Matthew 27
Tree of Life Version
Judah’s Remorse
27 When daybreak came, the ruling kohanim and elders of the people conspired against Yeshua to put Him to death. 2 And they tied Him up, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate, the governor. 3 Then Judah, His betrayer, saw that Yeshua had been condemned. Feeling remorse, he brought the thirty silver pieces back to the ruling kohanim and elders, 4 saying, “I’ve sinned, betraying innocent blood!”
But they said, “What’s that to us? You see to it yourself!” 5 After tossing the silver into the Temple sanctuary, he left. Then he went off and hanged himself. 6 But the ruling kohanim took the silver pieces and said, “It is not permitted to put these in the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So after they conferred, they bought with them the potter’s field, as a cemetery for strangers. 8 For this reason that field has been called the “Field of Blood” to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty silver pieces, the price of Him on whom a price had been set by Bnei-Yisrael; 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, just as Adonai arranged for me.”[a]
“Kill the King!”
11 Now Yeshua stood before the governor. The governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
“You say so,” Yeshua said. 12 And while He was accused by the ruling kohanim and elders, He did not answer.
13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Don’t You hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 Yeshua did not answer, not even one word, so the governor was greatly amazed.
15 Now during the feast, the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner, anyone they wanted. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Yeshua Bar-Abba. 17 So when they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release for you? Yeshua who is Bar-Abba, or Yeshua who is called Messiah?” [b] 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over out of envy.
19 While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Don’t have anything to do with that righteous Man, for today I’ve suffered many things in a dream because of Him.”
20 Now the ruling kohanim and elders persuaded the crowds that they should ask for Bar-Abba and destroy Yeshua. 21 But the governor responded, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”
And they said, “Bar-Abba!”
22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Yeshua, who is called Messiah?”
“Execute Him!” all of them say.
23 But Pilate said, “Why? What evil has He done?”
But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Let Him be executed!”
24 When Pilate saw he was accomplishing nothing, but instead a riot was starting, he took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this blood,”[c] he said. “You see to it yourselves!”
25 All the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children!”[d]
26 Then he released to them Bar-Abba. And after he had Yeshua scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.
Nailed to a Stake
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Yeshua into the Praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around Him. 28 They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe around Him. 29 And after braiding a crown of thorns, they placed it on His head and put a staff in His right hand. And falling on their knees before Him, they mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spat on Him, and they took the staff and beat Him over and over on the head. 31 When they finished mocking Him, they stripped the robe off Him and put His own clothes back on Him. And they led Him away to crucify Him.
32 As they came out, they found a man from Cyrene, Simon by name. They forced him into service, to carry Yeshua’s cross-beam. [e] 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (that is to say, Place of a Skull), 34 they offered Him wine mixed with gall to drink;[f] but after tasting, He was unwilling to drink it. 35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided His clothing among themselves by casting lots. [g] 36 And they sat down and kept guard over Him there. 37 Over His head they put the charge against Him, which read: “THIS IS YESHUA, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
38 Then two outlaws were executed with Him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 Those passing by were jeering at Him,[h] shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If you are Ben-Elohim, come down from the stake!”
41 Likewise the ruling kohanim, along with the Torah scholars and elders, were also mocking Him. 42 “He saved others,” they were saying, “but He can’t save Himself? He’s the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the stake, and we’ll believe in Him! 43 He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He wants Him.[i] For He said, ‘I am Ben-Elohim.’” 44 Even the outlaws who were executed with Him were ridiculing Him in the same way.[j]
Yeshua Lays Down His Life
45 Now from the sixth hour, darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. [k] 46 About the ninth hour Yeshua cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”[l] 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. [m] 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[n] 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,[o] 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.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone along with the soldiers of the guard.
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:10 cf. Zech. 11:12-13; Jer. 18:2-6; 32:6-15; 19:1-13.
- Matthew 27:18 Most mss. omit Yeshua before Bar-Abba. Bar-Abba is Aramaic for Son of the Father.
- Matthew 27:24 Some mss. say this righteous blood or this righteous Man’s blood.
- Matthew 27:25 cf. Josh. 2:19.
