Taking the Place of Barabbas(A)

15 (B)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called [a]Barabbas. 17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of (C)envy.

19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

20 (D)But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”

They said, (E)“Barabbas!”

22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

23 Then the governor said, (F)“Why, what evil has He done?”

But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a [b]tumult was rising, he (G)took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this [c]just Person. You see to it.

25 And all the people answered and said, (H)“His blood be on us and on our children.”

26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when (I)he had [d]scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus(J)

27 (K)Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the [e]Praetorium and gathered the whole [f]garrison around Him. 28 And they (L)stripped Him and (M)put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 (N)When they had [g]twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 Then (O)they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, (P)and led Him away to be crucified.

The King on a Cross(Q)

32 (R)Now as they came out, (S)they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. 33 (T)And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34 (U)they gave Him [h]sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

35 (V)Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, [i]that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:

(W)“They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.”

36 (X)Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37 And they (Y)put up over His head the accusation written against Him:

THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

38 (Z)Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

39 And (AA)those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, (AB)“You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! (AC)If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the [j]scribes and elders, said, 42 “He (AD)saved others; Himself He cannot save. [k]If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe [l]Him. 43 (AE)He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

44 (AF)Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

Jesus Dies on the Cross(AG)

45 (AH)Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour (AI)Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, (AJ)“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, (AK)filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

50 And Jesus (AL)cried out again with a loud voice, and (AM)yielded up His spirit.

51 Then, behold, (AN)the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 27:16 NU Jesus Barabbas
  2. Matthew 27:24 an uproar
  3. Matthew 27:24 NU omits just
  4. Matthew 27:26 flogged with a Roman scourge
  5. Matthew 27:27 The governor’s headquarters
  6. Matthew 27:27 cohort
  7. Matthew 27:29 Lit. woven
  8. Matthew 27:34 NU omits sour
  9. Matthew 27:35 NU, M omit the rest of v. 35.
  10. Matthew 27:41 M scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders
  11. Matthew 27:42 NU omits If
  12. Matthew 27:42 NU, M in Him

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