< Matthew 27 >
1 Then, when morning arrived, all the leaders of the priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, so that they might deliver him to death.
2 And they led him, bound, and handed him over to Pontius Pilate, the procurator.
3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that he had been condemned, regretting his conduct, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the leaders of the priests and the elders,
4 saying, “I have sinned in betraying just blood.” But they said to him: “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”
5 And throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed. And going out, he hanged himself with a snare.
6 But the leaders of the priests, having taken up the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the temple offerings, because it is the price of blood.”
7 Then, having taken counsel, they bought the potter’s field with it, as a burying place for sojourners.
8 For this reason, that field is called Haceldama, that is, ‘The Field of Blood,’ even to this very day.
9 Then what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one being appraised, whom they appraised before the sons of Israel,
10 and they gave it for the potter’s field, just as the Lord appointed to me.”
11 Now Jesus stood before the procurator, and the procurator questioned him, saying, “You are the king of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “You are saying so.”
12 And when he was accused by the leaders of the priests and the elders, he responded nothing.
13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how much testimony they speak against you?”
14 And he did not respond any word to him, so that the procurator wondered greatly.
15 Now on the solemn day, the procurator was accustomed to release to the people one prisoner, whomever they wished.
16 And at that time, he had a notorious prisoner, who was called Barabbas.
17 Therefore, having been gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Who is it that you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?”
18 For he knew that it was out of envy they had handed him over.
19 But as he was sitting in the place for the tribunal, his wife sent to him, saying: “It is nothing to you, and he is just. For I have experienced many things today through a vision for his sake.”
20 But the leaders of the priests and the elders persuaded the people, so that they would ask for Barabbas, and so that Jesus would perish.
21 Then, in response, the procurator said to them, “Which of the two do you want to be released to you?” But they said to him, “Barabbas.”
22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do about Jesus, who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified.”
23 The procurator said to them, “But what evil has he done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let him be crucified.”
24 Then Pilate, seeing that he was able to accomplish nothing, but that a greater tumult was occurring, taking water, washed his hands in the sight of the people, saying: “I am innocent of the blood of this just man. See to it yourselves.”
25 And the entire people responded by saying, “May his blood be upon us and upon our children.”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But Jesus, having been scourged, he handed over to them, so that he would be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the procurator, taking Jesus up to the praetorium, gathered the entire cohort around him.
28 And stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak around him.
29 And plaiting a crown of thorns, they placed it on his head, with a reed in his right hand. And genuflecting before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews.”
30 And spitting on him, they took the reed and struck his head.
31 And after they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, and clothed him with his own garments, and they led him away to crucify him.
32 But as they were going out, they came upon a man of Cyrene, named Simon, whom they compelled to take up his cross.
33 And they arrived at the place which is called Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary.
34 And they gave him wine to drink, mixed with gall. And when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.
35 Then, after they had crucified him, they divided his garments, casting lots, in order to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying: “They divided my garments among them, and over my vestment they cast lots.”
36 And sitting down, they observed him.
37 And they set his accusation above his head, written as: This is Jesus, king of the Jews.
38 Then two robbers were crucified with him: one on the right and one on the left.
39 But those passing by blasphemed him, shaking their heads,
40 and saying: “Ah, so you would destroy the temple of God and in three days rebuild it! Save your own self. If you are the Son of God, descend from the cross.”
41 And similarly, the leaders of the priests, with the scribes and the elders, mocking him, said:
42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him descend now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
43 He trusted in God; so now, let God free him, if he wills him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
44 Then, the robbers who were crucified with him also reproached him with the very same thing.
45 Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over the entire earth, even until the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: “Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
47 Then certain ones who were standing and listening there said, “This man calls upon Elijah.”
48 And one of them, running quickly, took a sponge and filled it with vinegar, and he set it on a reed and he gave it to him to drink.
49 Yet truly, the others said, “Wait. Let us see whether Elijah will come to free him.”
50 Then Jesus, crying out again with a loud voice, gave up his life.
51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn into two parts, from top to bottom. And the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split apart.
52 And the tombs were opened. And many bodies of the saints, which had been sleeping, arose.
53 And going out from the tombs, after his resurrection, they went into the holy city, and they appeared to many.
54 Now the centurion and those who were with him, guarding Jesus, having seen the earthquake and the things that were done, were very fearful, saying: “Truly, this was the Son of God.”
55 And in that place, there were many women, at a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.
56 Among these were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 Then, when evening had arrived, a certain wealthy man from Arimathea, named Joseph, arrived, who himself was also a disciple of Jesus.
58 This man approached Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered the body to be released.
59 And Joseph, taking the body, wrapped it in a clean finely-woven linen cloth,
60 and he placed it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and he went away.
61 Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulcher.
62 Then the next day, which is after the Preparation day, the leaders of the priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate together,
63 saying: “Lord, we have remembered that this seducer said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days, I will rise again.’
64 Therefore, order the sepulcher to be guarded until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples may come and steal him, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ And this last error would be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate said to them: “You have a guard. Go, guard it as you know how.”
66 Then, going out, they secured the sepulcher with guards, sealing the stone.
