Matthew 27
1 Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.
Very early the next morning all the chief priests and Jewish elders decided how [to arrange for the Romans] to execute Jesus.
2 They bound him, led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
They tied his hands and took him to Pilate, the [Roman] governor.
3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
When Judas, the one who had (betrayed/enabled Jesus’ enemies to seize) him, realized that they had decided to have Jesus executed, he was very sorry [about what he had done]. He took the 30 coins back to the chief priests and elders.
4 saying, “I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.”
He said, “I have sinned. I have (betrayed/enabled you to seize) a man who (is innocent/has not done anything wrong).” They replied, “(That means nothing to us!/What does that mean to us?) [RHQ] That is your problem!”
5 He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary and departed. Then he went away and hanged himself.
So Judas [took] the money [and] threw it inside the Temple. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It’s not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.”
[Later] the high priests [found] the coins. They picked them up and said, “This is money that we paid [to have a man killed] [MTY], and our law does not allow [such money] to be put {us to put [such money]} into the [Temple treasury].”
7 They took counsel, and bought the potter’s field with them to bury strangers in.
So they decided to use that money to buy the field where clay was dug for making pots {men dug ground for making pots}. [They made that field] a place where they buried strangers [who died in Jerusalem].
8 Therefore that field has been called “The Field of Blood” to this day.
That is why that place is still called {why they still call that place} ‘The field of blood’.
9 Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him upon whom a price had been set, whom some of the children of Israel priced,
[By buying that field], they fulfilled these words that the prophet Jeremiah wrote [long ago]: They took the 30 silver coins; That was what the leaders of Israel decided [that he was worth];
10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
and with that money they bought the field where clay was dug for potters. They did that as the Lord had commanded me.
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “So you say.”
Jesus stood in front of [Pilate], the governor. The governor asked Jesus, “Do you [claim to be] the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “[It is] as you have [just] said.”
12 When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
When he was accused by the chief priests and elders {When the chief priests and elders accused him} about various things, he did not answer.
13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do not you hear how many things they testify against you?”
So Pilate said to him, “You hear how many things they are saying to accuse you; [are you not going to reply]?”
14 He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.
But [even though he was not guilty], Jesus did not say anything. He did not reply to any of the things about which they were accusing him. As a result, the governor was very surprised.
15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner whom they desired.
It was the governor’s custom [each year] during the [Passover] celebration to release [one person who was in prison]. [He released] whichever prisoner the people wanted.
16 They had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas.
At that time there was [in Jerusalem] a well-known prisoner whose name was Barabbas.
17 When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
So when the crowd gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which [prisoner] would you like me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus, whom [some of you] claim to be the Messiah?”
18 For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.
[He asked that question] because he realized that the chief priests [wanted to have Jesus executed]. They had brought Jesus to him [only] because they were jealous of Jesus. [And Pilate thought that the crowd would prefer that he release Jesus].
19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him.”
While Pilate was sitting on the platform [where he made] judicial [decisions], his wife sent him [this message]: “Early this morning I had a bad dream because of that man. So do not condemn that righteous man!”
20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowd to ask [Pilate to] release Barabbas, and to [order] that Jesus be executed {that [his soldiers] execute Jesus}.
21 But the governor answered them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”
So when the governor asked them, “Which of the two men do you want me to release for you?” They replied, “Barabbas!”
22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do to Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate, [very astonished], asked, “So what shall I do with Jesus who [some of you] say is the Messiah?” They all answered, “[Command that] he be crucified! {[Command your soldiers] (to crucify him/to nail him to a cross)}!”
23 But the governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate replied, “Why? What crime has he committed?” But they shouted even louder, “[Have] him crucified {[Command that your soldiers] crucify him}!”
24 So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it.”
Pilate realized that he was accomplishing nothing. He saw that instead, the people were starting to riot. So he took [a basin of] water and washed his hands as the crowd was watching. He said, “[By washing my hands I am showing you that] if this man dies [MTY], it is [your] fault, [not mine]!”
25 All the people answered, “May his blood be on us and on our children!”
And all the people answered, “The guilt for causing him to die [MTY] will be on us, and it will be on our children, too!”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified.
Then he [ordered the soldiers to] release Barabbas for them. But he [ordered that his soldiers] flog Jesus. And then he turned Jesus over to the soldiers for them (to nail Jesus to a cross/to crucify him).
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him.
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the government headquarters. The whole (cohort/group of soldiers) gathered around him.
28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.
They pulled off [his clothes], and [pretending he was a king, they] put a purple robe on him.
29 They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
They [took some branches with] thorns and wove them to make a crown and put it on his head. They put in his right hand a reed [like a staff that a king would hold]. Then they knelt in front of him and made fun of him, saying, “Hooray for the king of the Jews [IRO]!”
30 They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.
They kept spitting on him. They took the staff and kept striking him on the head with it.
31 When they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
When they had finished ridiculing him, they pulled off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to [the place where they] would nail him to a cross.
32 As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.
[After Jesus carried his cross] a short distance, [the soldiers] saw a man named Simon, [who was] from Cyrene [city]. They forced him to carry the cross for Jesus.
