Matthew 27
Young's Literal Translation
27 And morning having come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, so as to put him to death;
2 and having bound him, they did lead away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
3 Then Judas -- he who delivered him up -- having seen that he was condemned, having repented, brought back the thirty silverlings to the chief priests, and to the elders, saying,
4 `I did sin, having delivered up innocent blood;' and they said, `What -- to us? thou shalt see!'
5 and having cast down the silverlings in the sanctuary, he departed, and having gone away, he did strangle himself.
6 And the chief priests having taken the silverlings, said, `It is not lawful to put them to the treasury, seeing it is the price of blood;'
7 and having taken counsel, they bought with them the field of the potter, for the burial of strangers;
8 therefore was that field called, `Field of blood,' unto this day.
9 Then was fulfilled that spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, `And I took the thirty silverlings, the price of him who hath been priced, whom they of the sons of Israel did price,
10 and gave them for the field of the potter, as the Lord did appoint to me.'
11 And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor did question him, saying, `Art thou the king of the Jews!' And Jesus said to him, `Thou sayest.'
12 And in his being accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not answer any thing,
13 then saith Pilate to him, `Dost thou not hear how many things they witness against thee?'
14 And he did not answer him, not even to one word, so that the governor did wonder greatly.
15 And at the feast the governor had been accustomed to release one to the multitude, a prisoner, whom they willed,
16 and they had then a noted prisoner, called Barabbas,
17 they therefore having been gathered together, Pilate said to them, `Whom will ye I shall release to you? Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?'
18 for he had known that because of envy they had delivered him up.
19 And as he is sitting on the tribunal, his wife sent unto him, saying, `Nothing -- to thee and to that righteous one, for many things did I suffer to-day in a dream because of him.'
20 And the chief priests and the elders did persuade the multitudes that they might ask for themselves Barabbas, and might destroy Jesus;
21 and the governor answering said to them, `Which of the two will ye [that] I shall release to you?' And they said, `Barabbas.'
22 Pilate saith to them, `What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all say to him, `Let be crucified!'
23 And the governor said, `Why, what evil did he?' and they were crying out the more, saying, `Let be crucified.'
24 And Pilate having seen that it profiteth nothing, but rather a tumult is made, having taken water, he did wash the hands before the multitude, saying, `I am innocent from the blood of this righteous one; ye -- ye shall see;'
25 and all the people answering said, `His blood [is] upon us, and upon our children!'
26 Then did he release to them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered [him] up that he may be crucified;
27 then the soldiers of the governor having taken Jesus to the Praetorium, did gather to him all the band;
28 and having unclothed him, they put around him a crimson cloak,
29 and having plaited him a crown out of thorns they put [it] on his head, and a reed in his right hand, and having kneeled before him, they were mocking him, saying, `Hail, the king of the Jews.'
30 And having spit on him, they took the reed, and were smiting on his head;
31 and when they had mocked him, they took off from him the cloak, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify [him].
32 And coming forth, they found a man, a Cyrenian, by name Simon: him they impressed that he might bear his cross;
33 and having come to a place called Golgotha, that is called Place of a Skull,
34 they gave him to drink vinegar mixed with gall, and having tasted, he would not drink.
35 And having crucified him, they divided his garments, casting a lot, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the prophet, `They divided my garments to themselves, and over my vesture they cast a lot;'
36 and sitting down, they were watching him there,
37 and they put up over his head, his accusation written, `This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.'
38 Then crucified with him are two robbers, one on the right hand, and one on the left,
39 and those passing by were speaking evil of him, wagging their heads,
40 and saying, `Thou that art throwing down the sanctuary, and in three days building [it], save thyself; if Son thou art of God, come down from the cross.'
41 And in like manner also the chief priests mocking, with the scribes and elders, said,
42 `Others he saved; himself he is not able to save! If he be King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe him;
43 he hath trusted on God, let Him now deliver him, if He wish him, because he said -- Son of God I am;'
44 with the same also the robbers, who were crucified with him, were reproaching him.
45 And from the sixth hour darkness came over all the land unto the ninth hour,
46 and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a great voice, saying, `Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, `My God, my God, why didst Thou forsake me?'
47 And certain of those standing there having heard, said -- `Elijah he doth call;'
48 and immediately, one of them having run, and having taken a spunge, having filled [it] with vinegar, and having put [it] on a reed, was giving him to drink,
49 but the rest said, `Let alone, let us see if Elijah doth come -- about to save him.'
50 And Jesus having again cried with a great voice, yielded the spirit;
51 and lo, the vail of the sanctuary was rent in two from top unto bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks were rent,
52 and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who have fallen asleep, arose,
53 and having come forth out of the tombs after his rising, they went into the holy city, and appeared to many.
54 And the centurion, and those with him watching Jesus, having seen the earthquake, and the things that were done, were exceedingly afraid, saying, `Truly this was God's Son.'
