Matthew 27
27
Thirty Silver Coins
1-2In the first light of dawn, all the high priests and religious leaders met and put the finishing touches on their plot to kill Jesus. Then they tied him up and paraded him to Pilate, the governor.
3-4Judas, the one who betrayed him, realized that Jesus was doomed. Overcome with remorse, he gave back the thirty silver coins to the high priests, saying, “I’ve sinned. I’ve betrayed an innocent man.”
They said, “What do we care? That’s your problem!”
5Judas threw the silver coins into the Temple and left. Then he went out and hung himself.
6-10The high priests picked up the silver pieces, but then didn’t know what to do with them. “It wouldn’t be right to give this—a payment for murder!—as an offering in the Temple.” They decided to get rid of it by buying the “Potter’s Field” and use it as a burial place for the homeless. That’s how the field got called “Murder Meadow,” a name that has stuck to this day. Then Jeremiah’s words became history:
They took the thirty silver pieces,
The price of the one priced by some sons of Israel,
And they purchased the potter’s field.
And so they unwittingly followed the divine instructions to the letter.
Pilate
11Jesus was placed before the governor, who questioned him: “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”
Jesus said, “If you say so.”
12-14But when the accusations rained down hot and heavy from the high priests and religious leaders, he said nothing. Pilate asked him, “Do you hear that long list of accusations? Aren’t you going to say something?” Jesus kept silence—not a word from his mouth. The governor was impressed, really impressed.
15-18It was an old custom during the Feast for the governor to pardon a single prisoner named by the crowd. At the time, they had the infamous Jesus Barabbas in prison. With the crowd before him, Pilate said, “Which prisoner do you want me to pardon: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?” He knew it was through sheer spite that they had turned Jesus over to him.
19While court was still in session, Pilate’s wife sent him a message: “Don’t get mixed up in judging this noble man. I’ve just been through a long and troubled night because of a dream about him.”
20Meanwhile, the high priests and religious leaders had talked the crowd into asking for the pardon of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus.
21The governor asked, “Which of the two do you want me to pardon?”
They said, “Barabbas!”
22“Then what do I do with Jesus, the so-called Christ?”
They all shouted, “Nail him to a cross!”
23He objected, “But for what crime?”
But they yelled all the louder, “Nail him to a cross!”
24When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was imminent, he took a basin of water and washed his hands in full sight of the crowd, saying, “I’m washing my hands of responsibility for this man’s death. From now on, it’s in your hands. You’re judge and jury.”
25The crowd answered, “We’ll take the blame, we and our children after us.”
26Then he pardoned Barabbas. But he had Jesus whipped, and then handed over for crucifixion.
The Crucifixion
27-31The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor’s palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun. They stripped him and dressed him in a red robe. They plaited a crown from branches of a thornbush and set it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand for a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mocking reverence: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” they said. “Bravo!” Then they spit on him and hit him on the head with the stick. When they had had their fun, they took off the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they proceeded out to the crucifixion.
32-34Along the way they came on a man from Cyrene named Simon and made him carry Jesus’ cross. Arriving at Golgotha, the place they call “Skull Hill,” they offered him a mild painkiller (a mixture of wine and myrrh), but when he tasted it he wouldn’t drink it.
35-40After they had finished nailing him to the cross and were waiting for him to die, they killed time by throwing dice for his clothes. Above his head they had posted the criminal charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews. Along with him, they also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: “You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you’re really God’s Son, come down from that cross!”
41-44The high priests, along with the religion scholars and leaders, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—he can’t save himself! King of Israel, is he? Then let him get down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then! He was so sure of God—well, let him rescue his ‘Son’ now—if he wants him! He did claim to be God’s Son, didn’t he?” Even the two criminals crucified next to him joined in the mockery.
45-46From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around mid-afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
47-49Some bystanders who heard him said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” One of them ran and got a sponge soaked in sour wine and lifted it on a stick so he could drink. The others joked, “Don’t be in such a hurry. Let’s see if Elijah comes and saves him.”
50But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last.
51-53At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. What’s more, tombs were opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were raised. (After Jesus’ resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.)
54The captain of the guard and those with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was happening, were scared to death. They said, “This has to be the Son of God!”
55-56There were also quite a few women watching from a distance, women who had followed Jesus from Galilee in order to serve him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the Zebedee brothers.
The Tomb
57-61Late in the afternoon a wealthy man from Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, arrived. His name was Joseph. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate granted his request. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linens, put it in his own tomb, a new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the entrance. Then he went off. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary stayed, sitting in plain view of the tomb.
