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.
Now, when morning came, all the High-priests and 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, binding him, they led him away, and delivered him up unto 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 who had delivered him up, seeing that he was condemned, being smitten with remorse, returned the thirty pieces of silver unto the High-priests and Elders,
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!”
saying—I have sinned, in delivering up righteous blood. But, they, said—What is that to us? thou, shalt see to it for thyself.
5 So Judas [took] the money [and] threw it inside the Temple. Then he went away and hanged himself.
And, throwing the pieces of silver into the Temple, he withdrew, and, going away, hanged 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].”
But, the High-priests, taking the pieces of silver, said—It is not allowed, to cast them into the treasury; since, a price of blood, they are.
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, taking counsel, they bought with them, the field of the potter, as a burial-place for strangers.
8 That is why that place is still called {why they still call that place} ‘The field of blood’.
Wherefore, that field hath been called Field of Blood, until 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 which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying: And they took the thirty pieces of silver, as the value of him whom they had valued, whom they had valued, of Israel’s sons, —
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 field of the potter, as, the Lord, directed 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.”
Now, Jesus, stood before the governor; and the governor questioned him, saying—Thou, art the king of the Jews? And, Jesus, said—Thou, sayest.
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, while he was being accused by the High-priests and Elders, he answered nothing.
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 saith unto him—Hearest thou not how many things against thee they are bearing witness?
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 answered him, no not so much as a single word, so that the governor was marvelling exceedingly.
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.
But, feast by feast, the governor had been wont to release one unto the multitude, a prisoner whom they were desiring.
16 At that time there was [in Jerusalem] a well-known prisoner whose name was Barabbas.
Now they had at that time a distinguished prisoner, 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?”
They therefore having come together, Pilate, said to them—Whom will ye I should release unto 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 knew that, for envy, they had delivered him up.
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 was sitting upon the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying: Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man, for, many things, have I suffered this day, by 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}.
But, the High-priests and the elders, persuaded the multitudes, that they should claim Barabbas, but, Jesus, should, destroy.
21 So when the governor asked them, “Which of the two men do you want me to release for you?” They replied, “Barabbas!”
Now the governor, answering, said unto them—Which of the two desire ye I should release unto 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 saith unto them—What then shall I do unto Jesus, who is called Christ? They all say—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}!”
But, he, said—Indeed! what evil hath he done? But, they, vehemently, were crying aloud, 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, seeing, that, nothing, it availed, but rather, a tumult, was arising, taking water, washed his hands of it before the multitude, saying—Innocent, am I, of the blood of this man, —Ye, shall see to it for 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 be upon us and upon 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 released he unto them Barabbas, but, scourging, Jesus, delivered him up, that he might 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, taking Jesus aside into the judgment-hall, gathered unto him all the band;
28 They pulled off [his clothes], and [pretending he was a king, they] put a purple robe on him.
and, unclothing him, a scarlet scarf, put they about 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, plaiting a crown out of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand, —and, kneeling before him, began to mock him, saying—Joy to thee, King of the Jews!
30 They kept spitting on him. They took the staff and kept striking him on the head with it.
And, spitting upon him, they took the reed, and began striking upon 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 put off him the scarf, and put on him his garments, and led him away unto the crucifying.
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, as they were going forth, they found a man of Cyrene, by name, Simon, —the same, they impressed to bear his cross.
33 They came to a place called Golgotha. That name means ‘the place [like] a skull’.
And, coming into a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Skull-place,
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 to drink, wine, with gall, mingled, and, tasting, 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 parted among themselves his garments, casting a cloth;
36 Then the soldiers sat down there to guard him, [to prevent anyone from trying to rescue him].
and, being seated, 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, are crucified with him, two robbers, —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, they who were passing by, were reviling him, shaking 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—The man that taketh down the Temple and in three days buildeth it! Save, thyself! If thou art God’s, Son, 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,
Likewise, the High-priests, [also], mocking, with the Scribes and Elders, were saying: Others, he saved, —Himself, he cannot save:
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!”
Israel’s King, he is! Let him come down, now, from the cross, —and we will believe on 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 hath put confidence upon God, Let him rescue him, now, if he desireth him; for he said, I am, God’s Son.
44 And the [two] bandits who had been crucified with him also insulted him, saying similar things.
And, the same thing, the robbers also, who were crucified with him, were casting in his teeth.
45 At noon it became dark over the whole land. [It stayed dark] until three o’clock [in the afternoon].
Now, from the sixth hour, darkness, came upon all the land—until 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 uttered a cry, with a loud voice, saying—Eloi! Eloi! lema sabachthanei? that is, My God! my God! to what end hast thou forsaken me?
47 When some of the people standing there heard [the word ‘Eli’, misunderstanding it], they said, “He is calling for [the prophet] Elijah!”
Now certain of them who were there standing, when they heard, began to say—This man, calleth, 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, straightway, one from among them, running, and taking a sponge, and filling it with vinegar and putting 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—Stay! let us see whether Elijah is coming, and will save him. But, another, taking a spear, pierced his side, and there came forth water and blood.
50 Then after Jesus shouted out loudly again, he died, giving his spirit over [to God].
And, Jesus, again crying out with a loud voice, dismissed 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 lo! the veil of the Temple, was rent, from top to bottom, into two; and, the earth, was shaken, and, the rocks, were rent;
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 had 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, coming forth out of the tombs after his arising, entered into, the holy city, and plainly appeared unto 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).”
Now, the centurion, and those with him watching Jesus, seeing the earthquake and the things coming to pass, were violently affrighted, saying—Truly, God’s Son, was, he!
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.
Now there were there, many women, from afar, beholding, who indeed had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto 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, also Mary the mother of James and Joseph, 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, when, evening, arrived, there came a rich man from Arimathaea, whose name was Joseph, who also, himself, had been discipled unto 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].
The same, going unto Pilate, claimed the body of Jesus. Then, Pilate commanded it to be given up.
59 So Joseph [and others] took the body and wrapped it in a clean white cloth.
And Joseph, taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean Indian-cloth,
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, which he had hewn in the rock, and, rolling near a large stone unto the door of the tomb, departed.
61 Mary from Magdala and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb, [watching].
Now there were there, Mary the Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
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 morrow, which is after the preparation, the High-priests and the Pharisee were gathered together unto 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—Sir! we have been put in mind that, that deceiver, said, while yet living, —After three days, will I, arise.
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, therefore, that the sepulchre be made secure until the third day, —lest once the disciples should come and steal him, and say unto the people, He hath arisen from the dead! and, the last deception, shall 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.”
Pilate saith unto them—Ye have a guard: Go your way, secure it for yourselves, as ye know how.
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, went and secured for themselves the sepulchre, sealing the stone, with the guard.
