马太福音 26-27
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
谋害耶稣
26 耶稣讲完了这番话后，对门徒说： 2 “你们知道，两天后就是逾越节，到时人子会被出卖，被钉在十字架上。” 3 那时，祭司长和民间的长老正聚集在大祭司该亚法的府里， 4 策划逮捕、杀害耶稣。 5 但他们认为在节日期间不宜下手，因为可能会在百姓中引起骚乱。
耶稣受膏
6 当耶稣在伯大尼患过麻风病的西门家里时， 7 有个女子趁着祂坐席的时候，把一瓶珍贵的香膏倒在祂头上。
8 门徒看见后，生气地说：“真浪费， 9 这瓶香膏值不少钱，用来周济穷人多好！”
10 耶稣看出他们的心思，便说：“何必为难这女子？她在我身上做的是一件美事。 11 因为你们身边总会有穷人，可是你们身边不会总有我。 12 她把香膏浇在我身上是为我的安葬做准备。 13 我实在告诉你们，无论福音传到世界哪个角落，人们都会传扬这女人的事迹，纪念她。”
犹大出卖耶稣
14 后来，十二门徒中的加略人犹大去见祭司长，说： 15 “如果我把耶稣交给你们，你们肯出多少钱？”他们就给了他三十块银子。 16 从那时起，犹大就寻找机会出卖耶稣。
最后的晚餐
17 除酵节的第一天，门徒来问耶稣说：“我们该在什么地方为你准备逾越节的晚餐呢？”
18 耶稣说：“你们进城去，到某人那里对他说，‘老师说祂的时候到了，祂要与门徒在你家中过逾越节。’” 19 门徒照耶稣的吩咐准备了逾越节的晚餐。
20 傍晚，耶稣和十二个门徒吃晚餐。 21 席间，耶稣说：“我实在告诉你们，你们中间有一个人要出卖我。”
22 他们都非常忧愁，相继追问耶稣，说：“主啊，肯定不是我吧？”
23 祂说：“那和我一同在盘子里蘸饼吃的就是要出卖我的人。 24 人子一定会受害，正如圣经上有关祂的记载，但出卖人子的人有祸了，他还不如不生在这世上！”
25 出卖耶稣的犹大问祂：“老师，是我吗？”
耶稣说：“你自己说了。”
26 他们吃的时候，耶稣拿起饼来，祝谢后掰开分给门徒，说：“拿去吃吧，这是我的身体。”
27 接着又拿起杯来，祝谢后递给门徒，说：“你们都喝吧， 28 这是我为万人所流的立约之血，为了使罪得到赦免。 29 我告诉你们，从今天起，一直到我在我父的国与你们共饮新酒的那一天之前，我不会再喝这葡萄酒。” 30 他们唱完诗歌，就出门去了橄榄山。
预言彼得不认主
31 耶稣对门徒说：“今天晚上，你们都要离弃我。因为圣经上说，‘我要击打牧人，羊群将四散。’ 32 但我复活后，要先你们一步去加利利。”
33 彼得说：“即使所有的人都离弃你，我也永远不会离弃你！”
34 耶稣说：“我实在告诉你，今夜鸡叫以前，你会三次不认我。”
35 彼得说：“就算要我跟你一起死，我也不会不认你！”其余的门徒也都这样说。
在客西马尼祷告
36 耶稣和门徒到了一个叫客西马尼的地方，祂对门徒说：“你们坐在这里，我到那边去祷告。” 37 祂带了彼得和西庇太的两个儿子一起去。祂心里非常忧伤痛苦， 38 就对他们说：“我心里非常忧伤，几乎要死，你们留在这里跟我一起警醒。”
39 祂稍往前走，俯伏在地上祷告：“我父啊！如果可以，求你撤去此杯。然而，愿你的旨意成就，而非我的意愿。”
40 耶稣回到三个门徒那里，见他们都睡着了，就对彼得说：“难道你们不能跟我一同警醒一时吗？ 41 你们要警醒祷告，免得陷入诱惑。你们的心灵虽然愿意，肉体却很软弱。”
42 祂第二次去祷告说：“我父啊！如果我非喝此杯不可，愿你的旨意成就。” 43 祂回来时见他们又睡着了，因为他们困得眼皮发沉。 44 耶稣再次离开他们，第三次去祷告，说的是同样的话。
45 然后，祂回到门徒那里，对他们说：“你们还在睡觉，还在休息吗？看啊！时候到了，人子要被出卖，交在罪人手里了。 46 起来，我们走吧。看，出卖我的人已经来了！”
耶稣被捕
47 耶稣还在说话的时候，十二门徒中的犹大来了，随行的还有祭司长和民间长老派来的一大群拿着刀棍的人。 48 出卖耶稣的犹大预先和他们定了暗号，说：“我亲吻谁，谁就是耶稣，你们把祂抓起来。” 49 犹大随即走到耶稣跟前，说：“老师，你好。”然后亲吻耶稣。
50 耶稣对他说：“朋友，你要做的事，快动手吧。”于是那些人上前，下手捉拿耶稣。 51 耶稣的跟随者中有人伸手拔出佩刀朝大祭司的奴仆砍去，削掉了他一只耳朵。
52 耶稣对他说：“收刀入鞘吧！因为动刀的必死在刀下。 53 难道你不知道，我可以请求我父马上派十二营以上的天使来保护我吗？ 54 我若这样做，圣经上有关这事必如此发生的话又怎能应验呢？”
55 那时，耶稣对众人说：“你们像对付强盗一样拿着刀棍来抓我吗？我天天在圣殿里教导人，你们并没有来抓我。 56 不过这一切事的发生，是要应验先知书上的话。”那时，门徒都丢下祂逃走了。
大祭司审问耶稣
57 捉拿耶稣的人把祂押到大祭司该亚法那里。律法教师和长老已聚集在那里。 58 彼得远远地跟着耶稣，一直跟到大祭司的院子里。他坐在卫兵当中，想知道事情的结果。
59 祭司长和全公会的人正在寻找假证据来控告耶稣，好定祂死罪。 60 虽然有很多假证人诬告祂，但都找不到真凭实据。最后有两个人上前高声说：
61 “这个人曾经说过，‘我能拆毁圣殿，三天内把它重建起来。’”