- Matthew 27:33 Probably the patibulum, the horizontal piece of the execution stake, weighing about 100 lbs.
- Matthew 27:34 cf. Ps. 69:22(21).
- Matthew 27:36 Ps. 22:19(18).
- Matthew 27:39 cf. Ps. 22:8(7).
- Matthew 27:43 cf. Ps. 22:8.
- Matthew 27:44 cf. Isa. 53:3.
- Matthew 27:46 From noon until 3 p.m.; cf. Job 5:14; Ps. 105:28.
- Matthew 27:46 Ps. 22:2(1); cf. Deut. 32:20.
- Matthew 27:49 cf. Ps. 69:22(21).
- Matthew 27:51 Heb. parokhet, veil or inner curtain; cf. Exod. 26:33; 2 Chr. 3:14; Heb. 9:3.
- Matthew 27:60 cf. Isa. 53:9.
Matthew 27
GOD’S WORD Translation
The Death of Judas
27 Early in the morning all the chief priests and the leaders of the people decided to execute Jesus. 2 They tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
3 Then Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 silver coins back to the chief priests and leaders. 4 He said, “I’ve sinned by betraying an innocent man.”
They replied, “What do we care? That’s your problem.”
5 So he threw the money into the temple, went away, and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests took the money and said, “It’s not right to put it into the temple treasury, because it’s blood money.” 7 So they decided to use it to buy a potter’s field for the burial of strangers. 8 That’s why that field has been called the Field of Blood ever since. 9 Then what the prophet Jeremiah had said came true, “They took the 30 silver coins, the price the people of Israel had placed on him, 10 and used the coins to buy a potter’s field, as the Lord had directed me.”
Pilate Questions Jesus(A)
11 Jesus stood in front of the governor, ⌞Pilate⌟. The governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Yes, I am,” Jesus answered.
12 While the chief priests and leaders were accusing him, he said nothing. 13 Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear how many charges they’re bringing against you?”
14 But Jesus said absolutely nothing to him in reply, so the governor was very surprised.
The Crowd Rejects Jesus(B)
15 At every Passover festival the governor would free one prisoner whom the crowd wanted. 16 At that time there was a well-known prisoner by the name of Barabbas. 17 So when the people gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which man do you want me to free for you? Do you want me to free Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?” 18 Pilate knew that they had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous.
19 While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Leave that innocent man alone. I’ve been very upset today because of a dream I had about him.”
20 But the chief priests and leaders persuaded the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus.
21 The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to free for you?”
They said, “Barabbas.”
22 Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?”
“He should be crucified!” they all said.
23 Pilate asked, “Why? What has he done wrong?”
But they began to shout loudly, “He should be crucified!”
24 Pilate saw that he was not getting anywhere. Instead, a riot was breaking out. So Pilate took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. He said, “I won’t be guilty of killing this man. Do what you want!”
25 All the people answered, “The responsibility for killing him will rest on us and our children.”
26 Then Pilate freed Barabbas for the people. But he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus(C)
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the palace and gathered the whole troop around him. 28 They took off his clothes and put a bright red cape on him. 29 They twisted some thorns into a crown, placed it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. They knelt in front of him and made fun of him by saying, “Long live the king of the Jews!” 30 After they had spit on him, they took the stick and kept hitting him on the head with it.
The Crucifixion(D)
31 After the soldiers finished making fun of Jesus, they took off the cape and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
32 On the way they found a man named Simon. He was from the city of Cyrene. The soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.
33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 They gave him a drink of wine mixed with a drug called gall. When he tasted it, he refused to drink it. 35 After they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat there and kept watch over him. 37 They placed a written accusation above his head. It read, “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”
38 At that time they crucified two criminals with him, one on his right and the other on his left.
39 Those who passed by insulted him. They shook their heads 40 and said, “You were going to tear down God’s temple and build it again in three days. Save yourself! If you’re the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 The chief priests together with the experts in Moses’ Teachings and the leaders made fun of him in the same way. They said, 42 “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. So he’s Israel’s king! Let him come down from the cross now, and we’ll believe him. 43 He trusted God. Let God rescue him now if he wants. After all, this man said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 Even the criminals crucified with him were insulting him the same way.
