< Matthew 27 >
1 NOW when the morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus how they might put him to death.
2 And having bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
3 Then Judas who betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, repenting, carried back the thirty silver pieces to the chief priests and the elders,
4 saying, I have sinned, in betraying innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And throwing down the silver pieces in the temple, he departed; and going out, hanged himself.
6 Then the chief priests taking up the silver pieces, said, It is not lawful to put them to the treasure destined for sacred uses, because it is the price of blood.
7 So taking counsel, they bought with them a potter’s field, as a burial-place for strangers.
8 Therefore is that field called, The field of blood unto this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty silver pieces, the price of him who had been estimated at that rate, whom they of the children of Israel did value:
10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord had ordered me.
11 Then was Jesus placed before the governor, and the governor interrogated him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? Then Jesus replied to him, Thou sayest true.
12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he made no reply.
13 Then saith Pilate to him, Hearest thou not how many things they testify against thee?
14 And he made him no reply, no not to a single word: so that the governor marvelled exceedingly.
15 Now at the feast, the governor had been accustomed to release one prisoner to the people, whomsoever they chose.
16 And they had at that time a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.
17 Being therefore gathered around him, Pilate said to them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus called Messiah?
18 For he knew that out of envy they had delivered him up.
19 Then, as he was sitting on the tribunal, his wife sent a message to him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous person; for I have suffered much to-day in a dream on his account.
20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the populace that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor repeating the question, said to them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? They said Barabbas.
22 Pilate saith unto them, What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah? They all say to him, Let him be crucified.
23 The governor replied, But what evil hath he done? They cried out with greater vehemence, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that it was of no use to contend, but that rather a tumult was rising, he took water, and washed his hands before the people, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man: ye must answer for it.
25 Then all the people answering said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
26 Then he released unto them Barabbas: but having scourged Jesus, he delivered him up to be crucified.
27 Thereupon the soldiers of the governor taking Jesus away to the Praetorium, gathered around him the whole band:
28 and stripping him, put about him a scarlet cloak.
29 And platting a crown of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a cane in his right hand: and bowing the knee before him, mocked him, saying, Hail, king of the Jews!
30 And spitting upon him, they took the cane, and struck him upon his head.
31 And when they had insulted him, they took off from him the cloak, and put his own garments on him, and led him away to crucify him.
32 And as they were going out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; him they compelled to carry his cross.
33 And when they were come to a place called Golgotha (which is called the place of a skull),
34 they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and having tasted it, he refused to drink.
35 Then having crucified him, they parted his garments, casting the lot: that it might be fulfilled, what was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and for my vesture they threw the lot.
36 And sitting down, they guarded him there.
37 And they placed over his head his accusation in writing, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 Then were crucified with him two robbers, one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
39 And they who were passing by reviled him, shaking their heads,
40 and saying, Thou that canst pull down the temple, and build it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, descend from the cross.
41 And with similar language also did the chief priests, insulting him, with the scribes and elders, and Pharisees,
42 say, He saved others, himself he is unable to save. If he be the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe him.
43 He trusted in God; let him now deliver him, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
44 And in the same manner also, did the robbers who were crucified with him, revile him.
45 Now from the fifth hour darkness fell upon all the land, unto the ninth hour.
46 But about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with an exceeding loud cry, saying, Eli! Eli! lama, sabacthani? that is, My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me?
47 Then some of those who stood there, hearing him, said, This man is calling out for Elias.
48 And immediately one of them, running, and taking a sponge, and filling it with vinegar, and fastening it to a pole, put it to him to drink.
49 The others said, Let him alone, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50 Then Jesus crying again with a loud voice gave up the ghost.
51 And, lo! the vail of the temple was rent in two, from the upper part to the bottom; and the earth was shaken; and the rocks were rent;
52 and the sepulchres were opened; and many bodies of saints, who slept, arose;
53 and coming out of the sepulchres after his resurrection, entered into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Then the centurion, and they who were with him, guarding Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things which were done, were exceedingly terrified, saying, Assuredly this was the Son of God.
55 Now there were many women on the spot, looking on at a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
56 among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.
57 But when the evening was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, whose name was Joseph, who himself also was a disciple of Jesus:
58 he going in to Pilate, begged for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered the body to be given him.
59 And Joseph receiving the body, wrapped it in clean linen;
60 and laid it in his own new sepulchre, which he had hewn out in a rock: and rolling a vast stone against the door of the sepulchre, departed.
61 And Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary, were there sitting opposite the sepulchre.
62 Now on the morrow, which is the day after the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came in a body to Pilate,
63 saying, Sir, we have reflected, that this deceiver, when yet alive, said, After three days I will rise again.
64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made perfectly secure until the third day, lest his disciples coming by night, steal him, and say to the people, He is risen from the dead, so the last delusion would be worse than the first.
65 Then said Pilate unto them, Ye have a guard, go and make it as secure as ye think fit.
66 So they went and made the sepulchre secure, putting a seal upon the stone, after placing the guard.
