Matthew 27
27
Jesus Is Taken to Governor Pilate
(Mk. 15:1; Lk. 23:1–2; Jn. 18:28–32)
1Early the next morning, all the leading priests and older leaders of the people met and decided to kill Jesus. 2They tied him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
Judas Kills Himself
(Acts 1:18–19)
3Judas saw that they had decided to kill Jesus. He was the one who had handed him over. When he saw what happened, he was very sorry for what he had done. So he took the 30 silver coins back to the leading priests and the older leaders. 4Judas said, “I sinned. I handed over to you an innocent man to be killed.”
The Jewish leaders answered, “We don’t care! That’s a problem for you, not us.”
5So Judas threw the money into the Temple. Then he went out from there and hanged himself.
6The leading priests picked up the silver coins in the Temple. They said, “Our law does not allow us to keep this money with the Temple money, because this money has paid for a man’s death.” 7So they decided to use the money to buy a field called Potter’s Field. This field would be a place to bury people who died while visiting in Jerusalem. 8That is why that field is still called the Field of Blood. 9This showed the full meaning of what Jeremiah the prophet said:
“They took 30 silver coins. That was how much the people of Israel decided to pay for his life. 10They used those 30 silver coins to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”#27:10 “They took … me” See Zech. 11:12-13; Jer. 32:6-9.
Governor Pilate Questions Jesus
(Mk. 15:2–5; Lk. 23:3–5; Jn. 18:33–38)
11Jesus stood before Pilate, the governor, who asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, that’s right.”
12Then, when the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders made their accusations against Jesus, he said nothing.
13So Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear all these charges they are making against you? Why don’t you answer?”
14But Jesus did not say anything, and this really surprised the governor.
Pilate Tries but Fails to Free Jesus
(Mk. 15:6–15; Lk. 23:13–25; Jn. 18:39–19:16)
15Every year at Passover time the governor would free one prisoner—whichever one the people wanted him to free. 16At that time there was a man in prison who was known to be very bad. His name was Barabbas.#27:16 Barabbas In some Greek copies the name is Jesus Barabbas.
17When a crowd gathered, Pilate said to them, “I will free one man for you. Which one do you want me to free: Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18Pilate knew that they had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous of him.
19While Pilate was sitting there in the place for judging, his wife sent a message to him. It said, “Don’t do anything with that man. He is not guilty. Last night I had a dream about him, and it troubled me very much.”
20But the leading priests and older Jewish leaders told the people to ask for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be killed.
21Pilate said, “I have Barabbas and Jesus. Which one do you want me to set free for you?”
The people answered, “Barabbas!”
22Pilate asked, “So what should I do with Jesus, the one called the Messiah?”
All the people said, “Kill him on a cross!”
23Pilate asked, “Why do you want me to kill him? What wrong has he done?”
But they shouted louder, “Kill him on a cross!”
24Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do to make the people change. In fact, it looked as if there would be a riot. So he took some water and washed his hands#27:24 washed his hands Pilate did this as a sign to show that he wanted no part in what the people did. in front of them all. He said, “I am not guilty of this man’s death. You are the ones who are doing it!”
25The people answered, “We will take full responsibility for his death. You can blame us and even our children!”
26Then Pilate set Barabbas free. And he told some soldiers to beat Jesus with whips. Then he handed him over to the soldiers to be killed on a cross.
Pilate’s Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus
(Mk. 15:16–20; Jn. 19:2–3)
27Then Pilate’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace. All the soldiers gathered around him. 28They took off Jesus’ clothes and put a red robe on him. 29Then they made a crown from thorny branches and put it on his head, and they put a stick in his right hand. Then they bowed before him, making fun of him. They said, “We salute you, king of the Jews!” 30They spit on him. Then they took his stick and kept hitting him on the head with it. 31After they finished making fun of him, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be killed on a cross.
Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross
(Mk. 15:21–32; Lk. 23:26–39; Jn. 19:17–19)
32The soldiers were going out of the city with Jesus. They saw a man from Cyrene named Simon, and they forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33They came to the place called Golgotha. (Golgotha means “The Place of the Skull.”) 34There the soldiers gave Jesus some wine mixed with gall.#27:34 gall Probably used as a drug to relieve pain. But when he tasted it, he refused to drink it.
35The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross. Then they threw dice to divide his clothes between them. 36The soldiers stayed there to guard him. 37They put a sign above his head with the charge against him written on it: “this is jesus, the king of the jews.”
38Two criminals were nailed to crosses beside Jesus—one on the right and the other on the left. 39People walked by and shouted insults at Jesus. They shook their heads 40and said, “You said you could destroy the Temple and build it again in three days. So save yourself! Come down from that cross if you really are the Son of God!”
