, “This is Jesus of Nazareth, # 27:37 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew. See John 19:20. The sign was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. Aramaic was the language of the common people in Israel. Hebrew ceased to be their spoken language after 450 BC, when the Jews returned from Babylon. Aramaic remained the language of Israel for nearly one thousand years. Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire. The inscription was also in Greek, for the Alexandrian Jews who had come to observe the Passover in Jerusalem would be unable to read Aramaic. The words were “Jesus, the Nazarene, King of the Jews.” The first letters of each of the four words written on the sign in Aramaic (Hebrew) were Y-H-W-H (Y’shua Hanozri Wumelech a Yehudim). To write these letters, YHWH (also known as the Tetragrammaton), was the Hebrew form of writing the sacred name “Yahweh.” No wonder the chief priests were so offended by this sign and insisted that Pilate change it. This was a sign given to Israel, for over Jesus’ head on the cross was written “Y-H-W-H! God, the Savior, bled to death for you.” King of Israel.”
38Two criminals were also crucified with Jesus, one on each side of him. # 27:38 See Isa. 53:12. 39And those who passed by shook their heads and ridiculed him, 40saying, “We heard you boast that you could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days! Why don’t you save yourself now? If you’re really God’s Son, come down from the cross!”
41Even the ruling priests, with the Jewish scholars and religious leaders, joined in the mockery # 27:41 See Pss. 22:17; 109:25; Lam. 2:15. 42and kept on saying, “He saved others, but he can’t even save himself! Israel’s king, is he? He should pull out the nails and come down from the cross right now; then we’ll believe in him! 43He puts his trust in God, so let’s see if it’s true, and see if God really wants to rescue him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
44Even the two criminals who were crucified with Jesus began to taunt him, hurling their insults on him.
The Death of the Savior
45For three hours, beginning at noon, a sudden and unexpected darkness came over the earth. # 27:45 Or “the land.” 46And at three o’clock Jesus shouted with a mighty voice in Aramaic, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” # 27:46 The last words of Jesus were spoken in Aramaic. Every Greek text gives a transliteration of the Aramaic words and then translates them back into Greek. —that is, “My God, My God, why have you deserted me?” # 27:46 See Pss. 22:1; 42:9. The Aramaic can be translated “for this purpose you have spared me.” 47Some who were standing near the cross misunderstood and said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” 48One bystander ran and got a sponge, soaked it with sour wine, then put it on a stick and held it up for Jesus to drink. 49But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah comes to rescue him.” # 27:49 A few Greek manuscripts have an additional sentence: “A soldier took a lance and pierced him in the side and blood and water poured out.” It is not found in the Aramaic and many Greek texts of Matthew. If included, it would mean the soldier took Jesus’ life with his lance. However, Jesus said that no man could take his life from him. The evidence is compelling that it was not part of the original text, but was taken from John 19:34 and added here.
50Jesus passionately cried out, # 27:50 See Luke 23:46 and John 19:30 to read the words he shouted out at death. took his last breath, and gave up his spirit.
51At that moment the veil in the Holy of Holies was torn in two from the top to the bottom. # 27:51 It was obviously the hand of God that tore the veil from top to bottom. In Matthew 26:56 it was the High Priest who tore his clothes in the presence of Jesus. Now God tears his veil in the presence of the High Priest offering the Passover blood in the Holy of Holies. The earth shook violently, rocks were violently split apart, 52and graves were opened. Then many of the holy ones who had died were brought back to life and came out of their graves. 53And after Jesus’ resurrection, # 27:53 The Aramaic reads “after their rising.” they were seen by many people walking in Jerusalem. # 27:53 Perhaps one was Joseph, for he had asked that his bones be buried in the promised land. He saw a resurrection coming and didn’t want to be left out. See Heb. 11:22. Jesus’ resurrection was so powerful that many were instantly raised back to life again along with him.
54Now, when the Roman military officer and his soldiers witnessed what was happening and felt the powerful earthquake, they were extremely terrified. They said, “There is no doubt, this man was the Son of God!”
55Watching from a distance were many of the women who had followed him from Galilee and given him support. 56Among them were Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of Jacob and Joseph; and the mother of Jacob and John.
