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Matthew 27
New Living Translation

Judas Hangs Himself

27 Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2 Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”

5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

6 The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.”[a] 7 After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. 8 That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. 9 This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says,

“They took[b] the thirty pieces of silver—
    the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,
10 and purchased the potter’s field,
    as the Lord directed.[c]”

Jesus’ Trial before Pilate

11 Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him.

Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

12 But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent. 13 “Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded. 14 But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise.

15 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. 16 This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas.[d] 17 As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)

19 Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”

20 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21 So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?”

The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”

25 And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”[e]

26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters[f] and called out the entire regiment. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

The Crucifixion

32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,[g] and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.

35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.[h] 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries[i] were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

The Death of Jesus

45 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[j] lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”[k]

47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”[l]

50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.

54 The Roman officer[m] and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

55 And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee.

The Burial of Jesus

57 As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus, 58 went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. 59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. 60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. 61 Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching.

The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, on the Sabbath,[n] the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. 63 They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ 64 So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”

65 Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” 66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.

Footnotes

  1. 27:6 Greek since it is the price for blood.
  2. 27:9 Or I took.
  3. 27:9-10 Greek as the Lord directed me. Zech 11:12-13; Jer 32:6-9.
  4. 27:16 Some manuscripts read Jesus Barabbas; also in 27:17.
  5. 27:25 Greek “His blood be on us and on our children.”
  6. 27:27 Or into the Praetorium.
  7. 27:32 Cyrene was a city in northern Africa.
  8. 27:35 Greek by casting lots. A few late manuscripts add This fulfilled the word of the prophet: “They divided my garments among themselves and cast lots for my robe.” See Ps 22:18.
  9. 27:38 Or criminals; also in 27:44.
  10. 27:46a Some manuscripts read Eloi, Eloi.
  11. 27:46b Ps 22:1.
  12. 27:49 Some manuscripts add And another took a spear and pierced his side, and out flowed water and blood. Compare John 19:34.
  13. 27:54 Greek The centurion.
  14. 27:62 Or On the next day, which is after the Preparation.
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Matthew 27
Lexham English Bible

Jesus Taken to Pilate

27 Now when it[a] was early morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus in order to put him to death. 2 And after[b] tying him up, they led him[c] away and handed him[d] over to Pilate the governor.

The Suicide of Judas Iscariot

3 Then when[e] Judas, the one who had betrayed him, saw that he had been condemned, he regretted what he had done[f] and[g] returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by[h] betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”[i] 5 And throwing the silver coins into the temple he departed. And he went away and[j] hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests took the silver coins and[k] said, “It is not permitted to put them into the temple treasury, because it is blood money.”[l] 7 And after[m] taking counsel, they purchased with[n] them the Potter’s Field, for a burial place for strangers. 8 (For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood until today.) 9 Then what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, who said, “And they took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one who had been priced, on whom a price had been set by the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, just as the Lord directed me.”[o]

Jesus Before Pilate

11 So Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the king of the Jews?” And Jesus said, “You say so.” 12 And when he was being accused[p] by the chief priests and elders he answered nothing. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” 14 And he did not reply to him, not even with reference to one statement, so that the governor was very astonished.

Pilate Releases Barabbas

15 Now at each feast, the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd—the one whom they wanted. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner named Jesus[q] Barabbas.[r] 17 So after[s] they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you—Jesus[t] Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy. 19 And while[u] he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message[v] to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man,[w] for I have suffered much as a result of a dream today because of him.”) 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should ask for Barabbas and put Jesus to death. 21 So the governor answered and[x] said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate said to them, “What then should I do with Jesus, the one who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they began to shout[y] even louder, saying, “Let him be crucified!”

24 So Pilate, when he[z] saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but instead an uproar was developing, took water and[aa] washed his[ab] hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this man. You see to it!”[ac] 25 And all the people answered and[ad] said, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas for them, but after[ae] he had Jesus flogged, he handed him[af] over so that he could be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s residence and[ag] gathered the whole cohort to him. 28 And they stripped him and[ah] put a scarlet military cloak around him, 29 and weaving a crown of thorns, they put it[ai] on his head, and put[aj] a reed in his right hand. And kneeling down before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 30 And they spat on him and[ak] took the reed and repeatedly struck[al] him[am] on his head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the military cloak and put his own clothes on him, and led him away in order to crucify him.[an]

Jesus Is Crucified

32 And as they[ao] were going out, they found a man of Cyrene named[ap] Simon. They forced this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they[aq] came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull),[ar] 34 they gave him wine mixed with gall to drink, and when he[as] tasted it[at] he did not want to drink it.[au] 35 And when they[av] had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves[aw] by[ax] casting lots. 36 And they sat down and[ay] were watching over him there. 37 And they put above his head the charge against him in writing:[az] “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 And those who passed by reviled him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it[ba] in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” 41 In the same way also the chief priests, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him,[bb] saying, 42 “He saved others; he is not able to save himself! He is the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusts in God; let him deliver him now if he wants to,[bc] because he said, ‘I am the Son of God’!” 44 And in the same way even the robbers who were crucified with him were reviling him.