62 大祭司站起来质问耶稣：“你不回答吗？这些人作证控告你的是什么呢？” 63 耶稣还是沉默不语。
大祭司又对祂说：“我奉永活上帝的名命令你起誓告诉我们，你是不是上帝的儿子基督？”
64 耶稣说：“如你所言。但我告诉你们，将来你们要看见人子坐在大能者的右边，驾着天上的云降临。”
65 大祭司撕裂衣服，说：“祂亵渎了上帝！我们还需要什么证人呢？你们现在亲耳听见了祂说亵渎的话， 66 你们看怎么办？”
他们回应说：“祂该死！”
67 他们就吐唾沫在祂脸上，挥拳打祂。还有人一边打祂耳光，一边说： 68 “基督啊！给我们说预言吧，是谁在打你？”
彼得三次不认主
69 当时，彼得还坐在外面的院子里，有一个婢女走过来对他说：“你也是跟那个加利利人耶稣一伙的。”
70 彼得却当众否认：“我不知道你在说什么。”
71 正当他走到门口要离开时，另一个婢女看见他，就对旁边的人说：“这个人是跟拿撒勒人耶稣一伙的！”
72 彼得再次否认，并发誓说：“我不认识那个人。” 73 过了一会儿，旁边站着的人过来对彼得说：“你肯定也是他们一伙的，听你的口音就知道了。”
74 彼得又赌咒又发誓，说：“我不认识那个人！”就在这时候，鸡叫了。 75 彼得想起耶稣说的话：“在鸡叫以前，你会三次不认我。”他就跑出去，失声痛哭。
犹大的下场
27 到了清晨，众祭司长和民间的长老商定要处死耶稣。 2 他们把祂绑起来，押送到总督彼拉多那里。
3 出卖耶稣的犹大看见耶稣被定了罪，感到很后悔，就把那三十块银子还给祭司长和长老，说： 4 “我出卖了清白无辜的人，我犯罪了！”
他们说：“那是你自己的事，跟我们有什么关系？”
5 犹大把钱扔在圣殿里，出去上吊自尽了。
6 祭司长们捡起银子，说：“这是血钱，不可收进圣殿的库房。” 7 他们商议，决定用这些钱买下陶匠的地作为埋葬异乡人的坟场。 8 那块地至今被称为“血田”。 9 这就应验了耶利米先知的话：“他们用以色列人给祂估定的三十块银子， 10 买了陶匠的一块田，正如主指示我的。”
耶稣在彼拉多面前受审
11 耶稣站在总督面前受审。总督问：“你是犹太人的王吗？”
耶稣说：“如你所言。”
12 当祭司长和长老控告祂时，祂一句话也不说。 13 彼拉多就问：“你没听见他们对你的诸多控告吗？” 14 耶稣仍然一言不发，彼拉多感到十分惊奇。
15 每逢逾越节，总督会照惯例按民众的选择释放一个犯人。 16 那时，有一个恶名昭彰的囚犯名叫巴拉巴。 17 百姓聚在一起的时候，彼拉多就问他们：“你们要我给你们释放谁？巴拉巴还是被称为基督的耶稣？” 18 因为彼拉多知道他们把耶稣抓来是因为嫉妒。
19 彼拉多正坐堂断案时，他夫人派人来对他说：“你不要插手这个义人的事！我今天在梦中因为这个人受了许多苦。”
20 祭司长和长老却怂恿百姓要求释放巴拉巴，处死耶稣。 21 总督再次问百姓：“这两个人，你们要我释放哪一个？”他们说：“巴拉巴！”
22 彼拉多问：“那么，我怎样处置那个被称为基督的耶稣呢？”
他们齐声说：“把祂钉在十字架上！”
23 彼拉多问：“为什么？祂犯了什么罪？”
他们却更大声地喊叫：“把祂钉在十字架上！”
24 彼拉多见再说也无济于事，反而会引起骚乱，于是拿了一盆水来，在众人面前洗手，说：“流这义人的血，罪不在我，你们自己负责。”
25 众人都说：“流祂血的责任由我们和我们的子孙承担！”
26 于是，彼拉多为他们释放了巴拉巴，下令将耶稣鞭打后，带出去钉十字架。
耶稣受辱
27 士兵把耶稣押进总督府，叫全营的士兵都聚集在祂周围。 28 他们剥下耶稣的衣服，替祂披上一件朱红色的长袍， 29 用荆棘编成冠冕，戴在祂头上，又拿一根苇秆放在祂右手里，跪在祂跟前戏弄祂，说：“犹太人的王万岁！” 30 然后向祂吐唾沫，拿过苇秆打祂的头。 31 他们戏弄完了，就脱去祂的袍子，给祂穿上原来的衣服，把祂押出去钉十字架。
钉十字架
32 路上，他们遇见一个叫西门的古利奈人，就强迫他背耶稣的十字架。
33 来到一个地方，名叫各各他——意思是“髑髅地”， 34 士兵给耶稣喝掺了苦胆汁的酒，祂尝了一口，不肯喝。
35 他们把耶稣钉在十字架上，还抽签分了祂的衣服， 36 然后坐在那里看守。 37 他们在祂头顶上挂了一个牌子，上面写着祂的罪状：“这是犹太人的王耶稣”。 38 有两个强盗也被钉在十字架上，一个在祂右边，一个在祂左边。 39 过路的人都嘲笑祂，摇着头说： 40 “你这声称把圣殿拆毁又在三天内重建的人啊，救救自己吧！你要是上帝的儿子，就从十字架上下来吧！”
41 祭司长、律法教师和长老也嘲讽说： 42 “祂救了别人，却救不了自己！祂要是以色列的王，就从十字架上跳下来吧！我们就信祂。 43 祂说信靠上帝，如果上帝喜悦祂，就让上帝来救祂吧！因为祂自称是上帝的儿子。” 44 甚至跟祂一同被钉十字架的强盗也这样嘲笑祂。
耶稣之死
45 从正午一直到下午三点，黑暗笼罩着整个大地。 46 大约下午三点，耶稣大声呼喊：“以利，以利，拉马撒巴各大尼？”意思是：“我的上帝，我的上帝，你为什么离弃我？”
47 有些站在旁边的人听见了，就说：“这人在呼叫以利亚呢。” 48 其中一人连忙跑去拿了一块海绵，蘸满酸酒，绑在苇秆上送给祂喝。 49 其他人却说：“等一下！我们看看以利亚会不会来救祂。”
50 耶稣又大喊了一声，就断了气。