55 And there were there many women beholding from afar, who did follow Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him,
56 among whom was Mary the Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and of Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 And evening having come, there came a rich man, from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was discipled to Jesus,
58 he having gone near to Pilate, asked for himself the body of Jesus; then Pilate commanded the body to be given back.
59 And having taken the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen,
60 and laid it in his new tomb, that he hewed in the rock, and having rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, he went away;
61 and there were there Mary the Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over-against the sepulchre.
62 And on the morrow that is after the preparation, were gathered together the chief priests, and the Pharisees, unto Pilate,
63 saying, `Sir, we have remembered that that deceiver said while yet living, After three days I do rise;
64 command, then, the sepulchre to be made secure till the third day, lest his disciples, having come by night, may steal him away, and may say to the people, He rose from the dead, and the last deceit shall be worse than the first.'
65 And Pilate said to them, `Ye have a watch, go away, make secure -- as ye have known;'
66 and they, having gone, did make the sepulchre secure, having sealed the stone, together with the watch.
Matthew 27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jesus Handed Over to Pilate
27 When daybreak came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.(A) 2 After tying Him up, they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate,[a] the governor.(B)
Judas Hangs Himself
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.(C) 4 “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said.
“What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!”
5 So he threw the silver into the sanctuary(D) and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests took the silver and said, “It’s not lawful(E) to put it into the temple treasury,[b] since it is blood money.”[c] 7 So they conferred together and bought the potter’s field with it as a burial place for foreigners. 8 Therefore that field has been called “Blood Field” to this day. 9 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
They took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of Him whose price was set by the Israelites, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.(F)[d]
Jesus Faces the Governor
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor.(G) “Are You the King of the Jews?” the governor asked Him.
Jesus answered, “You have said it.”[e](H) 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He didn’t answer.(I)
13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Don’t You hear how much they are testifying against You?” 14 But He didn’t answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.(J)
Jesus or Barabbas
15 At the festival(K) the governor’s custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.[f] 17 So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Who is it you want me to release for you—Barabbas,[g] or Jesus who is called Messiah?”(L) 18 For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy.
19 While he was sitting on the judge’s bench, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I’ve suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!”(M)
20 The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. 21 The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”
“Barabbas!” they answered.
22 Pilate asked them, “What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?”
They all answered, “Crucify Him!”[h](N)
23 Then he said, “Why? What has He done wrong?”
But they kept shouting, “Crucify Him!” all the more.(O)
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere,[i] but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.[j] See to it yourselves!”(P)
25 All the people answered, “His blood be on us(Q) and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged,[k] he handed Him over to be crucified.(R)
Mocked by the Military
27 Then(S) the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into headquarters and gathered the whole company around Him.(T) 28 They stripped Him and dressed Him in a scarlet military robe.(U) 29 They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and placed a reed in His right hand. And they knelt down before Him and mocked Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 Then they spit on Him, took the reed, and kept hitting Him on the head. 31 When they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the robe, put His clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.(V)
Crucified Between Two Criminals
32 As they were going out, they found a Cyrenian man named Simon. They forced this man to carry His cross.(W) 33 When they came to a place called Golgotha(X) (which means Skull Place), 34 they gave Him wine[l] mixed with gall to drink. But when He tasted it, He would not drink it. 35 After crucifying Him they divided His clothes by casting lots.[m](Y) 36 Then they sat down and were guarding Him there. 37 Above His head they put up the charge against Him in writing:
THIS IS JESUS
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 Then two criminals[n] were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.(Z) 39 Those who passed by were yelling insults at[o] Him, shaking their heads(AA) 40 and saying, “The One who would demolish the sanctuary and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”(AB) 41 In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders,[p] mocked Him and said, 42 “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! He is the King of Israel!(AC) Let Him[q] come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43 He has put His trust in God; let God rescue Him now—if He wants Him![r] For He said, ‘I am God’s Son.’” 44 In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with Him kept taunting Him.(AD)
The Death of Jesus
45 From noon until three in the afternoon[s] darkness came over the whole land.[t](AE) 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá[u] sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken[v] Me?”(AF)[w]
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah!”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, and offered Him a drink.(AG) 49 But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him!”
50 Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit.(AH) 51 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary[x](AI) was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were also opened(AJ) and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.
54 When the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “This man really was God’s Son!”[y](AK)
55 Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and ministered to Him were there, looking on from a distance.(AL) 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.(AM)
The Burial of Jesus
57 When it was evening,(AN) a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple(AO) of Jesus. 58 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Then Pilate ordered that it[z] be released. 59 So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen, 60 and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb.(AP) 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.
The Closely Guarded Tomb
62 The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate(AQ) 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive He said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’(AR) 64 Therefore give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples(AS) may come, steal Him, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ Then the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 “You have[aa] a guard of soldiers,”[ab] Pilate told them. “Go and make it as secure as you know how.” 66 Then they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting the guard.[ac](AT)
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:2 Other mss read Pontius Pilate
- Matthew 27:6 See Mk 7:11 where the same Gk word (Corban) means a gift pledged to the temple.