Jesus Dies on the Cross(E)
45 At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 46 About three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” 47 When some of the people standing there heard him say that, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” 48 One of the men ran at once, took a sponge, and soaked it in some vinegar. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus a drink. 49 The others said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 Then Jesus loudly cried out once again and gave up his life.
51 Suddenly, the curtain in the temple was split in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split open. 52 The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died came back to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after he had come back to life, and they went into the holy city where they appeared to many people.
54 An army officer and those watching Jesus with him saw the earthquake and the other things happening. They were terrified and said, “Certainly, this was the Son of God!”
55 Many women were there watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee and had always supported him. 56 Among them were Mary from Magdala, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
Jesus Is Placed in a Tomb(F)
57 In the evening a rich man named Joseph arrived. He was from the city of Arimathea and had become a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate ordered that it be given to him.
59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. 60 Then he laid it in his own new tomb, which had been cut in a rock. After rolling a large stone against the door of the tomb, he went away. 61 Mary from Magdala and the other Mary were sitting there, facing the tomb.
The Chief Priests and Pharisees Secure Jesus’ Tomb
62 The next day, which was the day of rest—a holy day, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together and went to Pilate. 63 They said, “Sir, we remember how that deceiver said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will be brought back to life.’ 64 Therefore, give the order to make the tomb secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may steal him and say to the people, ‘He has been brought back to life.’ Then the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate told them, “You have the soldiers you want for guard duty. Go and make the tomb as secure as you know how.”
66 So they went to secure the tomb. They placed a seal on the stone and posted the soldiers on guard duty.
Matthew 27
King James Version
27 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.
7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.
8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
10 And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.
11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
36 And sitting down they watched him there;
37 And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews.
38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children.
57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:
58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
Matthew 27
New English Translation
Jesus Brought Before Pilate
27 When[a] it was early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to execute him. 2 They[b] tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate[c] the governor.[d]
Judas’ Suicide
3 Now when[e] Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus[f] had been condemned, he regretted what he had done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!” 5 So[g] Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself. 6 The[h] chief priests took the silver and said, “It is not lawful to put this into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 After[i] consulting together they bought the Potter’s Field with it, as a burial place for foreigners. 8 For this reason that field has been called the “Field of Blood” to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah[j] the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one whose price had been set by the people of Israel,[k] 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”[l]
Jesus and Pilate
11 Then[m] Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him,[n] “Are you the king[o] of the Jews?” Jesus[p] said, “You say so.”[q] 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?” 14 But he did not answer even one accusation, so that the governor was quite amazed.
15 During the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd,[r] whomever they wanted. 16 At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus[s] Barabbas. 17 So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus[t] Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?”[u] 18 (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.)[v] 19 As[w] he was sitting on the judgment seat,[x] his wife sent a message[y] to him:[z] “Have nothing to do with that innocent man;[aa] I have suffered greatly as a result of a dream[ab] about him today.” 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. 21 The[ac] governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?”[ad] They all said, “Crucify him!”[ae] 23 He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”
Jesus is Condemned and Mocked
24 When[af] Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!”[ag] 25 In[ah] reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas for them. But after he had Jesus flogged,[ai] he handed him over[aj] to be crucified.[ak] 27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence[al] and gathered the whole cohort[am] around him. 28 They[an] stripped him and put a scarlet robe[ao] around him, 29 and after braiding[ap] a crown of thorns,[aq] they put it on his head. They[ar] put a staff[as] in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him:[at] “Hail, king of the Jews!”[au] 30 They[av] spat on him and took the staff[aw] and struck him repeatedly[ax] on the head. 31 When[ay] they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then[az] they led him away to crucify him.
