Matthew 27:39-54

Those who passed by insulted him. They shook their heads and said, “You were going to tear down God’s temple and build it again in three days. Save yourself! If you’re the Son of God, come down from the cross.” The chief priests together with the experts in Moses’ Teachings and the leaders made fun of him in the same way. They said, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. So he’s Israel’s king! Let him come down from the cross now, and we’ll believe him. He trusted God. Let God rescue him now if he wants. After all, this man said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” Even the criminals crucified with him were insulting him the same way. At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. About three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” When some of the people standing there heard him say that, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” One of the men ran at once, took a sponge, and soaked it in some vinegar. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus a drink. The others said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” Then Jesus loudly cried out once again and gave up his life. Suddenly, the curtain in the temple was split in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split open. The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died came back to life. They came out of the tombs after he had come back to life, and they went into the holy city where they appeared to many people. An army officer and those watching Jesus with him saw the earthquake and the other things happening. They were terrified and said, “Certainly, this was the Son of God!”