Matthew 26-27

Lexham English Bible

The Chief Priests and Elders Plot to Kill Jesus

26 And it happened that when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, ² “You know that after two days the Passover takes place, and the Son of Man will be handed over^[a] in order to be crucified.”

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas, ⁴ and plotted in order that they could arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.^{[b] 5} But they were saying, “Not during the feast, so that there will not be an uproar among the people.”

Jesus’ Anointing at Bethany

⁶ Now while^[c] Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, ⁷ a woman came up to him holding an alabaster flask of very expensive perfumed oil, and poured it^[d] out on his head while he^[e] was reclining at table. ⁸ And when^[f] the disciples saw it^[g] they were indignant, saying, “Why^[h] this waste? ⁹ For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor!” ¹⁰ But Jesus, knowing this,^[i] said to them, “Why do you cause trouble for the woman? For she has done a good deed for me. ¹¹ For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me. ¹² For when^[j] this woman poured this ointment on my body, she did it^[k] in order to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Judas Arranges to Betray Jesus

¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and^[l] said, “What are you willing to give me if I in turn deliver him to you?” So they set out for him thirty silver coins. ¹⁶ And from that time on, he began seeking a favorable opportunity in order that he could betray him.

Jesus’ Final Passover with the Disciples

¹⁷ Now on the first day^[m] of the feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came up to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ And he said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I am celebrating the Passover with you with my disciples.”’ ¹⁹ And the disciples did as Jesus directed them, and they prepared the Passover. ²⁰ And when it^[n] was evening, he was reclining at table with the twelve disciples.^{[o] 21} And while^[p] they were eating he said, “Truly I say to you, that one of you will betray me.” ²² And greatly distressed, each one began to say to him, “Surely I am not he, am I,^[q] Lord?” ²³ And he answered and^[r] said, “The one who dips his^[s] hand in the bowl with me—this one will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man is going just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if that man had not been born.” ²⁵ And Judas, the one who was betraying him, answered and^[t] said, “Surely I am not he, am I,^[u] Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said it.”^[v]

The Lord’s Supper

²⁶ Now while^[w] they were eating Jesus took bread and, after^[x] giving thanks, he broke it,^[y] and giving it^[z] to the disciples, he said, “Take, eat, this is my body.” ²⁷ And after^[aa] taking the cup and giving thanks he gave it^[ab] to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, ²⁸ for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ But I tell you, from now on I will never drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father.” ³⁰ And after they^[ac] had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me during this night, for it is written,

³² But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” ³³ But Peter answered and^[ae] said to him, “If they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!” ³⁴ Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that during this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times!” ³⁵ Peter said to him, “Even if it is necessary for me to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the disciples said the same thing.

The Prayer in Gethsemane

³⁶ Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and^[af] pray.” ³⁷ And taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be distressed and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” ³⁹ And going forward a little he fell down on his face, praying and saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”^{[ag] 40} And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “So, were you not able to stay awake with me one hour? ⁴¹ Stay awake and pray that you will not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!” ⁴² Again for the second time he went away and^[ah] prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will must be done.” ⁴³ And he came again and^[ai] found them sleeping, for they could not keep their eyes open.^{[aj] 44} And leaving them again, he went away and^[ak] prayed for the third time, saying the same thing again. ⁴⁵ Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Get up, let us go! Behold, the one who is betraying me is approaching!”

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

⁴⁷ And while^[al] he was still speaking, behold, Judas—one of the twelve—arrived, and with him a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the one who was betraying him had given them a sign, saying, “The one whom I kiss—he is the one.^[am] Arrest him!” ⁴⁹ And he came up to Jesus immediately and^[an] said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him. ⁵⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do that^[ao] for which you have come.”^[ap] Then they came up and^[aq] laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.

⁵¹ And behold, one of those with Jesus extended his^[ar] hand and^[as] drew his sword, and striking the slave of the high priest, cut off his ear. ⁵² Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place! For all who take up the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³ Or do you think that I cannot call upon my Father, and he would put at my disposal at once more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ How then would the scriptures be fulfilled that it must happen in this way?”

⁵⁵ At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as against a robber, to arrest me? Every day in the temple courts^[at] I sat teaching, and you did not arrest me! ⁵⁶ But all this has happened in order that the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then the disciples all abandoned him and^[au] fled.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

⁵⁷ Now those who had arrested Jesus led him^[av] away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. ⁵⁸ But Peter was following him from a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest. And he went inside and^[aw] was sitting with the officers to see the outcome. ⁵⁹ Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus in order that they could put him to death. ⁶⁰ And they did not find it,^[ax] although^[ay] many false witnesses came forward. And finally two came forward ⁶¹ and^[az] said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it^[ba] within three days.’” ⁶² And the high priest stood up and^[bb] said to him, “Do you reply nothing? What are these people testifying against you?” ⁶³ But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, “I put you under oath by the living God, that you tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!” ⁶⁴ Jesus said to him, “You have said it.^[bc] But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power^[bd] and coming on the clouds of heaven.” ⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his robes, saying, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have just now heard the blasphemy! ⁶⁶ What do you think?” And they answered and^[be] said, “He deserves death!”^{[bf] 67} Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists, and they slapped him,^{[bg] 68} saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ! Who is it who hit you?”