The Crucifixion
32 As[ba] they were going out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced[bb] to carry his cross.[bc] 33 They[bd] came to a place called Golgotha[be] (which means “Place of the Skull”)[bf] 34 and offered Jesus[bg] wine mixed with gall to drink.[bh] But after tasting it, he would not drink it. 35 When[bi] they had crucified[bj] him, they divided his clothes by throwing dice.[bk] 36 Then they sat down and kept guard over him there. 37 Above[bl] his head they put the charge against him,[bm] which read:[bn] “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” 38 Then two outlaws were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those[bo] who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself![bp] If you are God’s Son, come down[bq] from the cross!” 41 In[br] the same way even the chief priests—together with the experts in the law[bs] and elders[bt]—were mocking him:[bu] 42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down[bv] now from the cross, we will believe in him! 43 He trusts in God—let God, if he wants to, deliver him now[bw] because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’!” 44 The[bx] robbers who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him.[by]
Jesus’ Death
45 Now from noon until three,[bz] darkness came over all the land.[ca] 46 At[cb] about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice,[cc] “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”[cd] 47 When[ce] some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 Immediately[cf] one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine,[cg] put it on a stick,[ch] and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.”[ci] 50 Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 51 Just then[cj] the temple curtain[ck] was torn in two, from top to bottom. The[cl] earth shook and the rocks were split apart. 52 And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had died[cm] were raised. 53 (They[cn] came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.) 54 Now when the centurion[co] and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this one was God’s Son!” 55 Many[cp] women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and given him support[cq] were also there, watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Jesus’ Burial
57 Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus.[cr] 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.[cs] Then Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph[ct] took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,[cu] 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock.[cv] Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance[cw] of the tomb and went away. 61 (Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there, opposite the tomb.)
The Guard at the Tomb
62 The[cx] next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees[cy] assembled before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body[cz] and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “Take[da] a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can.” 66 So[db] they went with the soldiers[dc] of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:1 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:2 tc Most mss (A C W Γ Δ Θ 0250 ƒ1,13 565 579 700 1241 1424 M latt) have Ποντίῳ (Pontiō, “Pontius”) before Πιλάτῳ (Pilatō, “Pilate”), but there seems to be no reason for omitting the tribal name, either intentionally or unintentionally. Adding “Pontius,” however, is a natural expansion on the text, and is in keeping with several other NT and patristic references to the Roman governor (cf. Luke 3:1; Acts 4:27; 1 Tim 6:13; Ign. Magn. 11.1; Ign. Trall. 9.1; Ign. Smyrn. 1.2; Justin Martyr, passim). See TCGNT 52-53. The shorter reading, supported by א B L 0281 33 co, is thus strongly preferred.
- Matthew 27:2 sn The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it from being used to execute Roman sympathizers.
- Matthew 27:3 tn Grk “Then when.” Here τότε (tote) has been translated as “now” to indicate a somewhat parenthetical interlude in the sequence of events.
- Matthew 27:3 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Matthew 27:5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the leaders’ response to Judas.
- Matthew 27:6 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:7 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:9 tc The problematic citing of Jeremiah for a text which appears to come from Zechariah has prompted certain scribes to alter it. Codex 22 has Ζαχαρίου (Zachariou, “Zechariah”) while Φ 33 and several versional witnesses omit the prophet’s name altogether. And codex 21 and the Latin ms l change the prophet’s name to “Isaiah,” in accordance with natural scribal proclivities to alter the text toward the most prominent OT prophet. But unquestionably the name Jeremiah is the wording of the original here, because it is supported by virtually all witnesses and because it is the harder reading. See D. A. Carson, “Matthew,” EBC 8:562-63, for a discussion of the textual and especially hermeneutical problem.
- Matthew 27:9 tn Grk “the sons of Israel,” an idiom referring to the people of Israel as an ethnic entity (L&N 11.58).
- Matthew 27:10 sn The source of this citation is debated (see the tc note on Jeremiah in v. 9 above for a related discussion). The quotation is most closely related to Zech 11:12-13, but the reference to Jeremiah in v. 9 as the source leads one to look there as well. There is no exact match for this text in Jeremiah, but there are some conceptual parallels: In Jer 18:2-6 the prophet visits a potter, and in Jer 32:6-15 he buys a field. D. A. Carson argues that Jer 19:1-13 is the source of the quotation augmented with various phrases drawn from Zech 11:12-13 (“Matthew,” EBC 8:563). W. D. Davies and D. C. Allison argue that the reference to Jeremiah is not meant to refer to one specific text from that prophet, but instead to signal that his writings as a whole are a source from which the quotation is drawn (Matthew [ICC], 3:568-69). Although the exact source of the citation is uncertain, it is reasonable to see texts from the books of Jeremiah and Zechariah both coming into play here.