The Burial of Jesus
57At the end of the day, a wealthy man named Joseph, a follower of Jesus from the village of Ramah, # 27:57 As translated from the Aramaic. Ramah (formerly Ramathaim Zophim) was the village of Samuel, situated on a hill overlooking Jerusalem. The Greek is “Joseph of Arimathea.” Luke tells us that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. See Luke 23:50–51. It is possible that Joseph may have lost a son the age of Jesus when Herod killed the infants. 58approached Pilate and asked if he could take custody of the body of Jesus. So Pilate consented and ordered that the body be given to him. 59Then Joseph wrapped the body in a shroud of fine linen and placed it in his own unused tomb, which had only recently been cut into the rock. 60They rolled a large stone to seal the entrance of the tomb and left.
61Sitting across from the tomb were Mary Magdalene and the other Marys, # 27:61 As translated from the Hebrew Matthew. See v. 56 and 28:1. watching all that took place.
62The next day, the day after Preparation Day for Passover, the chief priests and the Pharisees went together to Pilate. 63They said to him, “Our master, we remember that this imposter claimed that he would rise from the dead after three days. 64So please, order the tomb to be sealed until after the third day. Seal it so that his disciples can’t come and steal the corpse and tell people he rose from the dead. Then the last deception would be worse than the first!”
65“I will send soldiers to guard the tomb,” Pilate replied. “Go with them and make the tomb as secure as possible.” 66So they left and sealed the stone, # 27:66 This official seal, if broken, would bring the death penalty to the offender. and Pilate’s soldiers secured the tomb.
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Matthew 27: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationMatthew 27
27
Jesus Delivered to Pilate
1 #
Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people #See ch. 26:4took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2And they bound him and #Luke 23:1; John 18:28 led him away and #See ch. 20:19 delivered him over to #Luke 3:1; 13:1; Acts 3:13; 4:27; 1 Tim. 6:13Pilate the governor.
Judas Hangs Himself
3Then when #See ch. 26:14 Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus#27:3 Greek he was condemned, #ch. 21:29 he changed his mind and brought back #ch. 26:15the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? #ver. 24See to it yourself.” 5And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, #[2 Sam. 17:23; Acts 1:18]he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into #Mark 12:41, 43; Luke 21:1; John 8:20the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. 8Therefore #Acts 1:19 that field has been called the Field of Blood #ch. 28:15to this day. 9#See ch. 1:22 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, #Cited from Zech. 11:13“And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
Jesus Before Pilate
11 # For ver. 11-14, see Mark 15:2-5; Luke 23:2, 3; John 18:29-38 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you #ver. 29, 37; ch. 2:2; John 18:39; 19:3; [ver. 42] the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, #[1 Tim. 6:13]; See Luke 22:70“You have said so.” 12#See ch. 26:63But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13Then Pilate said to him, #John 19:10“Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.
The Crowd Chooses Barabbas
15 # For ver. 15-26, see Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:18-25; John 18:39, 40; 19:16 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or #ver. 22Jesus who is called Christ?” 18For he knew that it was out #[John 12:19]of envy that they had delivered him up. 19Besides, while he was sitting on #John 19:13 the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with #ver. 24; [Luke 23:47] that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today #See ch. 2:12in a dream.” 20Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to #Acts 3:14ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” #Acts 13:28They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23And he said, “Why? #[Luke 23:41; John 8:46]What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
24So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that #ch. 26:5 a riot was beginning, he took water and #[Deut. 21:6-8; Ps. 26:6; 73:13] washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of #ver. 19 this man’s blood;#27:24 Some manuscripts this righteous blood, or this righteous man’s blood #ver. 4see to it yourselves.” 25And all the people answered, #[ch. 23:35, 36; Josh. 2:19; Acts 5:28] “His blood be on us and #[Ex. 20:5; Lam. 5:7]on our children!” 26Then he released for them Barabbas, and having #ch. 20:19; Isa. 50:6; 53:5; [Luke 23:16; John 19:1]scourged#27:26 A Roman judicial penalty, consisting of a severe beating with a multi-lashed whip containing embedded pieces of bone and metal Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
Jesus Is Mocked
27 # For ver. 27-31, see Mark 15:16-20; John 19:2, 3 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the #John 18:28, 33; 19:9; Acts 23:35; Phil. 1:13 (Gk.) governor’s headquarters,#27:27 Greek the praetorium and they gathered the whole #See Acts 10:1 (Gk.)battalion#27:27 Greek cohort; a tenth of a Roman legion, usually about 600 men before him. 28And they stripped him and put #Rev. 18:12, 16; [Luke 23:11]a scarlet robe on him, 29and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they #ch. 20:19 mocked him, saying, “Hail, #See ver. 11King of the Jews!” 30And #See ch. 26:67they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and #Isa. 53:7led him away to crucify him.