51 就在那时，圣殿里的幔子从上到下裂成两半，大地震动，岩石崩裂， 52 坟墓打开，很多死去的圣徒复活过来。 53 他们在耶稣复活后离开坟墓，进圣城向许多人显现。
54 看守耶稣的百夫长和士兵看见地震及所发生的一切，都很害怕，说：“这人真是上帝的儿子啊！” 55 有好些妇女在远处观看，她们从加利利就跟随了耶稣，服侍祂。 56 其中有抹大拉的玛丽亚、雅各和约西的母亲玛丽亚以及西庇太两个儿子的母亲。
封石守墓
57 傍晚，从亚利马太来了一位名叫约瑟的富人，他是耶稣的门徒。 58 他去求见彼拉多，要求领取耶稣的遗体，彼拉多就下令把耶稣的遗体交给他。 59 约瑟领了遗体，用干净的细麻布裹好， 60 安放在他为自己在岩壁上凿出的新墓穴里，并滚来一块大石头封闭墓穴的入口，然后离去。 61 那时，抹大拉的玛丽亚和另一个玛丽亚坐在坟墓的对面。
62 第二天，就是预备日之后的那天，祭司长和法利赛人一起来见彼拉多，说： 63 “总督大人，我们记得那个骗子生前曾说，‘三天之后，我必复活。’ 64 所以请你命人看守坟墓三天，以防祂的门徒偷走祂的尸体，然后对百姓说祂已经从死里复活。这样的迷惑会比以前的更厉害！”
65 彼拉多说：“你们带上卫兵，去那里严加看守。”
66 他们就带着卫兵去了，在墓口的石头上贴上封条，派人看守墓穴。
Matthew 26-27
Easy-to-Read Version
The Jewish Leaders Plan to Kill Jesus(A)
26 After Jesus finished saying all these things, he said to his followers, 2 “You know that the day after tomorrow is Passover. On that day the Son of Man will be handed over to his enemies to be killed on a cross.”
3 Then the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders had a meeting at the palace where the high priest lived. The high priest’s name was Caiaphas. 4 In the meeting they tried to find a way to arrest and kill Jesus without anyone knowing what they were doing. They planned to arrest Jesus and kill him. 5 They said, “We cannot arrest Jesus during Passover. We don’t want the people to become angry and cause a riot.”
A Woman Does Something Special(B)
6 Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper. 7 While he was there, a woman came to him. She had an alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. She poured the perfume on Jesus’ head while he was eating.
8 The followers saw the woman do this and were upset at her. They said, “Why waste that perfume? 9 It could be sold for a lot of money, and the money could be given to those who are poor.”
10 But Jesus knew what happened. He said, “Why are you bothering this woman? She did a very good thing for me. 11 You will always have the poor with you.[a] But you will not always have me. 12 This woman poured perfume on my body. She did this to prepare me for burial after I die. 13 The Good News will be told to people all over the world. And I can assure you that everywhere the Good News is told, the story of what this woman did will also be told, and people will remember her.”
Judas Agrees to Help Jesus’ Enemies(C)