- Matthew 27:11 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Matthew 27:11 tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:11 sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested in this charge because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.
- Matthew 27:11 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:11 sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership in 26:64.
- Matthew 27:15 sn The custom of Pilate to release one prisoner is unknown outside the gospels in Jewish writings, but it was a Roman custom at the time and thus probably used in Palestine as well (cf. Matt 27:15; John 18:39).
- Matthew 27:16 tc Although the external evidence for the inclusion of “Jesus” before “Barabbas” (in vv. 16 and 17) is rather sparse, being restricted virtually to mss of what was formally labeled the “Caesarean” text (Θ ƒ1 700* sys arm geo2; Ormss), the omission of the Lord’s name in apposition to “Barabbas” is such a strongly motivated reading that it can hardly be original. There is no good explanation for a scribe unintentionally adding ᾿Ιησοῦν (Iēsoun) before Βαραββᾶν (Barabban), especially since Barabbas is mentioned first in each verse (thus dittography is ruled out). Further, the addition of τὸν λεγόμενον Χριστόν (ton legomenon Christon, “who is called Christ”) to ᾿Ιησοῦν in v. 17 makes better sense if Barabbas is also called “Jesus” (otherwise, a mere “Jesus” would have been a sufficient appellation to distinguish the two). Metzger notes that codex S, a tenth-century majuscule, along with a score of minuscules, have a marginal comment on this verse as follows: “In many ancient copies which I have met with I found Barabbas himself likewise called ‘Jesus.’” The attribution of this scholium is variously given as Anastasius, Chrysostom, or even Origen (TCGNT 56).
- Matthew 27:17 tc Again, as in v. 16, the name “Jesus” is supplied before “Barabbas” in Θ ƒ1 700* sys Ormss (Θ 700* lack the article τόν [ton] before Βαραββᾶν [Barabban]). The same argument for accepting the inclusion of “Jesus” as the earlier reading in the previous verse applies here as well.
- Matthew 27:17 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
- Matthew 27:18 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
- Matthew 27:19 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:19 tn Or “the judge’s seat.”sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bēma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and usually furnished with a seat. It was used by officials in addressing an assembly or making official pronouncements, often of a judicial nature.
- Matthew 27:19 tn The word “message” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
- Matthew 27:19 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:19 tn The Greek particle γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated here.
- Matthew 27:19 tn Or “suffered greatly in a dream.” See the discussion on the construction κατ᾿ ὄναρ (kat’ onar) in BDAG 710 s.v. ὄναρ.
- Matthew 27:21 tn Grk “answering, the governor said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:22 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
- Matthew 27:22 tn Grk “Him—be crucified!” The third person imperative is difficult to translate because English has no corresponding third person form for the imperative. The traditional translation “Let him be crucified” sounds as if the crowd is giving consent or permission. “He must be crucified” is closer, but it is more natural in English to convert the passive to active and simply say “Crucify him.”sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
- Matthew 27:24 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:24 sn You take care of it yourselves! Compare the response of the chief priests and elders to Judas in 27:4. The expression is identical except that in 27:4 it is singular and here it is plural.
- Matthew 27:25 tn Grk “answering, all the people said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
- Matthew 27:26 tn The Greek term φραγελλόω (phragelloō) refers to flogging. BDAG 1064 s.v. states, “flog, scourge, a punishment inflicted on slaves and provincials after a sentence of death had been pronounced on them. So in the case of Jesus before the crucifixion…Mt 27:26; Mk 15:15.”sn A Roman flogging (traditionally, “scourging”) was an excruciating punishment. The victim was stripped of his clothes and bound to a post with his hands fastened above him (or sometimes he was thrown to the ground). Guards standing on either side of the victim would incessantly beat him with a whip (flagellum) made out of leather with pieces of lead and bone inserted into its ends. While the Jews only allowed 39 lashes, the Romans had no such limit; many people who received such a beating died as a result. See C. Schneider, TDNT, 4:515-19.