41The leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the older Jewish leaders were also there. They made fun of Jesus the same as the other people did. 42They said, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself! People say he is the king of Israel. If he is the king, he should come down now from the cross. Then we will believe in him. 43He trusted God. So let God save him now, if God really wants him. He himself said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44And in the same way, the criminals on the crosses beside Jesus also insulted him.
Jesus Dies
(Mk. 15:33–41; Lk. 23:44–49; Jn. 19:28–30)
45At noon the whole country became dark. The darkness continued for three hours. 46About three o’clock Jesus cried out loudly, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” This means “My God, my God, why have you left me alone?”#Quote from Ps. 22:1.
47Some of the people standing there heard this. They said, “He is calling Elijah.”#27:47 “He is calling Elijah” The word for “My God” (Eli in Hebrew or Eloi in Aramaic) sounded to the people like the name of Elijah, a famous man who spoke for God about 850 B.C.
48Quickly, one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled the sponge with sour wine and tied the sponge to a stick. Then he used the stick to give the sponge to Jesus to get a drink from it. 49But the others said, “Don’t bother him. We want to see if Elijah will come to save him.”
50Again Jesus cried out loudly and then died.#27:50 died Literally, “let his spirit leave.”
51When Jesus died, the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces. The tear started at the top and tore all the way to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks were broken. 52The graves opened, and many of God’s people who had died were raised from death. 53They came out of the graves. And after Jesus was raised from death, they went into the holy city, and many people saw them.
54The army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything that happened. They were very afraid and said, “He really was the Son of God!”
55Many women were standing away from the cross, watching. These were the women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for him. 56Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John#27:56 James and John Literally, “the sons of Zebedee.” were there.
Jesus Is Buried
(Mk. 15:42–47; Lk. 23:50–56; Jn. 19:38–42)
57That evening a rich man named Joseph came to Jerusalem. He was a follower of Jesus from the town of Arimathea. 58He went to Pilate and asked to have Jesus’ body. Pilate gave orders for the soldiers to give Jesus’ body to him. 59Then Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a new linen cloth. 60He put Jesus’ body in a new tomb that he had dug in a wall of rock. Then he closed the tomb by rolling a very large stone to cover the entrance. After he did this, he went away. 61Mary Magdalene and the other woman named Mary were sitting near the tomb.
The Tomb of Jesus Is Guarded
62That day was the day called Preparation day. The next day, the leading priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63They said, “Sir, we remember that while that liar was still alive he said, ‘I will rise from death in three days.’ 64So give the order for the tomb to be guarded well for three days. His followers might come and try to steal the body. Then they could tell everyone that he has risen from death. That lie will be even worse than what they said about him before.”
65Pilate said, “Take some soldiers and go guard the tomb the best way you know.” 66So they all went to the tomb and made it safe from thieves. They did this by sealing the stone in the entrance and putting soldiers there to guard it.
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Matthew 27: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Matthew 27
27
1 WHEN IT was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people held a consultation against Jesus to put Him to death;
2 And they bound Him and led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.
3 When Judas, His betrayer, saw that [Jesus] was condemned, [Judas was afflicted in mind and troubled for his former folly; and] with remorse [with little more than a selfish dread of the consequences] he brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, [Exod. 21:32.]
4 Saying, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. They replied, What is that to us? See to that yourself.
5 And casting the pieces of silver [forward] into the [Holy Place of the sanctuary of the] temple, he departed; and he went off and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests, picking up the pieces of silver, said, It is not legal to put these in the [consecrated] treasury, for it is the price of blood.
7 So after consultation they bought with them [the pieces of silver] the potter's field [as a place] in which to bury strangers.
8 Therefore that piece of ground has been called the Field of Blood to the present day.
9 Then were fulfilled the words spoken by Jeremiah the prophet when he said, 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, [Zech. 11:12, 13.]
10 And they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor [Pilate], and the governor asked Him, Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus said to him, You have stated [the fact].
12 But when the charges were made against Him by the chief priests and elders, He made no answer. [Isa. 53:7.]
13 Then Pilate said to Him, Do You not hear how many and how serious are the things they are testifying against You?
14 But He made no reply to him, not even to a single accusation, so that the governor marveled greatly.
15 Now at the Feast [of the Passover] the governor was in the habit of setting free for the people any one prisoner whom they chose.
16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner whose name was Barabbas.
17 So when they had assembled for this purpose, Pilate said to them, Whom do you want me to set free for you, Barabbas, or Jesus Who is called Christ?
