Matthew 27:1-31

Early in the morning all the chief priests and the leaders of the people decided to execute Jesus. They tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 silver coins back to the chief priests and leaders. He said, “I’ve sinned by betraying an innocent man.” They replied, “What do we care? That’s your problem.” So he threw the money into the temple, went away, and hanged himself. The chief priests took the money and said, “It’s not right to put it into the temple treasury, because it’s blood money.” So they decided to use it to buy a potter’s field for the burial of strangers. That’s why that field has been called the Field of Blood ever since. Then what the prophet Jeremiah had said came true, “They took the 30 silver coins, the price the people of Israel had placed on him, and used the coins to buy a potter’s field, as the Lord had directed me.” Jesus stood in front of the governor, ⌞Pilate⌟. The governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, I am,” Jesus answered. While the chief priests and leaders were accusing him, he said nothing. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear how many charges they’re bringing against you?” But Jesus said absolutely nothing to him in reply, so the governor was very surprised. At every Passover festival the governor would free one prisoner whom the crowd wanted. At that time there was a well-known prisoner by the name of Barabbas. So when the people gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which man do you want me to free for you? Do you want me to free Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?” Pilate knew that they had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous. While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Leave that innocent man alone. I’ve been very upset today because of a dream I had about him.” But the chief priests and leaders persuaded the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus. The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to free for you?” They said, “Barabbas.” Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?” “He should be crucified!” they all said. Pilate asked, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they began to shout loudly, “He should be crucified!” Pilate saw that he was not getting anywhere. Instead, a riot was breaking out. So Pilate took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. He said, “I won’t be guilty of killing this man. Do what you want!” All the people answered, “The responsibility for killing him will rest on us and our children.” Then Pilate freed Barabbas for the people. But he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified. Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the palace and gathered the whole troop around him. They took off his clothes and put a bright red cape on him. They twisted some thorns into a crown, placed it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. They knelt in front of him and made fun of him by saying, “Long live the king of the Jews!” After they had spit on him, they took the stick and kept hitting him on the head with it. After the soldiers finished making fun of Jesus, they took off the cape and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.