Jesus Dies on the Cross

45 Now from the sixth hour, darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)[bd] 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they[be] heard it,[bf] said, “This man is summoning Elijah!” 48 And immediately one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it[bg] with sour wine and put it[bh] on a reed and[bi] gave it[bj] to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Leave him[bk] alone! let us see if Elijah is coming to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and[bl] gave up his[bm] spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52 And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

54 Now the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus, when they[bn] saw the earthquake and the things that took place, were extremely frightened, saying, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” 55 And there were many women there, observing from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Jesus Is Buried

57 Now when it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who also was a disciple of Jesus himself. 58 This man approached Pilate and[bo] asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it[bp] to be given to him.[bq] 59 And Joseph took the body and[br] wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a large stone to the entrance of the tomb and[bs] went away. 61 Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The Tomb Is Sealed and Guarded

62 Now on the next day, which is after the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate, 63 saying, “Sir, we remember that while[bt] that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come and[bu] steal him and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it[bv] as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went with the guard of soldiers and[bw] made the tomb secure by[bx] sealing the stone.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 27:1 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was”)
  2. Matthew 27:2 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“tying”) which is understood as temporal
  3. Matthew 27:2 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  4. Matthew 27:2 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  5. Matthew 27:3 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
  6. Matthew 27:3 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  7. Matthew 27:3 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“regretted”) has been translated as a finite verb
  8. Matthew 27:4 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“betraying”) which is understood as means
  9. Matthew 27:4 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  10. Matthew 27:5 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went away”) has been translated as a finite verb
  11. Matthew 27:6 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took”) has been translated as a finite verb
  12. Matthew 27:6 Literally “the price of blood”
  13. Matthew 27:7 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“taking”) which is understood as temporal
  14. Matthew 27:7 Literally “for”
  15. Matthew 27:10 A quotation from various passages in Jeremiah including 18:2–6; 19:1–13; 32:6–15; see also Zech 11:12–13
  16. Matthew 27:12 Literally “in the him being accused”
  17. Matthew 27:16 Although many manuscripts omit “Jesus” here, it is so hard to explain why a scribe would have added it that the reading is probably original
  18. Matthew 27:16 “Barabbas” means “son of the father” in Aramaic
  19. Matthew 27:17 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“had assembled”)
  20. Matthew 27:17 Although many manuscripts omit “Jesus” here, it is so hard to explain why a scribe would have added it that the reading is probably original
  21. Matthew 27:19 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was sitting”)
  22. Matthew 27:19 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  23. Matthew 27:19 Literally “nothing to you and to that righteous man”
  24. Matthew 27:21 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  25. Matthew 27:23 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to shout”)
  26. Matthew 27:24 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
  27. Matthew 27:24 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took”) has been translated as a finite verb
  28. Matthew 27:24 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  29. Matthew 27:24 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  30. Matthew 27:25 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  31. Matthew 27:26 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“flogged”) which is understood as temporal
  32. Matthew 27:26 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  33. Matthew 27:27 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took”) has been translated as a finite verb
  34. Matthew 27:28 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“stripped”) has been translated as a finite verb
  35. Matthew 27:29 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  36. Matthew 27:29 This is an understood repetition of the verb from earlier in the verse
  37. Matthew 27:30 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“spat”) has been translated as a finite verb
  38. Matthew 27:30 The imperfect tense has been translated as iterative here (“repeatedly struck”)
  39. Matthew 27:30 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  40. Matthew 27:31 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  41. Matthew 27:32 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“were going out”) which is understood as temporal
  42. Matthew 27:32 Literally “by name”
  43. Matthew 27:33 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came”) which is understood as temporal
  44. Matthew 27:33 Literally “is called Place of a Skull”
  45. Matthew 27:34 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“tasted”) which is understood as temporal
  46. Matthew 27:34 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  47. Matthew 27:34 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  48. Matthew 27:35 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had crucified”) which is understood as temporal
  49. Matthew 27:35 Here “among themselves” reflects the middle voice of the verb “divided”
  50. Matthew 27:35 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“casting”) which is understood as means
  51. Matthew 27:36 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sat down”) has been translated as a finite verb
  52. Matthew 27:37 Literally “written”
  53. Matthew 27:40 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  54. Matthew 27:41 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  55. Matthew 27:43 Or “let him deliver him now if he wants him”
  56. Matthew 27:46 A quotation from Ps 22:1
  57. Matthew 27:47 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  58. Matthew 27:47 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  59. Matthew 27:48 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  60. Matthew 27:48 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  61. Matthew 27:48 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participles (“ran … took … filled … put”) have been translated as finite verbs
  62. Matthew 27:48 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  63. Matthew 27:49 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  64. Matthew 27:50 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“cried out”) has been translated as a finite verb
  65. Matthew 27:50 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  66. Matthew 27:54 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
  67. Matthew 27:58 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“approached”) has been translated as a finite verb
  68. Matthew 27:58 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  69. Matthew 27:58 *The words “to him” are not in the Greek text but are implied
  70. Matthew 27:59 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took”) has been translated as a finite verb
  71. Matthew 27:60 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“rolled”) has been translated as a finite verb
  72. Matthew 27:63 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“alive”) which is understood as temporal
  73. Matthew 27:64 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“come”) has been translated as a finite verb
  74. Matthew 27:65 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  75. Matthew 27:66 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went”) has been translated as a finite verb
  76. Matthew 27:66 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“sealing”) which is understood as means
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