Peter Denies Jesus Three Times

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a female slave came up to him and^[bh] said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” ⁷⁰ But he denied it^[bi] in the presence of them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean!” ⁷¹ And when he^[bj] went out to the gateway, another female slave^[bk] saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” ⁷² And again he denied it^[bl] with an oath, “I do not know the man!” ⁷³ And after a little while those who were standing there came up and^[bm] said to Peter, “You really are one of them also, because even your accent reveals who you are.”^{[bn] 74} Then he began to curse and to swear with an oath, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the statement Jesus had said, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times,” and he went outside and^[bo] wept bitterly.

Jesus Taken to Pilate

27 Now when it^[bp] was early morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus in order to put him to death. ² And after^[bq] tying him up, they led him^[br] away and handed him^[bs] over to Pilate the governor.

The Suicide of Judas Iscariot

³ Then when^[bt] Judas, the one who had betrayed him, saw that he had been condemned, he regretted what he had done^[bu] and^[bv] returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and elders, ⁴ saying, “I have sinned by^[bw] betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”^{[bx] 5} And throwing the silver coins into the temple he departed. And he went away and^[by] hanged himself. ⁶ But the chief priests took the silver coins and^[bz] said, “It is not permitted to put them into the temple treasury, because it is blood money.”^{[ca] 7} And after^[cb] taking counsel, they purchased with^[cc] them the Potter’s Field, for a burial place for strangers. ⁸ (For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood until today.) ⁹ Then what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, who said, “And they took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one who had been priced, on whom a price had been set by the sons of Israel, ¹⁰ and they gave them for the potter’s field, just as the Lord directed me.”^[cd]

Jesus Before Pilate

¹¹ So Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the king of the Jews?” And Jesus said, “You say so.” ¹² And when he was being accused^[ce] by the chief priests and elders he answered nothing. ¹³ Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” ¹⁴ And he did not reply to him, not even with reference to one statement, so that the governor was very astonished.

Pilate Releases Barabbas

¹⁵ Now at each feast, the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd—the one whom they wanted. ¹⁶ And at that time they had a notorious prisoner named Jesus^[cf] Barabbas.^{[cg] 17} So after^[ch] they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you—Jesus^[ci] Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy. ¹⁹ And while^[cj] he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message^[ck] to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man,^[cl] for I have suffered much as a result of a dream today because of him.”) ²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should ask for Barabbas and put Jesus to death. ²¹ So the governor answered and^[cm] said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” ²² Pilate said to them, “What then should I do with Jesus, the one who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” ²³ And he said, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they began to shout^[cn] even louder, saying, “Let him be crucified!”

²⁴ So Pilate, when he^[co] saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but instead an uproar was developing, took water and^[cp] washed his^[cq] hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this man. You see to it!”^{[cr] 25} And all the people answered and^[cs] said, “His blood be on us and on our children!” ²⁶ Then he released Barabbas for them, but after^[ct] he had Jesus flogged, he handed him^[cu] over so that he could be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

²⁷ Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s residence and^[cv] gathered the whole cohort to him. ²⁸ And they stripped him and^[cw] put a scarlet military cloak around him, ²⁹ and weaving a crown of thorns, they put it^[cx] on his head, and put^[cy] a reed in his right hand. And kneeling down before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” ³⁰ And they spat on him and^[cz] took the reed and repeatedly struck^[da] him^[db] on his head. ³¹ And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the military cloak and put his own clothes on him, and led him away in order to crucify him.^[dc]

Jesus Is Crucified

³² And as they^[dd] were going out, they found a man of Cyrene named^[de] Simon. They forced this man to carry his cross. ³³ And when they^[df] came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull),^{[dg] 34} they gave him wine mixed with gall to drink, and when he^[dh] tasted it^[di] he did not want to drink it.^{[dj] 35} And when they^[dk] had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves^[dl] by^[dm] casting lots. ³⁶ And they sat down and^[dn] were watching over him there. ³⁷ And they put above his head the charge against him in writing:^[do] “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” ³⁸ Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹ And those who passed by reviled him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it^[dp] in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” ⁴¹ In the same way also the chief priests, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him,^[dq] saying, ⁴² “He saved others; he is not able to save himself! He is the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him! ⁴³ He trusts in God; let him deliver him now if he wants to,^[dr] because he said, ‘I am the Son of God’!” ⁴⁴ And in the same way even the robbers who were crucified with him were reviling him.

Jesus Dies on the Cross

⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour, darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour. ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)^{[ds] 47} And some of those who were standing there, when they^[dt] heard it,^[du] said, “This man is summoning Elijah!” ⁴⁸ And immediately one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it^[dv] with sour wine and put it^[dw] on a reed and^[dx] gave it^[dy] to him to drink. ⁴⁹ But the others said, “Leave him^[dz] alone! let us see if Elijah is coming to save him.” ⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and^[ea] gave up his^[eb] spirit. ⁵¹ And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook and the rocks were split. ⁵² And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, ⁵³ and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

⁵⁴ Now the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus, when they^[ec] saw the earthquake and the things that took place, were extremely frightened, saying, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” ⁵⁵ And there were many women there, observing from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him, ⁵⁶ among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Jesus Is Buried

⁵⁷ Now when it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who also was a disciple of Jesus himself. ⁵⁸ This man approached Pilate and^[ed] asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it^[ee] to be given to him.^{[ef] 59} And Joseph took the body and^[eg] wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a large stone to the entrance of the tomb and^[eh] went away. ⁶¹ Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The Tomb Is Sealed and Guarded

⁶² Now on the next day, which is after the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate, ⁶³ saying, “Sir, we remember that while^[ei] that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ ⁶⁴ Therefore give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come and^[ej] steal him and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” ⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it^[ek] as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went with the guard of soldiers and^[el] made the tomb secure by^[em] sealing the stone.