Matthew 27

Jesus Delivered to Pilate

1 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 They bound Him, led [Him] away, and handed [Him] over to Pilate the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself

3 When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that [Jesus] was condemned, he was filled with remorse [and] returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. 4 “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What [is that] to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.” 5 So [Judas] threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests picked up the pieces of silver [and] said, “vvv It is unlawful to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 [After] conferring together, [they used] [the money] to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why [it] 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 set on Him by [the] people of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as [the] Lord had commanded me.” ▼

▼See Zechariah 11:12,13; Jeremiah 19:1-13; 32:6-9.

Jesus Before Pilate

11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, who questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said [so] ,” Jesus replied. 12 And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate asked Him, “vvv Do You not hear how many charges they are bringing against You?” 14 But [Jesus] gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governor’s amazement.

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

15 Now [it was] the governor’s custom at [the] feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing. 16 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. ▼

▼SBL and NA Jesus Barabbas; also in verse 17.

17 So when [the crowd] had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which [one] do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew [it was] out of envy [that] they had handed [Jesus] over to him. 19 [While] [Pilate] was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent [man] , for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.” 20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death. 21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “ - Barabbas,” they replied. 22 “What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!” 23 “Why?” asked [Pilate] . “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”

Pilate Washes his Hands

24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water [and] washed [his] hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this [man’s] blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.” ▼

▼BYZ and TR for this righteous blood

25 All the people answered, “His blood [be] on us and on our children!” 26 [So] [Pilate] released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged [and] handed Him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium [and] gathered the whole company around Him. 28 They stripped Him [and] put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 And they twisted together a crown of thorns [and] set [it] on His head. [They put] a staff in His right hand and knelt down before Him to mock Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 Then they spat on Him [and] took the staff and struck Him on the head {repeatedly} . 31 After they had mocked Him, they removed the robe and put His [own] clothes [back] on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify [Him] .

The Crucifixion

32 Along the way they found a man from Cyrene, named Simon, [and] they forced him to carry the cross of [Jesus] . 33 And [when] they came to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull, 34 they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting [it] , He refused to drink [it] . 35 When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots. ▼

▼Psalm 22:18; TR includes to fulfill what was said through the prophet, They divided my garments among them, and cast lots for my clothing.

36 And sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37 Above His head they posted the written charge against Him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. 38 Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on [His] right hand and [the other] on [His] left. 39 And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, 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 [the] Son of God, come down from the cross!” 41 In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, 42 “He saved others, [but] He cannot save Himself. He is [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] deliver Him now if He wants Him. ▼

▼Psalm 22:8

For He said, ‘I am [the] Son of God.’” 44 In the same way, even the robbers who were crucified with Him berated Him.

The Death of Jesus

45 From [the] sixth hour until [the] ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, ▼

▼NE and WH Eloi, Eloi

lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” ▼

▼Psalm 22:1

47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “ [He] is calling Elijah.” 48 One of them quickly ran and brought a sponge. He filled [it] with vinegar, put [it] on a reed, and held it up for [Jesus] to drink. 49 But the others said, “Leave [Him] alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to save Him.” 50 When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up [His] spirit. 51 At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs broke open, and [the] bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 After [Jesus’] resurrection, when they had come out of the tombs, they entered the holy city and appeared to many [people] . 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified [and] said, “Truly this was [the] Son of God.” 55 And many women were there, watching from a distance. [They] had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him. 56 Among [them] were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

The Burial of Jesus

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who himself was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut into the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance to the tomb [and] went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guards at the Tomb

62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while He was alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come [and] steal Him away and tell the people He has risen from the dead. And [this] last deception would be worse than the first.” 65 “You have a guard,” Pilate said. “Go, make [the tomb as] secure as you know [how] .” 66 So they went [and] secured the tomb by sealing the stone [and posting] the guard.