14 Then one of the twelve followers went to talk to the leading priests. This was the follower named Judas Iscariot. 15 He said, “I will hand Jesus over to you. What will you pay me for doing this?” The priests gave him 30 silver coins. 16 After that Judas waited for the best time to hand Jesus over to them.
The Passover Meal(D)
17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the followers came to Jesus. They said, “We will prepare everything for you to eat the Passover meal. Where do you want us to have the meal?”
18 Jesus answered, “Go into the city. Go to a man I know. Tell him that the Teacher says, ‘The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover meal with my followers at your house.’” 19 They obeyed and did what Jesus told them to do. They prepared the Passover meal.
20 In the evening Jesus was at the table with the twelve followers. 21 They were all eating. Then Jesus said, “Believe me when I say that one of you twelve here will hand me over to my enemies.”
22 The followers were very sad to hear this. Each one said, “Lord, surely I am not the one!”
23 Jesus answered, “One who has dipped his bread in the same bowl with me will be the one to hand me over. 24 The Son of Man will suffer what the Scriptures say will happen to him. But it will be very bad for the one who hands over the Son of Man to be killed. It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
25 Then Judas, the very one who would hand him over, said to Jesus, “Teacher, surely I am not the one you are talking about, am I?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”
The Lord’s Supper(E)
26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and thanked God for it. He broke off some pieces, gave them to his followers and said, “Take this bread and eat it. It is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup of wine, thanked God for it, and gave it to them. He said, “Each one of you drink some of it. 28 This wine is my blood, which will be poured out to forgive the sins of many and begin the new agreement from God to his people. 29 I want you to know, I will not drink this wine again until that day when we are together in my Father’s kingdom and the wine is new. Then I will drink it again with you.”
