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 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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