Matthew 27:32-56

Common English Bible

Crucifixion

³² As they were going out, they found Simon, a man from Cyrene. They forced him to carry his cross. ³³ When they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Skull Place, ³⁴ they gave Jesus wine mixed with vinegar to drink. But after tasting it, he didn’t want to drink it. ³⁵ After they crucified him, they divided up his clothes among them by drawing lots. ³⁶ They sat there, guarding him. ³⁷ They placed above his head the charge against him. It read, “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” ³⁸ They crucified with him two outlaws, one on his right side and one on his left.

³⁹ Those who were walking by insulted Jesus, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “So you were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, were you? Save yourself! If you are God’s Son, come down from the cross.”

⁴¹ In the same way, the chief priests, along with the legal experts and the elders, were making fun of him, saying, ⁴² “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. He’s the king of Israel, so let him come down from the cross now. Then we’ll believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God, so let God deliver him now if he wants to. He said, ‘I’m God’s Son.’” ⁴⁴ The outlaws who were crucified with him insulted him in the same way.

Death

⁴⁵ From noon until three in the afternoon the whole earth was dark. ⁴⁶ At about three Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my God, why have you left me?”^[a]

⁴⁷ After hearing him, some standing there said, “He’s calling Elijah.” ⁴⁸ One of them ran over, took a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a pole. He offered it to Jesus to drink.

⁴⁹ But the rest of them said, “Let’s see if Elijah will come and save him.”

⁵⁰ Again Jesus cried out with a loud shout. Then he died.

⁵¹ Look, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, ⁵² and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised. ⁵³ After Jesus’ resurrection they came out of their graves and went into the holy city where they appeared to many people. ⁵⁴ When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what had just happened, they were filled with awe and said, “This was certainly God’s Son.”

⁵⁵ Many women were watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to serve him. ⁵⁶ Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.