30 They all sang a song and then went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Says His Followers Will Leave Him(F)
31 Jesus told the followers, “Tonight you will all lose your faith in me. The Scriptures say,
‘I will kill the shepherd,
and the sheep will run away.’ (G)
32 But after I am killed, I will rise from death. Then I will go into Galilee. I will be there before you go there.”
33 Peter answered, “All the other followers may lose their faith in you. But my faith will never be shaken.”
34 Jesus answered, “The truth is, tonight you will say you don’t know me. You will deny me three times before the rooster crows.”
35 But Peter answered, “I will never say I don’t know you! I will even die with you!” And all the other followers said the same thing.
Jesus Prays Alone(H)
36 Then Jesus went with his followers to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I go there and pray.” 37 He told Peter and the two sons of Zebedee to come with him. Then he began to be very sad and troubled. 38 Jesus said to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, “My heart is so heavy with grief, I feel as if I am dying. Wait here and stay awake with me.”
39 Then Jesus went on a little farther away from them. He fell to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, don’t make me drink from this cup.[b] But do what you want, not what I want.” 40 Then he went back to his followers and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Could you men not stay awake with me for one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. Your spirit wants to do what is right, but your body is weak.”
42 Then Jesus went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if I must do this[c] and it is not possible for me to escape it, then I pray that what you want will be done.”
43 Then he went back to the followers. Again he found them sleeping. They could not stay awake. 44 So he left them and went away one more time and prayed. This third time he prayed, he said the same thing.
45 Then Jesus went back to the followers and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the control of sinful men. 46 Stand up! We must go. Here comes the one who will hand me over.”
Jesus Is Arrested(I)
47 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve apostles came there. He had a big crowd of people with him, all carrying swords and clubs. They had been sent from the leading priests and the older leaders of the people. 48 Judas[d] planned to do something to show them which one was Jesus. He said, “The one I kiss will be Jesus. Arrest him.” 49 So he went to Jesus and said, “Hello, Teacher!” Then Judas kissed him.
50 Jesus answered, “Friend, do the thing you came to do.”
Then the men came and grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51 When that happened, one of the followers with Jesus grabbed his sword and pulled it out. He swung it at the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
52 Jesus said to the man, “Put your sword back in its place. People who use swords will be killed with swords. 53 Surely you know I could ask my Father and he would give me more than twelve armies of angels. 54 But it must happen this way to show the truth of what the Scriptures said.”
55 Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Why do you come to get me with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal. Every day I sat in the Temple area teaching. You did not arrest me there. 56 But all these things have happened to show the full meaning of what the prophets wrote.” Then all of Jesus’ followers left him and ran away.
Jesus Before the Jewish Leaders(J)
57 The men who arrested Jesus led him to the house of Caiaphas the high priest. The teachers of the law and the older Jewish leaders were gathered there. 58 Peter followed Jesus but stayed back at a distance. He followed him to the yard of the high priest’s house. Peter went in and sat with the guards. He wanted to see what would happen to Jesus.
59 The leading priests and the high council tried to find something against Jesus so that they could kill him. They tried to find people to lie and say that Jesus had done wrong. 60 Many people came and told lies about him. But the council could find no real reason to kill him. Then two people came 61 and said, “This man[e] said, ‘I can destroy the Temple of God and build it again in three days.’”
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Don’t you have anything to say about these charges against you? Are they telling the truth?” 63 But Jesus said nothing.
Again the high priest said to Jesus, “You are now under oath. I command you by the power of the living God to tell us the truth. Tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”
64 Jesus answered, “Yes, that’s right. But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of God. And you will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes in anger. He said, “This man has said things that insult God! We don’t need any more witnesses. You all heard his insulting words. 66 What do you think?”
The Jewish leaders answered, “He is guilty, and he must die.”
67 Then some there spit in Jesus’ face, and they hit him with their fists. Others slapped him. 68 They said, “Show us that you are a prophet,[f] Messiah! Tell us who hit you!”