33 When they came to a place called “Golgotha”, that is to say, “The place of a skull,”
They came to a place called Golgotha. That name means ‘the place [like] a skull’.
34 they gave him sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink.
When [they got there], they mixed with wine something that tasted very bitter. They gave it to [Jesus] to drink [so that he would not feel so much pain when they nailed him on the cross]. But when he tasted it, he refused to drink it. [Some soldiers took his clothes].
35 When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,
Then they nailed him to the cross. Afterwards, they divided his clothes among themselves by gambling with something like dice [to decide which piece of clothing each one would get].
36 and they sat and watched him there.
Then the soldiers sat down there to guard him, [to prevent anyone from trying to rescue him].
37 They set up over his head the accusation against him written, “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
They fastened [to the cross] above Jesus’ head a [sign on which had been] {[they had]} written why [they] were nailing him to the cross. [But all] it said was, ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews’.
38 Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left.
Two bandits were also nailed {They also nailed two bandits} on crosses. One was nailed to a cross on the right side [of Jesus] and one to a cross on the left side.
39 Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads
The people who were passing by insulted him by shaking their heads [as if he were an evil man].
40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
They said, “You [said you] would destroy the Temple, and then you would build it again within three days! [So if you could do that], you [should be able to] save yourself! If you are the man who is also God (OR, If you are the Son of God), come down from the cross!”
41 Likewise the chief priests also mocking with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said,
Similarly, the chief priests, the men who taught the [Jewish] laws and the elders made fun of him. [Various ones of them] said things like,
42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.
“He [claims that he] saved others [IRO] [from their sicknesses], but he cannot help himself!” “He [says that he] is [IRO] the King of Israel. So he should come down from the cross. Then we would believe him!”
43 He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
“He [says that he] trusts in God, and that he is the man who is also God. So if God is pleased with him, God should rescue him now!”
44 The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.
And the [two] bandits who had been crucified with him also insulted him, saying similar things.
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.
At noon it became dark over the whole land. [It stayed dark] until three o’clock [in the afternoon].
46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
At about three o’clock Jesus shouted loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” That means, ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’
47 Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”
When some of the people standing there heard [the word ‘Eli’, misunderstanding it], they said, “He is calling for [the prophet] Elijah!”
48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with sour wine. Then he put the sponge on [the tip of] a reed and [held it up in order that Jesus] could suck out [the wine that was in it].
49 The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
But the other [people there] said, “Wait! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him!”
50 Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.
Then after Jesus shouted out loudly again, he died, giving his spirit over [to God].
51 Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
At that moment the [heavy thick] curtain [that closed off the most holy place] in the Temple split into two pieces from top to bottom. [That signified that ordinary people could now go into the presence of God]. The earth shook, and [some large] rocks split open.
52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
[Some] tombs opened up, and the bodies of many godly people who had died became alive again.
53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.
They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus became alive again, they went into Jerusalem and appeared to many people [there].
54 Now the centurion and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were done, were terrified, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
The officer who supervised the soldiers [who nailed Jesus to the cross was standing nearby]. His soldiers who had been on guard [so that no one would rescue] Jesus [were also there]. When they [felt] the earthquake and saw all the [other] things that happened, they were terrified. They exclaimed, “Truly he was both man and God! (OR, a Son of God).”
55 Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him.
Many women were there, watching from a distance. They were women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee [district] in order to provide the things he needed.
56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Among these women were Mary from Magdala [town], [another] Mary who was the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John.
57 When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus’ disciple, came.
When it was [almost] evening, a rich man named Joseph came [there]. He was from Arimathea [town]. He also was a disciple of Jesus.
58 This man went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up.
He then went to Pilate and asked Pilate to [allow him to take] the body of Jesus [and bury it]. Pilate ordered that [he] be allowed to {[his soldiers] let [Joseph]} take [the body].
59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth
So Joseph [and others] took the body and wrapped it in a clean white cloth.
60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock. Then he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
Then they placed it in Joseph’s own new tomb that had been dug out of the rock [cliff]. They rolled a huge [circular flat] stone in front of the entrance to the tomb. Then they left.
61 Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
Mary from Magdala and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb, [watching].
62 Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate,
The next day was Saturday, the Jewish day of rest. The chief priests and [some of] the Pharisees went to Pilate.
63 saying, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’
They said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive, he said, ‘Three days after I [die I] will become alive again.’
64 Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead;’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”
So we ask you to order that the tomb be guarded {that [soldiers] guard the tomb} for three days. If you do not do that, his disciples may come and steal the body. Then they will tell people that he has risen from the dead. If they deceive [people by saying that], it will be worse than the way he deceived people before [by saying that he was the Messiah].”
65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.”
Pilate replied, “You [can] take some soldiers. Go to the tomb and make it as secure as you know how.”
66 So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.
So they went and made the tomb secure by [fastening a cord from] the stone [that was in front of the entrance to the rock cliff on each side] and sealing it. They also [left some soldiers there to] guard [the tomb].
