Matthew 27:31-66

Evangelical Heritage Version

The Crucifixion

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.

³² As they were going out of the city, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon. They forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. ³³ They came to a place called Golgotha, which means “The place of the skull.” ³⁴ They offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. ³⁵ After they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among themselves by casting lots. ³⁶ Then they sat down and were keeping watch over him there. ³⁷ Above his head they posted the written charge against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

³⁸ At the same time two criminals were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹ People who passed by kept insulting him, shaking their heads, ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests, experts in the law, and elders kept mocking him. They said, ⁴² “He saved others, but he cannot save himself. If he’s the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now, if he wants him, because he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with him kept insulting him.

Jesus’ Death

⁴⁵ From the sixth hour until the ninth hour,^[a] there was darkness over all the land. ⁴⁶ About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”^[b]

⁴⁷ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “This fellow is calling for Elijah.”

⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran, took a sponge, and soaked it with sour wine. Then he put it on a stick and gave him a drink. ⁴⁹ The rest said, “Leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰ After Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. ⁵¹ Suddenly, the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and rocks were split. ⁵² Tombs were opened, and many bodies of saints who had fallen asleep were raised to life. ⁵³ Those who came out of the tombs went into the holy city after Jesus’ resurrection and appeared to many people. ⁵⁴ When the centurion and those who were guarding Jesus with him saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”

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

Jesus’ Burial

⁵⁷ When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸ He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered that it be given to him. ⁵⁹ Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and laid it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. He rolled a large stone over the tomb’s entrance and left. ⁶¹ Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there sitting opposite the tomb.

The Guard

⁶² On the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered in the presence of Pilate ⁶³ and said, “Sir, we remembered what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’ ⁶⁴ So give a command that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise his disciples might steal his body and tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead.’ And this last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and posting a guard.