- Matthew 27:26 tn Or “delivered him up.”
- Matthew 27:26 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
- Matthew 27:27 tn Or “into their headquarters”; Grk “into the praetorium.” sn The governor’s residence (Grk “praetorium”) was the Roman governor’s official residence. The one in Jerusalem may have been Herod’s palace in the western part of the city, or the fortress Antonia northwest of the temple area.
- Matthew 27:27 sn A Roman cohort was a tenth of a legion, about 500-600 soldiers.
- Matthew 27:28 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:28 sn The scarlet robe probably refers to a military garment that was cheaply dyed in contrast to expensive royal purple, but it resembled a king’s robe (BDAG 554 s.v. κόκκινος). The soldiers did this to Jesus as a form of mockery in view of the charges that he was a king.
- Matthew 27:29 tn Or “weaving.”
- Matthew 27:29 sn The crown may have been made from palm spines or some other thorny plant common in Israel. In placing the crown of thorns on his head, the soldiers were unwittingly symbolizing God’s curse on humanity (cf. Gen 3:18) being placed on Jesus. Their purpose would have been to mock Jesus’ claim to be a king; the crown of thorns would have represented the “radiant corona” portrayed on the heads of rulers on coins and other artifacts in the 1st century.
- Matthew 27:29 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:29 tn Or “a reed.” The Greek term can mean either “staff” or “reed.” See BDAG 502 s.v. κάλαμος 2.
- Matthew 27:29 tn Grk “they mocked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:29 tn Or “Long live the King of the Jews!”sn The statement Hail, King of the Jews! is a mockery patterned after the Romans’ cry of Ave, Caesar (“Hail, Caesar!”).
- Matthew 27:30 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:30 tn Or “the reed.”
- Matthew 27:30 tn The verb here has been translated as an iterative imperfect.
- Matthew 27:31 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:31 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Matthew 27:32 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:32 tn Or “conscripted”; or “pressed into service.”
- Matthew 27:32 sn Jesus was beaten severely with a whip before this (the prelude to crucifixion, known to the Romans as verberatio, mentioned in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1), so he would have been weak from trauma and loss of blood. Apparently he was unable to bear the cross himself, so Simon was conscripted to help (in all probability this was only the crossbeam, called in Latin the patibulum, since the upright beam usually remained in the ground at the place of execution). Cyrene was located in North Africa where Tripoli is today. Nothing more is known about this Simon. Mark 15:21 names him as father of two people apparently known to Mark’s audience.
- Matthew 27:33 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:33 tn This is an Aramaic name; see John 19:17.
- Matthew 27:33 sn A place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). This location is north and just outside of Jerusalem. The hill on which it is located protruded much like a skull, giving the place its name. The Latin word for the Greek term κρανίον (kranion) is calvaria, from which the English word “Calvary” is derived (cf. Luke 23:33 in the KJV).
- Matthew 27:34 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Matthew 27:34 sn It is difficult to say for certain who gave Jesus this drink of wine mixed with gall (e.g., the executioner, or perhaps women from Jerusalem). In any case, whoever gave it to him most likely did so in order to relieve his pain, but Jesus was unwilling to take it.
- Matthew 27:35 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:35 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
- Matthew 27:35 tn Grk “by throwing the lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throwing dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling. According to L&N 6.219 a term for “dice” is particularly appropriate.sn An allusion to Ps 22:18.
- Matthew 27:37 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:37 sn Mention of the inscription is an important detail, because the inscription would normally give the reason for the execution. It shows that Jesus was executed for claiming to be a king. It was also probably written with irony from the executioners’ point of view.
- Matthew 27:37 tn Grk “was written.”
- Matthew 27:39 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:40 sn There is rich irony in the statements of those who were passing by, “save yourself!” and “come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life.
- Matthew 27:40 tc ‡ Many significant witnesses (א* A D it sy[s],p) read καί (kai, here with the force of “then”) before κατάβηθι (katabēthi, “come down”). The shorter reading may well be due to homoioarcton, but judging by the diverse external evidence (א2 B L W Γ Δ Θ 0250 ƒ1,13 33 565 579 700 1241 1424 M lat) it is equally possible that the shorter reading is the wording of the initial text (and is so considered for this translation). NA28 puts the καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
- Matthew 27:41 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:41 tn Or “with the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
- Matthew 27:41 tn Only “chief priests” is in the nominative case; this sentence structure attempts to capture this emphasis.
