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Matthew 27:15-51
New King James Version
Matthew 27:15-51
New King James Version
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,
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 27:16 NU Jesus Barabbas
- Matthew 27:24 an uproar
- Matthew 27:24 NU omits just
- Matthew 27:26 flogged with a Roman scourge
- Matthew 27:27 The governor’s headquarters
- Matthew 27:27 cohort
- Matthew 27:29 Lit. woven
- Matthew 27:34 NU omits sour
- Matthew 27:35 NU, M omit the rest of v. 35.
- Matthew 27:41 M scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders
- Matthew 27:42 NU omits If
- Matthew 27:42 NU, M in Him
Matthew 27:15-51
New International Version
Matthew 27:15-51
New International Version
15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner(A) chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus[a] Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”(B) 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,(C) his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent(D) man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream(E) because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.(F)
21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”(G) Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar(H) was starting, he took water and washed his hands(I) in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”(J) he said. “It is your responsibility!”(K)
25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”(L)
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged,(M) and handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus(N)
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium(O) and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,(P) 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.(Q) 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.(R) 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.(S)
The Crucifixion of Jesus(T)
32 As they were going out,(U) they met a man from Cyrene,(V) named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.(W) 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).(X) 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall;(Y) but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.(Z) 36 And sitting down, they kept watch(AA) over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
38 Two rebels were crucified with him,(AB) one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads(AC) 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,(AD) save yourself!(AE) Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”(AF) 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel!(AG) Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe(AH) in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him(AI) now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus(AJ)
45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness(AK) came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[b] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[c](AL)
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar,(AM) put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.(AN)
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple(AO) was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split(AP)
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:16 Many manuscripts do not have Jesus; also in verse 17.
- Matthew 27:46 Some manuscripts Eloi, Eloi
- Matthew 27:46 Psalm 22:1
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.