Peter Is Afraid to Say He Knows Jesus(K)
69 While Peter was sitting outside in the yard, a servant girl came up to him. She said, “You were with Jesus, that man from Galilee.”
70 But Peter told everyone there that this was not true. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said.
71 Then he left the yard. At the gate another girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 Again, Peter said he was never with Jesus. He said, “I swear to God I don’t know the man!”
73 A short time later those standing there went to Peter and said, “We know you are one of them. It’s clear from the way you talk.”
74 Then Peter began to curse. He said, “I swear to God, I don’t know the man!” As soon as he said this, a rooster crowed. 75 Then he remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Then Peter went outside and cried bitterly.
Jesus Is Taken to Governor Pilate(L)
27 Early the next morning, all the leading priests and older leaders of the people met and decided to kill Jesus. 2 They tied him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
Judas Kills Himself(M)
3 Judas saw that they had decided to kill Jesus. He was the one who had handed him over. When he saw what happened, he was very sorry for what he had done. So he took the 30 silver coins back to the priests and the older leaders. 4 Judas said, “I sinned. I handed over to you an innocent man to be killed.”
The Jewish leaders answered, “We don’t care! That’s a problem for you, not us.”
5 So Judas threw the money into the Temple. Then he went out from there and hanged himself.
6 The leading priests picked up the silver coins in the Temple. They said, “Our law does not allow us to keep this money with the Temple money, because this money has paid for a man’s death.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy a field called Potter’s Field. This field would be a place to bury people who died while visiting in Jerusalem. 8 That is why that field is still called the Field of Blood. 9 This showed the full meaning of what Jeremiah the prophet said:
“They took 30 silver coins. That was how much the people of Israel decided to pay for his life. 10 They used those 30 silver coins to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”[g]
Governor Pilate Questions Jesus(N)
11 Jesus stood before Pilate, the governor, who asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, that’s right.”
12 Then, when the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders made their accusations against Jesus, he said nothing.
13 So Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear all these charges they are making against you? Why don’t you answer?”
14 But Jesus did not say anything, and this really surprised the governor.
Pilate Tries but Fails to Free Jesus(O)
15 Every year at Passover time the governor would free one prisoner—whichever one the people wanted him to free. 16 At that time there was a man in prison who was known to be very bad. His name was Barabbas.[h]
17 When a crowd gathered, Pilate said to them, “I will free one man for you. Which one do you want me to free: Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 Pilate knew that they had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous of him.
19 While Pilate was sitting there in the place for judging, his wife sent a message to him. It said, “Don’t do anything with that man. He is not guilty. Last night I had a dream about him, and it troubled me very much.”
20 But the leading priests and older Jewish leaders told the people to ask for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be killed.
21 Pilate said, “I have Barabbas and Jesus. Which one do you want me to set free for you?”
The people answered, “Barabbas!”
22 Pilate asked, “So what should I do with Jesus, the one called the Messiah?”
All the people said, “Kill him on a cross!”
23 Pilate asked, “Why do you want me to kill him? What wrong has he done?”
But they shouted louder, “Kill him on a cross!”
24 Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do to make the people change. In fact, it looked as if there would be a riot. So he took some water and washed his hands[i] in front of them all. He said, “I am not guilty of this man’s death. You are the ones who are doing it!”
25 The people answered, “We will take full responsibility for his death. You can blame us and even our children!”
26 Then Pilate set Barabbas free. And he told some soldiers to beat Jesus with whips. Then he handed him over to the soldiers to be killed on a cross.
Pilate’s Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus(P)
27 Then Pilate’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace. All the soldiers gathered around him. 28 They took off Jesus’ clothes and put a red robe on him. 29 Then they made a crown from thorny branches and put it on his head, and they put a stick in his right hand. Then they bowed before him, making fun of him. They said, “We salute you, king of the Jews!” 30 They spit on him. Then they took his stick and kept hitting him on the head with it. 31 After they finished making fun of him, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be killed on a cross.
Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross(Q)
32 The soldiers were going out of the city with Jesus. They saw a man from Cyrene named Simon, and they forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 They came to the place called Golgotha. (Golgotha means “The Place of the Skull.”) 34 There the soldiers gave Jesus some wine mixed with gall.[j] But when he tasted it, he refused to drink it.