62-64After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate. They said, “Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will be raised.’ We’ve got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There’s a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, ‘He’s risen from the dead.’ Then we’ll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first.”
65-66Pilate told them, “You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can.” So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.
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Matthew 27: MSG
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Matthew 27
27
1And when it was morning all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus so that they might put him to death. 2And having bound him they led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor. 3Then Judas, who delivered him up, seeing that he had been condemned, filled with remorse, returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4saying, I have sinned in having delivered up guiltless blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5And having cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, he left the place, and went away and hanged himself. 6And the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, It is not lawful to cast them into the Corban, since it is the price of blood. 7And having taken counsel, they bought with them the field of the potter for a burying-ground for strangers. 8Wherefore that field has been called Blood-field unto this day. 9Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremias the prophet, saying, And I took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was set a price on, whom they who were of the sons of Israel had set a price on, 10and they gave them for the field of the potter, according as the Lord commanded me.
11But Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor questioned him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said to him, Thou sayest. 12And when he was accused of the chief priests and the elders, he answered nothing. 13Then says Pilate to him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14And he answered him not so much as one word, so that the governor wondered exceedingly. 15Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd, whom they would. 16And they had then a notable prisoner, named Barabbas. 17They therefore being gathered together, Pilate said to them, Whom will ye that I release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ? 18For he knew that they had delivered him up through envy. 19But, as he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent to him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man; for I have suffered to-day many things in a dream because of him. 20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should beg for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21And the governor answering said to them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas. 22Pilate says to them, What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ? They all say, Let him be crucified. 23And the governor said, What evil then has he done? But they cried more than ever, saying, Let him be crucified. 24And Pilate, seeing that it availed nothing, but that rather a tumult was arising, having taken water, washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am guiltless of the blood of this righteous one: see ye to it. 25And all the people answering said, His blood be on us and on our children.
26Then he released to them Barabbas; but Jesus, having scourged him, he delivered up that he might be crucified. 27Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken Jesus with them to the praetorium, gathered against him the whole band, 28and having taken off his garment, put on him a scarlet cloak; 29and having woven a crown out of thorns, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and, bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30And having spit upon him, they took the reed and beat him on his head. 31And when they had mocked him, they took the cloak off him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify. 32And as they went forth they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; him they compelled to go with them that he might bear his cross.
33And having come to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a skull, 34they gave to him to drink vinegar mingled with gall; and having tasted it, he would not drink. 35And having crucified him, they parted his clothes amongst themselves, casting lots. 36And sitting down, they kept guard over him there. 37And they set up over his head his accusation written: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. 38Then are crucified with him two robbers, one on the right hand and one on the left. 39But the passers-by reviled him, shaking their heads 40and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou art Son of God, descend from the cross. 41And in like manner the chief priests also, mocking, with the scribes and elders, said, 42He saved others, himself he cannot save. He is King of Israel: let him descend now from the cross, and we will believe on him. 43He trusted upon God; let him save him now if he will have him. For he said, I am Son of God. 44And the robbers also who had been crucified with him cast the same reproaches on him. 45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour; 46but about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 47And some of those who stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calls for Elias. 48And immediately one of them running and getting a sponge, having filled it with vinegar and fixed it on a reed, gave him to drink. 49But the rest said, Let be; let us see if Elias comes to save him.
50And Jesus, having again cried with a loud voice, gave up the ghost. 51And lo, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom, and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were rent, 52and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints fallen asleep arose, 53and going out of the tombs after his arising, entered into the holy city and appeared unto many. 54But the centurion, and they who were with him on guard over Jesus, seeing the earthquake and the things that took place, feared greatly, saying, Truly this man was Son of God. 55And there were there many women beholding from afar off, who had followed Jesus from Galilee ministering to him, 56among whom was Mary of Magdala, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57Now when even was come there came a rich man of Arimathaea, his name Joseph, who also himself was a disciple to Jesus. 58He, going to Pilate, begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up. 59And Joseph having got the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn in the rock; and having rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, went away. 61But Mary of Magdala was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the sepulchre. 62Now on the morrow, which is after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees came together to Pilate, 63saying, Sir, we have called to mind that that deceiver said when he was still alive, After three days I arise. 64Command therefore that the sepulchre be secured until the third day, lest his disciples should come and steal him away, and say to the people, He is risen from the dead; and the last error shall be worse than the first. 65And Pilate said to them, Ye have a watch: go, secure it as well as ye know how. 66And they went and secured the sepulchre, having sealed the stone, with the watch besides.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.