Matthew 27
1 When morning came all the High Priests and the Elders of the people consulted together 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 and binding Him they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate the Governor.
They tied his hands and took him to Pilate, the [Roman] governor.
3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He was condemned, smitten with remorse he brought back the thirty shekels to the High 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 and said, "I have sinned, in betraying to death one who is innocent." "What does that matter to us?" they replied; it is your business."
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 Flinging the shekels into the Sanctuary he left the place, and went and hanged himself.
So Judas [took] the money [and] threw it inside the Temple. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6 When the High Priests had gathered up the money they said, "It is illegal to put it into the Treasury, because 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 So after consulting together they spent the money in the purchase of the Potter's Field as a burial place for people not belonging to the city;
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 for which reason that piece of ground received the name, which it still bears, of 'the Field of Blood.'
That is why that place is still called {why they still call that place} ‘The field of blood’.
9 Then were fulfilled the words spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah, "And I took the thirty shekels, the price of the prized one on whom Israelites had set a price,
[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 gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed 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 Meanwhile Jesus was brought before the Governor, and the latter put the question, "Are you the King of the Jews?" "I am their King," He answered.
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 however the High Priests and the Elders kept bringing their charges against Him, He said not a word in reply.
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 "Do you not hear," asked Pilate, "what a mass of evidence they are bringing 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 But He made no reply to a single accusation, so that the Governor was greatly astonished.
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 it was the Governor's custom at the Festival to release some one prisoner, whomsoever the populace 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 and at this time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
At that time there was [in Jerusalem] a well-known prisoner whose name was Barabbas.
17 So when they were now assembled Pilate appealed to them. "Whom shall I release to you," he said, "Barabbas, or Jesus the so-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 it was from envious hatred that Jesus had been brought before him.
[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 tribunal a message came to him from his wife. "Have nothing to do with that innocent man," she said, "for during the night I have suffered terribly in a dream through 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 The High Priests, however, and the Elders urged the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to demand the death of 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 So when the Governor a second time asked them, "Which of the two shall I release to you?" --they cried, "Barabbas!"
So when the governor asked them, “Which of the two men do you want me to release for you?” They replied, “Barabbas!”
22 "What then," said Pilate, "shall I do with Jesus, the so-called Christ?" With one voice they shouted, "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 "Why, what crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they kept on furiously shouting, "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 he saw that he could gain nothing, but that on the contrary there was a riot threatening, he called for water and washed his hands in sight of them all, saying, "I am not responsible for this murder: you must answer for 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 "His blood," replied all the people, "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 ordered to be scourged, and gave Him up 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 called together the whole battalion to make sport of Him.
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the government headquarters. The whole (cohort/group of soldiers) gathered around him.
28 Stripping off His garments, they put on Him a general's short crimson cloak.
They pulled off [his clothes], and [pretending he was a king, they] put a purple robe on him.
29 They twisted a wreath of thorny twigs and put it on His head, and they put a sceptre of cane in His right hand, and kneeling to Him they shouted in mockery, "Long live the 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 Then they spat upon Him, and taking the cane they repeatedly struck Him on the head with it.
They kept spitting on him. They took the staff and kept striking him on the head with it.
31 At last, having finished their sport, they took off the cloak, clothed Him again in His own garments, and led Him away for crucifixion.
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 Going out they met a Cyrenaean named Simon; whom they compelled to 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 and so they came to a place called Golgotha, which means 'Skull-ground.'
They came to a place called Golgotha. That name means ‘the place [like] a skull’.
34 Here they gave Him a mixture of wine and gall to drink, but having tasted it He refused to drink it.
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 After crucifying Him, they divided His garments among them by lot,
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 sat down there on guard.
Then the soldiers sat down there to guard him, [to prevent anyone from trying to rescue him].
37 Over His head they placed a written statement of the charge against Him: 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 At the same time two robbers were crucified with Him, one at His right hand and the other at His 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 And the passers-by reviled Him. They shook their heads at Him
The people who were passing by insulted him by shaking their heads [as if he were an evil man].
40 and said, "You who would pull down the Sanctuary and build a new one within three days, save yourself. If you are God's Son, 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 In like manner the High Priests also, together with the Scribes and the Elders, taunted Him.
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," they said, "himself he cannot save! He is the King of Israel! Let him now come down from the cross, 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 His trust is in God: let God deliver him now, if He will have him; for he said, 'I am God's Son.'"
“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 Insults of the same kind were heaped on Him even by the robbers who were being crucified with Him.
And the [two] bandits who had been crucified with him also insulted him, saying similar things.
45 Now from noon until three o'clock in the afternoon there was darkness over the whole land;
At noon it became dark over the whole land. [It stayed dark] until three o’clock [in the afternoon].
46 but about three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is to say, "My God, My God, why hast Thou 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 "The man is calling for Elijah," said some of the bystanders.
When some of the people standing there heard [the word ‘Eli’, misunderstanding it], they said, “He is calling for [the prophet] Elijah!”
48 One of them ran forthwith, and filling a sponge with sour wine put it on the end of a cane and offered it Him to 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 while the rest said, "Let us see whether Elijah is coming to deliver him."
But the other [people there] said, “Wait! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him!”
50 But Jesus uttered another loud cry and then yielded up His spirit.
Then after Jesus shouted out loudly again, he died, giving his spirit over [to God].
51 Immediately the curtain of the Sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom: the earth quaked; the rocks 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 opened; and many of God's people who were asleep in death awoke.
[Some] tombs opened up, and the bodies of many godly people who had died became alive again.
53 And coming out of their tombs after Christ's resurrection they entered the holy city and showed themselves 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 As for the Captain and the soldiers who were with Him keeping guard over Jesus, when they witnessed the earthquake and the other occurrences they were filled with terror, and exclaimed, "Assuredly he was God's Son."
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 And there were a number of women there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee ministering to His necessities;
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 being Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zabdi.
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 Towards sunset there came a wealthy inhabitant of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself also had become a disciple of Jesus.
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 He went to Pilate and begged to have the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered it to be given to him.
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 So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean sheet of fine linen.
So Joseph [and others] took the body and wrapped it in a clean white cloth.
60 He then laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn in the solid rock, and after rolling a great stone against the door of the tomb he went home.
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 of Magdala and the other Mary were both present there, sitting opposite to the sepulchre.
Mary from Magdala and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb, [watching].
62 On the next day, the day after the Preparation, the High Priests and the Pharisees came in a body to Pilate.
The next day was Saturday, the Jewish day of rest. The chief priests and [some of] the Pharisees went to Pilate.
63 "Sir," they said, "we recollect that during his lifetime that impostor pretended that after two days he was to rise to life 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 So give orders for the sepulchre to be securely guarded till the third day, for fear his disciples should come by night and steal the body, and then tell the people that he has come back to life; and so the last imposture will be more serious 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 "You can have a guard," said Pilate: "go and make all safe, as best 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 and made the sepulchre secure, sealing the stone besides setting the guard.
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].
