Matthew 27
1 Very early the next morning all the chief priests and Jewish elders decided how [to arrange for the Romans] to execute Jesus.
And morning having come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, so as to put Him to death;
2 They tied his hands and took him to Pilate, the [Roman] governor.
and having bound Him, they led [Him] away, and delivered Him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
3 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.
Then Judas—he who delivered Him up—having seen that He was condemned, having regretted, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and to the elders, saying,
4 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!”
“I sinned, having delivered up innocent blood”; and they said, “What [is that] to us? You will see!”
5 So Judas [took] the money [and] threw it inside the Temple. Then he went away and hanged himself.
And having cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed, and having gone away, he strangled himself.
6 [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].”
And the chief priests having taken the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, seeing it is the price of blood”;
7 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].
and having taken counsel, they bought the potter’s field with them, for the burial of strangers;
8 That is why that place is still called {why they still call that place} ‘The field of blood’.
therefore that field was called, “Field of Blood,” to this day.
9 [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];
Then was fulfilled that spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And I took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him who has been priced, whom they of the sons of Israel priced,
10 and with that money they bought the field where clay was dug for potters. They did that as the Lord had commanded me.
and gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD appointed to me.”
11 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.”
And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “You say [it].”
12 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.
And in His being accused by the chief priests and the elders, He did not answer anything;
13 So Pilate said to him, “You hear how many things they are saying to accuse you; [are you not going to reply]?”
then Pilate says to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they witness against You?”
14 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.
And He did not answer him, not even to one word, so that the governor wondered greatly.
15 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.
And at the celebration the governor had been accustomed to release one to the multitude, a prisoner, whom they willed,
16 At that time there was [in Jerusalem] a well-known prisoner whose name was Barabbas.
and they had a noted prisoner then, called Barabbas,
17 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?”
therefore they having been gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you will [that] I may release to you? Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?”
18 [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].
For he had known that they had delivered Him up because of envy.
19 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!”
And as he is sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Nothing—to you and to that Righteous One, for I suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”
20 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}.
And the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes that they might ask for themselves Barabbas, and might destroy Jesus;
21 So when the governor asked them, “Which of the two men do you want me to release for you?” They replied, “Barabbas!”
and the governor answering said to them, “Which of the two will you [that] I may release to you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”
22 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)}!”
Pilate says to them, “What then will I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all say to him, “Let [Him] be crucified!”
23 Pilate replied, “Why? What crime has he committed?” But they shouted even louder, “[Have] him crucified {[Command that your soldiers] crucify him}!”
And the governor said, “Why, what evil did He do?” And they were crying out the more, saying, “Let [Him] be crucified!”
24 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]!”
And Pilate having seen that it profits nothing, but rather a tumult is made, having taken water, he washed the hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent from the blood of this Righteous One; you will see [to it] yourselves”;
25 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!”
and all the people answering said, “His blood [is] on us, and on our children!”
26 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).
Then he released Barabbas to them, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered [Him] up that He may be crucified;
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the government headquarters. The whole (cohort/group of soldiers) gathered around him.
then the soldiers of the governor having taken Jesus to the Praetorium, gathered to Him all the band;
28 They pulled off [his clothes], and [pretending he was a king, they] put a purple robe on him.
and having unclothed Him, they put a crimson cloak around Him,
29 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]!”
and having plaited Him a garland out of thorns they put [it] on His head, and [put] a reed in His right hand, and having kneeled before Him, they were mocking Him, saying, “Hail, the King of the Jews!”
30 They kept spitting on him. They took the staff and kept striking him on the head with it.
And having spit on Him, they took the reed, and were striking on His head;
31 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.
and when they had mocked Him, they took off the cloak from Him, and put His own garments on Him, and led Him away to crucify [Him].
32 [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.
And coming forth, they found a man, a Cyrenian, by name Simon: they impressed him that he might carry His cross;
33 They came to a place called Golgotha. That name means ‘the place [like] a skull’.
and having come to a place called Golgotha, which is called “Place of [the] Skull,”
34 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].
they gave Him vinegar mixed with gall to drink, and having tasted, He would not drink.
