Old/New Testament

27 When it was morning, all the chief priests and the leaders of the people made a plan against Jesus. They wanted to kill him.

² They tied him and took him away. They took him to Pilate, the ruler.

³ Judas was the man who helped them take Jesus. He saw that they had judged Jesus and were going to kill him. He was sorry for what he had done, so he brought the thirty pieces of silver money back to the chief priests and leaders.

⁴ He said, `I have done wrong. I have helped you take a good man who should not be killed.' They said, `What do we care? You look after that!'

⁵ Judas threw the silver money into the temple. He went away and hanged himself.

⁶ The chief priests took the money. They said, `It is not right to put this money in the money box of the temple. It has been used to buy a man's death.'

⁷ They talked the matter over and bought a field that belonged to a man who made pots. They bought it for a place in which to bury strangers.

⁸ That is why that field has been called `The field of blood' until now.

⁹ What Jeremiah the prophet said long ago, then came true at that time. He said, `They took thirty pieces of silver money. That is what the people of Israel said he was worth.

¹⁰ They paid for the potter's field. That is what the Lord told me to do.'

¹¹ Jesus stood before the ruler. The ruler asked him, `Are you the King of the Jews?' Jesus said, `Yes, I am.'

¹² When the chief priests and leaders brought their complaints, Jesus said nothing.

¹³ Then Pilate said to him, `Do you not hear what these people say against you?'

¹⁴ But Jesus did not answer him, not even one word. Pilate was very much surprised about this.

¹⁵ At the feast Pilate used to let one prisoner free. He let the people choose the man they wanted to go free.

¹⁶ In the prison at that time was a very bad man named Barabbas.

¹⁷ So while the people were there Pilate asked them, `Which one do you want me to let free for you, Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?'

¹⁸ Pilate knew that the chief priests did not like Jesus. He knew that was why they had brought Jesus to him.

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting in the court to judge the case, his wife sent a message to him. She said, `Do nothing to that good man. I have been troubled very much in a dream about him today.'

²⁰ The chief priests and leaders talked to the people. They told them to ask Pilate to let Barabbas go free, but to kill Jesus.

²¹ The ruler said to the people, `Which of these two do you want me to let go free for you?' They said, `Barabbas.'

²² Pilate said to them, `Then what shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?' They all said, `Nail him to a cross!'

²³ The ruler said, `What wrong thing has he done?' But they shouted even more, `Nail him to a cross!'

²⁴ Pilate saw that he was not doing any good. And the people were making a lot of loud noise. So he washed his hands in water in front of the people. Then he said, `I will not say this man must be killed. You must do that.'

²⁵ Then all the people answered, `We and our children will do that.'

²⁶ Then Pilate let Barabbas go free. He told the soldiers to beat Jesus and nail him to a cross.