Jesus Delivered to Pilate

27 (A)When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people (B)took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And they bound him and (C)led him away and (D)delivered him over to (E)Pilate the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself

Then when (F)Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus[a] was condemned, (G)he changed his mind and brought back (H)the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? (I)See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, (J)he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into (K)the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore (L)that field has been called the Field of Blood (M)to this day. (N)Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, (O)“And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.”

Jesus Before Pilate

11 (P)Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you (Q)the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, (R)“You have said so.” 12 (S)But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, (T)“Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

15 (U)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or (V)Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out (W)of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on (X)the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with (Y)that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today (Z)in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to (AA)ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” (AB)They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? (AC)What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that (AD)a riot was beginning, he took water and (AE)washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of (AF)this man's blood;[b] (AG)see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, (AH)“His blood be on us and (AI)on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having (AJ)scourged[c] Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

27 (AK)Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the (AL)governor's headquarters,[d] and they gathered the whole (AM)battalion[e] before him. 28 And they stripped him and put (AN)a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they (AO)mocked him, saying, “Hail, (AP)King of the Jews!” 30 And (AQ)they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and (AR)led him away to crucify him.

The Crucifixion

32 (AS)(AT)As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to (AU)carry his cross. 33 (AV)And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 (AW)they offered him wine to drink, mixed with (AX)gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, (AY)they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and (AZ)kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, (BA)the King of the Jews.” 38 Then two (BB)robbers were crucified with him, (BC)one on the right and one on the left. 39 And (BD)those who passed by (BE)derided him, (BF)wagging their heads 40 and saying, (BG)“You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! (BH)If you are (BI)the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 (BJ)“He saved others; (BK)he cannot save himself. (BL)He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 (BM)He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 (BN)And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

The Death of Jesus

45 Now from the sixth hour[f] there was darkness over all the land[g] until the ninth hour.[h] 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus (BO)cried out with a loud voice, saying, (BP)“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with (BQ)sour wine, and put it on a reed and (BR)gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus (BS)cried out again with a loud voice and (BT)yielded up his spirit.

51 And behold, (BU)the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And (BV)the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of (BW)the saints (BX)who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into (BY)the holy city and appeared to many. 54 (BZ)When the centurion and those who were with him, (CA)keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, (CB)“Truly this was the Son[i] of God!”

55 There were also (CC)many women there, looking on (CD)from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, (CE)ministering to him, 56 among whom were (CF)Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and (CG)the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Jesus Is Buried

57 (CH)When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and (CI)laid it in his own new tomb, (CJ)which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled (CK)a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and (CL)the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, that is, after the day of (CM)Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how (CN)that impostor said, while he was still alive, (CO)‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, (CP)lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have (CQ)a guard[j] of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by (CR)sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 27:3 Greek he
  2. Matthew 27:24 Some manuscripts this righteous blood, or this righteous man's blood
  3. Matthew 27:26 A Roman judicial penalty, consisting of a severe beating with a multi-lashed whip containing embedded pieces of bone and metal
  4. Matthew 27:27 Greek the praetorium
  5. Matthew 27:27 Greek cohort; a tenth of a Roman legion, usually about 600 men
  6. Matthew 27:45 That is, noon
  7. Matthew 27:45 Or earth
  8. Matthew 27:45 That is, 3 p.m.
  9. Matthew 27:54 Or a son
  10. Matthew 27:65 Or Take a guard

猶大的下場

27 到了清晨,眾祭司長和民間的長老商定要處死耶穌。 他們把祂綁起來,押送到總督彼拉多那裡。

出賣耶穌的猶大看見耶穌被定了罪,感到很後悔,就把那三十塊銀子還給祭司長和長老,說: 「我出賣了清白無辜的人,我犯罪了!」

他們說:「那是你自己的事,跟我們有什麼關係?」

猶大把錢扔在聖殿裡,出去上吊自盡了。

祭司長們撿起銀子,說:「這是血錢,不可收進聖殿的庫房。」 他們商議,決定用這些錢買下陶匠的地作為埋葬異鄉人的墳場。 那塊地至今被稱為「血田」。 這就應驗了耶利米先知的話:「他們用以色列人給祂估定的三十塊銀子, 10 買了陶匠的一塊田,正如主指示我的。」

耶穌在彼拉多面前受審

11 耶穌站在總督面前受審。總督問:「你是猶太人的王嗎?」

耶穌說:「如你所言。」

12 當祭司長和長老控告祂時,祂一句話也不說。 13 彼拉多就問:「你沒聽見他們對你的諸多控告嗎?」 14 耶穌仍然一言不發,彼拉多感到十分驚奇。

15 每逢逾越節,總督會照慣例按民眾的選擇釋放一個犯人。 16 那時,有一個惡名昭彰的囚犯名叫巴拉巴。 17 百姓聚在一起的時候,彼拉多就問他們:「你們要我給你們釋放誰?巴拉巴還是被稱為基督的耶穌?」 18 因為彼拉多知道他們把耶穌抓來是因為嫉妒。

