Matthew 27:45-65

Tree of Life Version

Yeshua Lays Down His Life

⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour, darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. ^{[a] 46} About the ninth hour Yeshua cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”^[b] that is, “My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?”

⁴⁷ When some of those standing there heard it, they began saying, “This Man is calling for Elijah.” ⁴⁸ Right away one of them ran and took a sponge. He filled it with sour wine and put it on a stick, and was offering it to Yeshua to drink. ^{[c] 49} But the rest were saying, “Leave Him alone! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him.” ⁵⁰ And Yeshua cried out again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit.

⁵¹ And behold, the curtain^[d] of the Temple was split in two, from top to bottom. And the earth quaked and rocks were split apart. ⁵² And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the kedoshim who were sleeping were raised to life. ⁵³ And coming forth 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 keeping guard over Yeshua, when they saw the earthquake and what was happening, they became terribly frightened and said, “This really was the Son of God!”

The Tomb Is Sealed

⁵⁵ Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Yeshua from the Galilee, serving Him. ⁵⁶ Among them were Miriam from Magdala, Miriam the mother of Jacob and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

⁵⁷ Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had also become a disciple of Yeshua. ⁵⁸ This man went to Pilate and asked for Yeshua’s body. Then Pilate ordered it to be given up. ⁵⁹ And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. ⁶⁰ And he laid it in his own new tomb,^[e] which he had cut in the rock. Then he rolled a large stone up to the door of the tomb and went away. ⁶¹ Now Miriam from Magdala was there, and the other Miriam, sitting opposite the tomb.

Guarding the Tomb

⁶² Now on the next day, which is after the preparation, the ruling kohanim and Pharisees were gathered before Pilate. ⁶³ “Sir,” they said, “we remember how that deceiver said while He was still alive, ‘After three days I’m to be raised.’ ⁶⁴ Therefore, order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, so His disciples do not come and steal Him away. They will tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first!”

⁶⁵ “You have a guard,” Pilate said to them. “Go, make it as secure as you know how.”