18 For he knew that it was because of envy that they had handed Him over to him.
19 Also, while he was seated on the judgment bench, his wife sent him a message, saying, Have nothing to do with that just and upright Man, for I have had a painful experience today in a dream because of Him.
20 But the chief priests and the elders prevailed on the people to ask for Barabbas, and put Jesus to death.
21 Again the governor said to them, Which of the two do you wish me to release for you? And they said, Barabbas!
22 Pilate said to them, Then what shall I do with Jesus Who is called Christ?
23 They all replied, Let Him be crucified! And he said, Why? What has He done that is evil? But they shouted all the louder, Let Him be crucified!
24 So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was about to break out, he took water and washed his hands in the presence of the crowd, saying, I am not guilty of nor responsible for this righteous Man's blood; see to it yourselves. [Deut. 21:6-9; Ps. 26:6.]
25 And all the people answered, Let His blood be on us and on our children! [Josh. 2:19.]
26 So he set free for them Barabbas; and he [had] Jesus whipped, and delivered Him up to be crucified.
27 Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the palace, and they gathered the whole battalion about Him.
28 And they stripped off His clothes and put a scarlet robe (garment of dignity and office worn by Roman officers of rank) upon Him,
29 And, weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head and put a reed (staff) in His right hand. And kneeling before Him, they made sport of Him, saying, Hail (greetings, good health to You, long life to You), King of the Jews!
30 And they spat on Him, and took the reed (staff) and struck Him on the head.
31 And when they finished making sport of Him, they stripped Him of the robe and put His own garments on Him and led Him away to be crucified.
32 As they were marching forth, they came upon a man of Cyrene named Simon; this man they forced to carry the cross of Jesus.
33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha [Latin: Calvary], which means The Place of a Skull,
34 They offered Him wine mingled with gall to drink; but when He tasted it, He refused to drink it.
35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided and distributed His garments [among them] by casting lots so that the prophet's saying was fulfilled, They parted My garments among them and over My apparel they cast lots. [Ps. 22:18.]
36 Then they sat down there and kept watch over Him.
37 And over His head they put the accusation against Him (the cause of His death), which read, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
38 At the same time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right hand and one on the left.
39 And those who passed by spoke reproachfully and abusively and jeered at Him, wagging their heads, [Ps. 22:7, 8; 109:25.]
40 And they said, You Who would tear down the sanctuary of the temple and rebuild it in three days, rescue Yourself from death. If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.
41 In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, made sport of Him, saying,
42 He rescued others from death; Himself He cannot rescue from death. He is the King of Israel? Let Him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Him.
43 He trusts in God; let God deliver Him now if He cares for Him and will have Him, for He said, I am the Son of God.
44 And the robbers who were crucified with Him also abused and reproached and made sport of Him in the same way.
45 Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (three o'clock).
46 And about the ninth hour (three o'clock) Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?–that is, My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me [leaving Me helpless, forsaking and failing Me in My need]? [Ps. 22:1.]
47 And some of the bystanders, when they heard it, said, This Man is calling for Elijah!
48 And one of them immediately ran and took a sponge, soaked it with vinegar (a sour wine), and put it on a reed (staff), and was about to give it to Him to drink. [Ps. 69:21.]
49 But the others said, Wait! Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him from death.
50 And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit.
51 And at once the curtain of the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and the rocks were split. [Exod. 26:31-35.]
52 The tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep in death were raised [to life];
53 And coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54 When the centurion and those who were with him keeping watch over Jesus observed the earthquake and all that was happening, they were terribly frightened and filled with awe, and said, Truly this was God's Son!
55 There were also numerous women there, looking on from a distance, who were of those who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him.
56 Among them were Mary of Magdala, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.
57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.
58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.
59 And Joseph took the body and rolled it up in a clean linen cloth used for swathing dead bodies
60 And laid it in his own fresh (undefiled) tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a big boulder over the door of the tomb and went away.
61 And Mary of Magdala and the other Mary kept sitting there opposite the tomb.
62 The next day, that is, the day after the day of Preparation [for the Sabbath], the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate
63 And said, Sir, we have just remembered how that vagabond Imposter said while He was still alive, After three days I will rise again.
64 Therefore give an order to have the tomb made secure and safeguarded until the third day, for fear that His disciples will come and steal Him away and tell the people that He has risen from the dead, and the last deception and fraud will be worse than the first.
65 Pilate said to them, You have a guard [of soldiers; take them and] go, make it as secure as you can.
66 So they went off and made the tomb secure by sealing the boulder, a guard of soldiers being with them and remaining to watch.
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