19 彼拉多正坐堂斷案時,他夫人派人來對他說:「你不要插手這個義人的事!我今天在夢中因為這個人受了許多苦。」

20 祭司長和長老卻慫恿百姓要求釋放巴拉巴,處死耶穌。 21 總督再次問百姓:「這兩個人,你們要我釋放哪一個?」他們說:「巴拉巴!」

22 彼拉多問:「那麼,我怎樣處置那個被稱為基督的耶穌呢?」

他們齊聲說:「把祂釘在十字架上!」

23 彼拉多問:「為什麼?祂犯了什麼罪?」

他們卻更大聲地喊叫:「把祂釘在十字架上!」

24 彼拉多見再說也無濟於事,反而會引起騷亂,於是拿了一盆水來,在眾人面前洗手,說:「流這義人的血,罪不在我,你們自己負責。」

25 眾人都說:「流祂血的責任由我們和我們的子孫承擔!」

26 於是,彼拉多為他們釋放了巴拉巴,下令將耶穌鞭打後,帶出去釘十字架。

耶穌受辱

27 士兵把耶穌押進總督府,叫全營的士兵都聚集在祂周圍。 28 他們剝下耶穌的衣服,替祂披上一件朱紅色的長袍, 29 用荊棘編成冠冕,戴在祂頭上,又拿一根葦稈放在祂右手裡,跪在祂跟前戲弄祂,說:「猶太人的王萬歲!」 30 然後向祂吐唾沫,拿過葦稈打祂的頭。 31 他們戲弄完了,就脫去祂的袍子,給祂穿上原來的衣服,把祂押出去釘十字架。

釘十字架

32 路上,他們遇見一個叫西門的古利奈人,就強迫他背耶穌的十字架。

33 來到一個地方,名叫各各他——意思是「髑髏地」, 34 士兵給耶穌喝摻了苦膽汁的酒,祂嚐了一口,不肯喝。

35 他們把耶穌釘在十字架上,還抽籤分了祂的衣服, 36 然後坐在那裡看守。 37 他們在祂頭頂上掛了一個牌子,上面寫著祂的罪狀:「這是猶太人的王耶穌」。 38 有兩個強盜也被釘在十字架上,一個在祂右邊,一個在祂左邊。 39 過路的人都嘲笑祂,搖著頭說: 40 「你這聲稱把聖殿拆毀又在三天內重建的人啊,救救自己吧!你要是上帝的兒子,就從十字架上下來吧!」

41 祭司長、律法教師和長老也嘲諷說: 42 「祂救了別人,卻救不了自己!祂要是以色列的王,就從十字架上跳下來吧!我們就信祂。 43 祂說信靠上帝,如果上帝喜悅祂,就讓上帝來救祂吧!因為祂自稱是上帝的兒子。」 44 甚至跟祂一同被釘十字架的強盜也這樣嘲笑祂。

耶穌之死

45 從正午一直到下午三點,黑暗籠罩著整個大地。 46 大約下午三點,耶穌大聲呼喊:「以利,以利,拉馬撒巴各大尼?」意思是:「我的上帝,我的上帝,你為什麼離棄我?」

47 有些站在旁邊的人聽見了,就說:「這人在呼叫以利亞呢。」 48 其中一人連忙跑去拿了一塊海綿,蘸滿酸酒,綁在葦稈上送給祂喝。 49 其他人卻說:「等一下!我們看看以利亞會不會來救祂。」

50 耶穌又大喊了一聲,就斷了氣。

51 就在那時,聖殿裡的幔子從上到下裂成兩半,大地震動,岩石崩裂, 52 墳墓打開,很多死去的聖徒復活過來。 53 他們在耶穌復活後離開墳墓,進聖城向許多人顯現。

54 看守耶穌的百夫長和士兵看見地震及所發生的一切,都很害怕,說:「這人真是上帝的兒子啊!」 55 有好些婦女在遠處觀看,她們從加利利就跟隨了耶穌,服事祂。 56 其中有抹大拉的瑪麗亞、雅各和約西的母親瑪麗亞以及西庇太兩個兒子的母親。

封石守墓

57 傍晚,從亞利馬太來了一位名叫約瑟的富人,他是耶穌的門徒。 58 他去求見彼拉多,要求領取耶穌的遺體,彼拉多就下令把耶穌的遺體交給他。 59 約瑟領了遺體,用乾淨的細麻布裹好, 60 安放在他為自己在岩壁上鑿出的新墓穴裡,並滾來一塊大石頭封閉墓穴的入口,然後離去。 61 那時,抹大拉的瑪麗亞和另一個瑪麗亞坐在墳墓的對面。

62 第二天,就是預備日之後的那天,祭司長和法利賽人一起來見彼拉多,說: 63 「總督大人,我們記得那個騙子生前曾說,『三天之後,我必復活』, 64 所以請你命人看守墳墓三天,以防祂的門徒偷走祂的屍體,然後對百姓說祂已經從死裡復活。這樣的迷惑會比以前的更厲害!」

65 彼拉多說:「你們帶上衛兵,去那裡嚴加看守。」

66 他們就帶著衛兵去了,在墓口的石頭上貼上封條,派人看守墓穴。

Thirty Silver Coins

27 1-2 In 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.

3-4 Judas, 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!”

Judas threw the silver coins into the Temple and left. Then he went out and hung himself.

6-10 The 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

11 Jesus was placed before the governor, who questioned him: “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”

Jesus said, “If you say so.”

12-14 But 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.

15-18 It 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.

19 While 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.”

20 Meanwhile, the high priests and religious leaders had talked the crowd into asking for the pardon of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus.

21 The 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!”

23 He objected, “But for what crime?”

But they yelled all the louder, “Nail him to a cross!”

24 When 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.”

25 The crowd answered, “We’ll take the blame, we and our children after us.”

26 Then he pardoned Barabbas. But he had Jesus whipped, and then handed over for crucifixion.

The Crucifixion

27-31 The 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.

32-34 Along 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.

35-40 After 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!”

41-44 The 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.

45-46 From 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?”

47-49 Some 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.”

50 But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last.

51-53 At 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.)

54 The 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!”

55-56 There 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

57-61 Late 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.

62-64 After 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.”

65-66 Pilate 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.