- Matthew 27:6 Lit the price of blood
- Matthew 27:10 Jr 32:6-9; Zch 11:12-13
- Matthew 27:11 Or That is true, an affirmative oath; Mt 26:64; Mk 15:2
- Matthew 27:16 Other mss read Jesus Barabbas
- Matthew 27:17 Other mss read Jesus Barabbas
- Matthew 27:22 Lit “Him—be crucified!”
- Matthew 27:24 Lit that it availed nothing
- Matthew 27:24 Other mss read this righteous man’s blood
- Matthew 27:26 Roman flogging was done with a whip made of leather strips embedded with pieces of bone or metal that brutally tore the flesh.
- Matthew 27:34 Other mss read sour wine
- Matthew 27:35 Other mss add that what was spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled: “They divided My clothes among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”
- Matthew 27:38 Or revolutionaries
- Matthew 27:39 Lit passed by blasphemed or were blaspheming
- Matthew 27:41 Other mss add and Pharisees
- Matthew 27:42 Other mss read If He . . . Israel, let Him
- Matthew 27:43 Or if He takes pleasure in Him
- Matthew 27:45 Lit From the sixth hour to the ninth hour
- Matthew 27:45 Or whole earth
- Matthew 27:46 Some mss read lama; other mss read lima
- Matthew 27:46 Or abandoned
- Matthew 27:46 Ps 22:1
- Matthew 27:51 A heavy curtain separated the inner room of the temple from the outer.
- Matthew 27:54 Or the Son of God
- Matthew 27:58 Other mss read that the body
- Matthew 27:65 Or “Take
- Matthew 27:65 It is uncertain whether this guard consisted of temple police or Roman soldiers.
- Matthew 27:66 Lit stone with the guard
Matthew 27
New King James Version
Jesus Handed Over to Pontius Pilate(A)
27 When morning came, (B)all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and (C)delivered Him to [a]Pontius Pilate the governor.
Judas Hangs Himself(D)
3 (E)Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty (F)pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and (G)departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called (H)the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, (I)“And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and (J)gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
Jesus Faces Pilate(K)
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. (L)And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
Jesus said to him, (M)“It is as you say.” 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, (N)He answered nothing.
13 Then Pilate said to Him, (O)“Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.
Taking the Place of Barabbas(P)
15 (Q)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called [b]Barabbas. 17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of (R)envy.
19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”
20 (S)But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”
They said, (T)“Barabbas!”
22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”
They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”
23 Then the governor said, (U)“Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”
24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a [c]tumult was rising, he (V)took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this [d]just Person. You see to it.”
25 And all the people answered and said, (W)“His blood be on us and on our children.”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when (X)he had [e]scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus(Y)
27 (Z)Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the [f]Praetorium and gathered the whole [g]garrison around Him. 28 And they (AA)stripped Him and (AB)put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 (AC)When they had [h]twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on 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 Then (AD)they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, (AE)and led Him away to be crucified.
The King on a Cross(AF)
32 (AG)Now as they came out, (AH)they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. 33 (AI)And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34 (AJ)they gave Him [i]sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.
35 (AK)Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, [j]that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:
(AL)“They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.”
36 (AM)Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37 And they (AN)put up over His head the accusation written against Him:
THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 (AO)Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.
39 And (AP)those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, (AQ)“You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! (AR)If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the [k]scribes and elders, said, 42 “He (AS)saved others; Himself He cannot save. [l]If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe [m]Him. 43 (AT)He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
44 (AU)Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
Jesus Dies on the Cross(AV)
45 (AW)Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour (AX)Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, (AY)“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, (AZ)filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.
49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”
50 And Jesus (BA)cried out again with a loud voice, and (BB)yielded up His spirit.
51 Then, behold, (BC)the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
54 (BD)So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, (BE)“Truly this was the Son of God!”
55 And many women (BF)who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 (BG)among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and [n]Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb(BH)
57 Now (BI)when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and (BJ)laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting [o]opposite the tomb.
Pilate Sets a Guard
62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, (BK)‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come [p]by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, (BL)sealing the stone and setting the guard.
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:2 NU omits Pontius
- Matthew 27:16 NU Jesus Barabbas
- Matthew 27:24 an uproar
- Matthew 27:24 NU omits just
- Matthew 27:26 flogged with a Roman scourge
- Matthew 27:27 The governor’s headquarters
- Matthew 27:27 cohort
- Matthew 27:29 Lit. woven
- Matthew 27:34 NU omits sour
- Matthew 27:35 NU, M omit the rest of v. 35.
- Matthew 27:41 M scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders
- Matthew 27:42 NU omits If
- Matthew 27:42 NU, M in Him
- Matthew 27:56 NU Joseph
- Matthew 27:61 in front of
- Matthew 27:64 NU omits by night
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
