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Matthew 27:17-50
Common English Bible
Matthew 27:17-50
Common English Bible
17 When the crowd had come together, Pilate asked them, “Whom would you like me to release to you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 He knew that the leaders of the people had handed him over because of jealousy.
19 While he was serving as judge, his wife sent this message to him, “Leave that righteous man alone. I’ve suffered much today in a dream because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and kill Jesus. 21 The governor said, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”
“Barabbas,” they replied.
22 Pilate said, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”
They all said, “Crucify him!”
23 But he said, “Why? What wrong has he done?”
They shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”
24 Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was starting. So he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I’m innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It’s your problem.”
25 All the people replied, “Let his blood be on us and on our children.” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus whipped, then handed him over to be crucified.
Soldiers mocking Jesus
27 The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s house, and they gathered the whole company[a] of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a red military coat on him. 29 They twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand. Then they bowed down in front of him and mocked him, saying, “Hey! King of the Jews!” 30 After they spit on him, they took the stick and struck his head again and again. 31 When they finished mocking him, they stripped him of the military coat and put his own clothes back on him. They led him away to crucify him.
Crucifixion
32 As they were going out, they found Simon, a man from Cyrene. They forced him to carry his cross. 33 When they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Skull Place, 34 they gave Jesus wine mixed with vinegar to drink. But after tasting it, he didn’t want to drink it. 35 After they crucified him, they divided up his clothes among them by drawing lots. 36 They sat there, guarding him. 37 They placed above his head the charge against him. It read, “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” 38 They crucified with him two outlaws, one on his right side and one on his left.
39 Those who were walking by insulted Jesus, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “So you were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, were you? Save yourself! If you are God’s Son, come down from the cross.”
41 In the same way, the chief priests, along with the legal experts and the elders, were making fun of him, saying, 42 “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. He’s the king of Israel, so let him come down from the cross now. Then we’ll believe in him. 43 He trusts in God, so let God deliver him now if he wants to. He said, ‘I’m God’s Son.’” 44 The outlaws who were crucified with him insulted him in the same way.
Death
45 From noon until three in the afternoon the whole earth was dark. 46 At about three Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my God, why have you left me?”[b]
47 After hearing him, some standing there said, “He’s calling Elijah.” 48 One of them ran over, took a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a pole. He offered it to Jesus to drink.
49 But the rest of them said, “Let’s see if Elijah will come and save him.”
50 Again Jesus cried out with a loud shout. Then he died.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 27:27 Or cohort (approximately six hundred soldiers)
- Matthew 27:46 Ps 22:1
Matthew 27:17-50
New International Version
Matthew 27:17-50
New International Version
17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”(A) 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,(B) his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent(C) man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream(D) because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.(E)
21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”(F) Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar(G) was starting, he took water and washed his hands(H) in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”(I) he said. “It is your responsibility!”(J)
25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”(K)
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged,(L) and handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus(M)
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium(N) and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,(O) 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.(P) 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.(Q) 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.(R)
The Crucifixion of Jesus(S)
32 As they were going out,(T) they met a man from Cyrene,(U) named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.(V) 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).(W) 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall;(X) but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.(Y) 36 And sitting down, they kept watch(Z) over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
38 Two rebels were crucified with him,(AA) one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads(AB) 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,(AC) save yourself!(AD) Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”(AE) 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel!(AF) Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe(AG) in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him(AH) now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus(AI)
45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness(AJ) came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[a] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[b](AK)
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar,(AL) put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.(AM)
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:46 Some manuscripts Eloi, Eloi
- Matthew 27:46 Psalm 22:1
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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