35 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].
And having crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting a lot, [[that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments to themselves, and they cast a lot over My clothing”; ]]
36 Then the soldiers sat down there to guard him, [to prevent anyone from trying to rescue him].
and sitting down, they were watching Him there,
37 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’.
and they put up over His head, His accusation written: “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
38 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.
Then two robbers are crucified with Him, one on the right hand and one on the left,
39 The people who were passing by insulted him by shaking their heads [as if he were an evil man].
and those passing by kept slandering Him, wagging their heads,
40 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!”
and saying, “You that are throwing down the temple, and in three days building [it], save Yourself; if You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
41 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,
And in like manner also the chief priests mocking, with the scribes and elders, said,
42 “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!”
“He saved others; He is not able to save Himself! If He is King of Israel, let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe Him;
43 “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!”
He has trusted on God, let Him now deliver Him if He wants Him, because He said, I am [the] Son of God”;
44 And the [two] bandits who had been crucified with him also insulted him, saying similar things.
with the same also the robbers, who were crucified with Him, were reproaching Him.
45 At noon it became dark over the whole land. [It stayed dark] until three o’clock [in the afternoon].
And from the sixth hour darkness came over all the land to the ninth hour,
46 At about three o’clock Jesus shouted loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” That means, ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’
and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a great voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” That is, “My God, My God, why did You forsake Me?”
47 When some of the people standing there heard [the word ‘Eli’, misunderstanding it], they said, “He is calling for [the prophet] Elijah!”
And certain of those standing there having heard, said, “He calls Elijah”;
48 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].
and immediately, one of them having run, and having taken a sponge, having filled [it] with vinegar, and having put [it] on a reed, was giving Him to drink,
49 But the other [people there] said, “Wait! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him!”
but the rest said, “Let alone, let us see if Elijah comes—about to save Him.”
50 Then after Jesus shouted out loudly again, he died, giving his spirit over [to God].
And Jesus having again cried with a great voice, yielded the spirit;
51 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.
and behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
52 [Some] tombs opened up, and the bodies of many godly people who had died became alive again.
and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the holy ones who have fallen asleep, arose,
53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus became alive again, they went into Jerusalem and appeared to many people [there].
and having come forth out of the tombs after His rising, they went into the holy city, and appeared to many.
54 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).”
And the centurion, and those with him watching Jesus, having seen the earthquake, and the things that were done, were exceedingly afraid, saying, “Truly this was God’s Son.”
55 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.
And there were there many women beholding from afar, who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him,
56 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.
among whom was Mary the Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and of Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 When it was [almost] evening, a rich man named Joseph came [there]. He was from Arimathea [town]. He also was a disciple of Jesus.
And evening having come, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who also himself was discipled to Jesus,
58 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].
he having gone near to Pilate, asked for himself the body of Jesus; then Pilate commanded the body to be given back.
59 So Joseph [and others] took the body and wrapped it in a clean white cloth.
And having taken the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen,
60 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.
and laid it in his new tomb that he hewed in the rock, and having rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, he went away;
61 Mary from Magdala and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb, [watching].
now Mary the Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.
62 The next day was Saturday, the Jewish day of rest. The chief priests and [some of] the Pharisees went to Pilate.
And on the next day that is after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate,
63 They said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive, he said, ‘Three days after I [die I] will become alive again.’
saying, “Lord, we have remembered that this deceiver said while yet living, After three days I rise;
64 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].”
command, then, the grave to be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples, having come by night, may steal Him away, and may say to the people, He rose from the dead, and the last deceit will be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate replied, “You [can] take some soldiers. Go to the tomb and make it as secure as you know how.”
And Pilate said to them, “You have a guard, go away, make [it] secure—as you have known”;
66 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].
and they, having gone, made the grave secure, having sealed the stone, together with the guard.