The Crucifixion
32 #
Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26; [John 19:17] #
Heb. 13:12; [ch. 21:39; Num. 15:35] As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to #Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26; [John 19:17] carry his cross. 33#For ver. 33-51, see Mark 15:22-38; Luke 23:32-38, 44-46; John 19:17-19, 23, 24, 28-30And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34#[Ps. 69:21] they offered him wine to drink, mixed with #Acts 8:23gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35And when they had crucified him, #Ps. 22:18they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36Then they sat down and #ver. 54; [Ps. 22:17]kept watch over him there. 37And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, #ver. 11, 29the King of the Jews.” 38Then two #[John 18:40] robbers were crucified with him, #[ch. 20:21]one on the right and one on the left. 39And #Ps. 22:7; 109:25; [Lam. 1:12] those who passed by #Luke 22:65; 23:39; [James 2:7] derided him, #Job 16:4; Isa. 37:22; Jer. 18:16; Lam. 2:15wagging their heads 40and saying, #ch. 26:61 “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! #ch. 4:3, 6 If you are #ver. 43; ch. 26:63; See ch. 14:33the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42#[Luke 4:23] “He saved others; #[ch. 26:53, 54; John 10:18] he cannot save himself. #John 1:49; 12:13; [ver. 37]He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43#Cited from Ps. 22:8He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44#[Luke 23:39-43]And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
The Death of Jesus
45Now from the sixth hour#27:45 That is, noon there was darkness over all the land#27:45 Or earth until the ninth hour.#27:45 That is, 3 p.m. 46And about the ninth hour Jesus #[Heb. 5:7] cried out with a loud voice, saying, #Cited from Ps. 22:1“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with #Ruth 2:14 sour wine, and put it on a reed and #Ps. 69:21gave it to him to drink. 49But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50And Jesus #ver. 46 cried out again with a loud voice and #[John 10:18]yielded up his spirit.
51And behold, #Ex. 26:31-33; 2 Chr. 3:14 the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And #ver. 54the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of #[Dan. 7:18, 22] the saints #John 11:11-13; Acts 7:60; 13:36; 1 Cor. 15:6, 18, 20; 1 Thess. 4:13-15; 2 Pet. 3:4who had fallen asleep were raised, 53and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into #See ch. 4:5the holy city and appeared to many. 54#For ver. 54-56, see Mark 15:39-41; Luke 23:47, 49 When the centurion and those who were with him, #ver. 36 keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, #ver. 43“Truly this was the Son#27:54 Or a son of God!”
55There were also #John 19:25 many women there, looking on #Ps. 38:11 from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, #See Luke 8:2, 3ministering to him, 56among whom were #[See ver. 55 above] Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and #ch. 20:20; [Mark 15:40]the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Jesus Is Buried
57 # For ver. 57-61, see Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60and #[Isa. 53:9] laid it in his own new tomb, #Isa. 22:16 which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled #Mark 16:4; [John 11:38]a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61Mary Magdalene and #ver. 56; ch. 28:1the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
The Guard at the Tomb
62The next day, that is, after the day of #Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:14, 31, 42Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63and said, “Sir, we remember how #[ver. 64; John 7:12] that impostor said, while he was still alive, #ch. 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 28:6; Mark 8:31; 10:34; Luke 9:22; 18:33; 24:6, 7; [ch. 26:61; John 2:19]‘After three days I will rise.’ 64Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, #[ch. 28:13]lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65Pilate said to them, “You have #ch. 28:11a guard#27:65 Or Take a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66So they went and made the tomb secure by #Dan. 6:17sealing the stone and setting a guard.
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