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Matthew 27:15-44
English Standard Version
Matthew 27:15-44
English Standard Version
The Crowd Chooses Barabbas
15 (A)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or (B)Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out (C)of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on (D)the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with (E)that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today (F)in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to (G)ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” (H)They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? (I)What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that (J)a riot was beginning, he took water and (K)washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of (L)this man's blood;[a] (M)see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, (N)“His blood be on us and (O)on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having (P)scourged[b] Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
Jesus Is Mocked
27 (Q)Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the (R)governor's headquarters,[c] and they gathered the whole (S)battalion[d] before him. 28 And they stripped him and put (T)a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they (U)mocked him, saying, “Hail, (V)King of the Jews!” 30 And (W)they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and (X)led him away to crucify him.
The Crucifixion
32 (Y)(Z)As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to (AA)carry his cross. 33 (AB)And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 (AC)they offered him wine to drink, mixed with (AD)gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, (AE)they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and (AF)kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, (AG)the King of the Jews.” 38 Then two (AH)robbers were crucified with him, (AI)one on the right and one on the left. 39 And (AJ)those who passed by (AK)derided him, (AL)wagging their heads 40 and saying, (AM)“You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! (AN)If you are (AO)the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 (AP)“He saved others; (AQ)he cannot save himself. (AR)He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 (AS)He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 (AT)And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 27:24 Some manuscripts this righteous blood, or this righteous man's blood
- Matthew 27:26 A Roman judicial penalty, consisting of a severe beating with a multi-lashed whip containing embedded pieces of bone and metal
- Matthew 27:27 Greek the praetorium
- Matthew 27:27 Greek cohort; a tenth of a Roman legion, usually about 600 men
Matthew 27:15-44
New International Version
Matthew 27:15-44
New International Version
15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner(A) chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus[a] Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”(B) 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,(C) his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent(D) man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream(E) because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.(F)
21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”(G) Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar(H) was starting, he took water and washed his hands(I) in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”(J) he said. “It is your responsibility!”(K)
25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”(L)
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged,(M) and handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus(N)
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium(O) and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,(P) 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.(Q) 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.(R) 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.(S)
The Crucifixion of Jesus(T)
32 As they were going out,(U) they met a man from Cyrene,(V) named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.(W) 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).(X) 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall;(Y) but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.(Z) 36 And sitting down, they kept watch(AA) over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
38 Two rebels were crucified with him,(AB) one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads(AC) 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,(AD) save yourself!(AE) Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”(AF) 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel!(AG) Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe(AH) in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him(AI) now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:16 Many manuscripts do not have Jesus; also in verse 17.
Matthew 27:15-44
King James Version
Matthew 27:15-44
King James Version
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.
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.