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Matthew 27:32-56
International Children’s Bible
Matthew 27:32-56
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Is Killed on a Cross
32 The soldiers were going out of the city with Jesus. They forced another man to carry the cross to be used for Jesus. This man was Simon, from Cyrene. 33 They all came to the place called Golgotha. (Golgotha means the Place of the Skull.) 34 At Golgotha, the soldiers gave Jesus wine to drink. This wine was mixed with gall.[a] He tasted the wine but refused to drink it. 35 The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross. They threw lots to decide who would get his clothes.[b] 36 The soldiers sat there and continued watching him. 37 They put a sign above Jesus’ head with the charge against him written on it. The sign read: “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 38 Two robbers were nailed to crosses beside Jesus, one on the right and the other on the left. 39 People walked by and insulted Jesus. They shook their heads, 40 saying, “You said you could destroy the Temple and build it again in three days. So save yourself! Come down from that cross, if you are really the Son of God!”
41 The leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish elders were also there. These men made fun of Jesus 42 and said, “He saved other people, but he can’t save himself! People say he is the King of Israel! If he is the King, then let him come down now from the cross. Then we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in 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 robbers who were being killed on crosses beside Jesus also insulted him.
Jesus Dies
45 At noon the whole country became dark. This darkness lasted for three hours. 46 About three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” This means, “My God, my God, why have you left me alone?”
47 Some of the people standing there heard this. They said, “He is calling Elijah.”
48 Quickly one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled the sponge with vinegar and tied it to a stick. Then he used the stick to give the sponge to Jesus to 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 in a loud voice. Then he died.
51 Then the curtain in the Temple[c] split into two pieces. The tear started at the top and tore all the way down to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks broke apart. 52 The graves opened, and many of God’s people who had died were raised from death. 53 They came out of the graves 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 else that happened. They were very frightened and said, “He really was the Son of God!”
55 Many women were standing at a distance from the cross, watching. These were women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for him. 56 Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were there.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 27:34 gall Probably a drink of wine mixed with drugs to help a person feel less pain.
- 27:35 clothes Some Greek copies continue, “So what God said through the prophet came true, ‘They divided my clothes among them, and they threw lots for my clothing.’”
- 27:51 curtain in the Temple A curtain divided the Most Holy Place from the other part of the Temple. That was the special building in Jerusalem where God commanded the Jews to worship him.
Matthew 27:32-56
New International Version
Matthew 27:32-56
New International Version
The Crucifixion of Jesus(A)
32 As they were going out,(B) they met a man from Cyrene,(C) named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.(D) 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).(E) 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall;(F) but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.(G) 36 And sitting down, they kept watch(H) 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,(I) one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads(J) 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,(K) save yourself!(L) Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”(M) 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!(N) Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe(O) in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him(P) 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(Q)
45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness(R) came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[a] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[b](S)
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,(T) 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.(U)
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple(V) was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split(W) 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and[c] went into the holy city(X) and appeared to many people.
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding(Y) Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”(Z)
55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.(AA) 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph,[d] and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.(AB)
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:46 Some manuscripts Eloi, Eloi
- Matthew 27:46 Psalm 22:1
- Matthew 27:53 Or tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they
- Matthew 27:56 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph
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