- Matthew 27:41 tn Grk “Mocking him, the chief priests…said.”
- Matthew 27:42 tn Here the aorist imperative καταβάτω (katabatō) has been translated as a conditional imperative. This fits the pattern of other conditional imperatives (imperative + καί + future indicative) outlined by ExSyn 489.
- Matthew 27:43 sn An allusion to Ps 22:8.
- Matthew 27:44 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:44 sn Matthew’s wording suggests that both of the criminals spoke abusively to him. If so, one of them quickly changed his attitude toward Jesus (see Luke 23:40-43).
- Matthew 27:45 tn Grk “from the sixth hour to the ninth hour.”
- Matthew 27:45 sn This imagery has parallels to the Day of the Lord: Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15.
- Matthew 27:46 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:46 tn Grk “with a loud voice, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:46 sn A quotation from Ps 22:1.
- Matthew 27:47 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:48 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:48 sn Sour wine refers to cheap wine that was called in Latin posca, a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion.
- Matthew 27:48 tn Grk “a reed.”
- Matthew 27:49 tc Early and significant witnesses, including the chief Alexandrian mss (א B C L Γ 1010 and some versional witnesses) add a sentence at the end of this verse: “And another [soldier] took a spear and pierced him in the side, and water and blood flowed out.” This comment finds such a strong parallel in John 19:34 that it was undoubtedly lifted from the Fourth Gospel by some early, well-meaning scribe and inserted into Matt 27:49. The alternative—that this sentence was part of Matthew’s Ausgangstext—has serious difficulties, as Metzger notes: “It might be thought that the words were omitted because they represent the piercing as preceding Jesus’ death, whereas John makes it follow; but that difference would have only been a reason for moving the passage to a later position (perhaps at the close of ver. 50 or 54 or 56), or else there would have been some tampering with the passage in John, which is not the case. It is probable that the Johannine passage was written by some reader in the margin of Matthew from memory (there are several minor differences, such as the sequence of ‘water and blood’), and a later copyist awkwardly introduced it into the text” (TCGNT, 59). Consequently, even though the support for the shorter reading (A D W Θ ƒ1,13 33 565 579 700 1241 1424 M lat sy sa bo) is not as impressive, internal considerations on its behalf are compelling.
- Matthew 27:51 tn Grk “And behold.”
- Matthew 27:51 tn The referent of this term, καταπέτασμα (katapetasma), is not entirely clear. It could refer to the curtain separating the holy of holies from the holy place (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.5 [5.219]), or it could refer to one at the entrance of the temple court (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.4 [5.212]). Many argue that the inner curtain is meant because another term, κάλυμμα (kalumma), is also used for the outer curtain. Others see a reference to the outer curtain as more likely because of the public nature of this sign. Either way, the symbolism means that access to God has been opened up.
- Matthew 27:51 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:52 tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaō) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
- Matthew 27:53 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:54 sn See the note on the word centurion in Matt 8:5.
- Matthew 27:55 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:55 tn Grk “and ministered to him.”sn Cf. Luke 8:3.
- Matthew 27:57 sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.
- Matthew 27:58 sn Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Mark 15:43, Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.
- Matthew 27:59 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:59 tn The term σινδών (sindōn) can refer to a linen cloth used either for clothing or for burial.
- Matthew 27:60 tn That is, cut or carved into an outcropping of natural rock, resulting in a cave-like structure (see L&N 19.25).
- Matthew 27:60 tn Or “to the door,” “against the door.”
- Matthew 27:62 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
- Matthew 27:62 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
- Matthew 27:64 tn Grk “him.”
- Matthew 27:65 tn Grk “You have a guard.”
- Matthew 27:66 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Pilate’s order.
- Matthew 27:66 tn Grk “with the guard.” The words “soldiers of the” have been supplied in the translation to prevent “guard” from being misunderstood as a single individual.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.