Matthew 27
New Matthew Bible
Christ is delivered to Pilate. Judas hangs himself. Christ is crucified between thieves. He dies and is buried. Watchmen guard the grave.
27 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people held a council against Jesus, to put him to death, 2 and brought him bound, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
3 Then when Judas who had betrayed him saw that he was condemned, he repented, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, I have sinned, betraying the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? You see to it. 5 And Judas cast down the silver pieces 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 to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 7 And they took counsel, and bought with the money a potter’s field to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field is called the Field of Blood until this day. 9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: And they took thirty silver pieces, the price of him that was sold, whom they bought from the children of Israel, 10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.
11 Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus said to him, It is as you say. 12 And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13 Then Pilate said to him, Do you not hear how many things they lay against you? 14 And he answered him never a word, insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
15 At that feast the governor was accustomed to release to the people a prisoner, whomever they would request. 16 He had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas. 17 And when the people were gathered together, Pilate said to them, Which do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ? 18 For he knew well that it was for envy they had delivered him.
19 When he was seated to give judgment, his wife sent to him, saying, Have nothing to do with that just man. For I have suffered many things this day in a dream about him. 20 But the chief priests and the elders had persuaded the people that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 Then the governor spoke and said to them, Which of the two do you want me to set free to you? And they said, Barabbas! 22 Pilate said to them, What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ? They all said to him, Let him be crucified! 23 Then said the governor, What evil has he done? And they cried out all the more, saying, Let him be crucified!
24 When Pilate saw that he was not prevailing, but that more of a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the people, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person, and that you should see. 25 Then all the people answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children!
26 Then he let Barabbas go free to them, and had Jesus scourged, and delivered him to be crucified.
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus to the common hall, and gathered to him the whole company of soldiers. 28 And they stripped him and put on him a purple robe, 29 and plaited a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And they bowed their knees before him and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30 And they spat upon him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.
31 And when they had mocked him, they took the robe back from him and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him. 32 And as they went out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon; him they compelled to bear his cross. 33 And when they came to the place called Golgotha (which means, a place of dead men’s skulls), 34 they gave him vinegar to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted of it, he would not drink.
35 When they had crucified him, they parted his garments and cast lots, to fulfil that which was spoken by the prophet: They divided my garments among them, and for my vesture did cast lots. 36 And they sat and kept watch over him there. 37 And they set up over his head his accusation, written this is jesus, the king of the jews. 38 And there were two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand and another on the left.
39 The people who passed by reviled him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, You who destroy the temple of God and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!
41 Likewise also the high priests, mocking him with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he really is the king of Israel, let him come down now 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 Also the thieves who were crucified with him cast the same in his teeth.
45 From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And 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?)
47 Some of the people who were standing there, when they heard that, said, This man is calling for Elijah! 48 And straightaway one of them ran and took a sponge, and filled it full of vinegar and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49 Others said, Leave him be; let us see if Elijah will come and deliver him.
50 Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up the spirit. 51 And behold: the veil of the temple did tear in two, from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks did split. 52 And graves did open, and the bodies of many saints who slept arose, 53 and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and came into the holy city and appeared to many.
54 When the centurion and those who were with him watching Jesus saw the earthquake and those things that happened, they feared greatly, saying, Surely this was the Son of God.
55 And many women were there, watching him from afar – those who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.
57 When the evening was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, which man also was Jesus’ disciple. 58 He went to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and put it in his new tomb, which he had hewn out even in the rock. He rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed. 61 And there were Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, sitting across from the sepulchre.
62 The next day, which followed the day of preparing the Sabbath, the high priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate 63 and said, Sir, we remember what this deceiver said while he was still alive: After three days, I will arise again. 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come and steal him away, and say to the people that he is risen from the dead, and the last error be worse than the first.
65 Pilate said to them, Take watchmen; go and make it as secure as you can. 66 And they went and made the sepulchre secure with watchmen, and sealed the stone.
Matthew 27
Evangelical Heritage Version
27 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people reached the decision to put Jesus to death. 2 They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
The End of Judas
3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he felt remorse. He brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders 4 and said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? That’s your problem.”
5 He threw the pieces of silver into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put these into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 They reached a decision to buy the potter’s field with the money, as a burial place for foreigners. 8 So that field has been called The Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price the sons of Israel had set for him, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, just as the Lord commanded me.[a]
Jesus’ Trial in Pilate’s Court
11 When Jesus stood in the presence of the governor, the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”
12 When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many things they are testifying against you?”
14 But he did not answer him—not even one word, so that the governor was very surprised.
Barabbas or Jesus?
15 At the time of the Festival the governor had a custom to release to the crowd any one prisoner they wanted. 16 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. 17 So when they were assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you? Barabbas—or Jesus, who is called Christ?” 18 For Pilate knew that they had handed Jesus over to him because of envy.
19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, Pilate’s wife sent him a message. “Have nothing to do with that righteous man,” she said, “since I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him.” 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death. 21 The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”
“Barabbas!” they said.
22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?”
They all said to him, “Crucify him!”
23 But the governor said, “Why? What has he done wrong?”
But they kept shouting even louder: “Crucify him!”
24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing and that instead it was turning into a riot, he took water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this righteous man’s blood. It is your responsibility.”
25 And all the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them, but he had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified.
Soldiers Mock Jesus
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole cohort[b] of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand, knelt in front of him, and mocked him by saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spit on him, took the staff, and hit him repeatedly on his head.
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,[c] 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?”[d]
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.
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:10 See Zechariah 11:12-13; Jeremiah 19:1-13; 32:6-9.
- Matthew 27:27 A Roman cohort was about six hundred soldiers.
- Matthew 27:45 From noon to 3 pm
- Matthew 27:46 Psalm 22:1
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 © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