35 The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross. Then they threw dice to divide his clothes between them. 36 The soldiers stayed there to guard him. 37 They put a sign above his head with the charge against him written on it: “ this is jesus, the king of the jews.”
38 Two criminals were nailed to crosses beside Jesus—one on the right and the other on the left. 39 People walked by and shouted insults at Jesus. They shook their heads 40 and said, “You said you could destroy the Temple and build it again in three days. So save yourself! Come down from that cross if you really are the Son of God!”
41 The leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the older Jewish leaders were also there. They made fun of Jesus the same as the other people did. 42 They said, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself! People say he is the king of Israel. If he is the king, he should come down now from the cross. Then we will believe in him. 43 He trusted God. So let God save him now, if God really wants him. He himself said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 And in the same way, the criminals on the crosses beside Jesus also insulted him.
Jesus Dies(R)
45 At noon the whole country became dark. The darkness continued for three hours. 46 About three o’clock Jesus cried out loudly, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” This means “My God, my God, why have you left me alone?”[k]
47 Some of the people standing there heard this. They said, “He is calling Elijah.”[l]
48 Quickly, one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled the sponge with sour wine and tied the sponge to a stick. Then he used the stick to give the sponge to Jesus to get a drink from it. 49 But the others said, “Don’t bother him. We want to see if Elijah will come to save him.”
50 Again Jesus cried out loudly and then died.[m]
51 When Jesus died, the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces. The tear started at the top and tore all the way to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks were broken. 52 The graves opened, and many of God’s people who had died were raised from death. 53 They came out of the graves. And after Jesus was raised from death, they went into the holy city, and many people saw them.
54 The army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything that happened. They were very afraid and said, “He really was the Son of God!”
55 Many women were standing away from the cross, watching. These were the women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for him. 56 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John[n] were there.
Jesus Is Buried(S)
57 That evening a rich man named Joseph came to Jerusalem. He was a follower of Jesus from the town of Arimathea. 58 He went to Pilate and asked to have Jesus’ body. Pilate gave orders for the soldiers to give Jesus’ body to him. 59 Then Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a new linen cloth. 60 He put Jesus’ body in a new tomb that he had dug in a wall of rock. Then he closed the tomb by rolling a very large stone to cover the entrance. After he did this, he went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other woman named Mary were sitting near the tomb.
The Tomb of Jesus Is Guarded
62 That day was the day called Preparation day. The next day, the leading priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 They said, “Sir, we remember that while that liar was still alive he said, ‘I will rise from death in three days.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be guarded well for three days. His followers might come and try to steal the body. Then they could tell everyone that he has risen from death. That lie will be even worse than what they said about him before.”
65 Pilate said, “Take some soldiers and go guard the tomb the best way you know.” 66 So they all went to the tomb and made it safe from thieves. They did this by sealing the stone in the entrance and putting soldiers there to guard it.
Footnotes
- Matthew 26:11 You will … with you See Deut. 15:11.
- Matthew 26:39 cup A symbol of suffering. Jesus used the idea of drinking from a cup to mean accepting the suffering he would face in the terrible events that were soon to come.
- Matthew 26:42 do this Literally, “drink this,” referring to the “cup,” the symbol of suffering in verse 39.
- Matthew 26:48 Judas Literally, “the one who handed him over.”
- Matthew 26:61 This man That is, Jesus. His enemies avoided saying his name.
- Matthew 26:68 prophet A prophet often knows things that are hidden to other people.
- Matthew 27:10 “They took … me” See Zech. 11:12-13; Jer. 32:6-9.
- Matthew 27:16 Barabbas In some Greek copies the name is Jesus Barabbas.
- Matthew 27:24 washed his hands Pilate did this as a sign to show that he wanted no part in what the people did.
- Matthew 27:34 gall Probably used as a drug to relieve pain.
- Matthew 27:46
Quote from Ps. 22:1. - Matthew 27:47 “He is calling Elijah” The word for “My God” ( Eli in Hebrew or Eloi in Aramaic) sounded to the people like the name of Elijah, a famous man who spoke for God about 850 B.C.
- Matthew 27:50 died Literally, “let his spirit leave.”
- Matthew 27:56 James and John Literally, “the sons of Zebedee.”
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International