Matthew 27:45-66
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Death of Jesus
45 From noon until three in the afternoon[a] darkness came over the whole land.[b](A) 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá[c] sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken[d] Me?”(B)[e]
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah!”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, and offered Him a drink.(C) 49 But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him!”
50 Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit.(D) 51 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary[f](E) was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were also opened(F) and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.
54 When the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “This man really was God’s Son!”[g](G)
55 Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and ministered to Him were there, looking on from a distance.(H) 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.(I)
The Burial of Jesus
57 When it was evening,(J) a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple(K) of Jesus. 58 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Then Pilate ordered that it[h] be released. 59 So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen, 60 and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb.(L) 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.
The Closely Guarded Tomb
62 The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate(M) 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive He said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’(N) 64 Therefore give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples(O) may come, steal Him, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ Then the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 “You have[i] a guard of soldiers,”[j] Pilate told them. “Go and make it as secure as you know how.” 66 Then they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting the guard.[k](P)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 27:45 Lit From the sixth hour to the ninth hour
- Matthew 27:45 Or whole earth
- Matthew 27:46 Some mss read lama; other mss read lima
- Matthew 27:46 Or abandoned
- Matthew 27:46 Ps 22:1
- Matthew 27:51 A heavy curtain separated the inner room of the temple from the outer.
- Matthew 27:54 Or the Son of God
- Matthew 27:58 Other mss read that the body
- Matthew 27:65 Or “Take
- Matthew 27:65 It is uncertain whether this guard consisted of temple police or Roman soldiers.
- Matthew 27:66 Lit stone with the guard
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