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Matthew 27

English Standard Version



1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. (Mt 26:4; Mr 15:1; Lu 22:66) 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. (Mt 20:19; Lu 3:1; Lu 13:1; Lu 23:1; Joh 18:28; Ac 3:13; Ac 4:27; 1Ti 6:13) 



3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus[1] was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, (Mt 21:29; Mt 26:14; Mt 26:15) 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” (Mt 27:24) 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. (2Sa 17:23; Ac 1:18) 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” (Mr 12:41; Mr 12:43; Lu 21:1; Joh 8:20) 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. (Mt 28:15; Ac 1:19) 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, (Zec 11:13; Mt 1:22) 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.” 



11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” (Mt 2:2; Mt 27:29; Mt 27:37; Mt 27:42; Mr 15:2; Lu 22:70; Lu 23:2; Joh 18:29; Joh 18:39; Joh 19:3; 1Ti 6:13) 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. (Mt 26:63) 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” (Joh 19:10) 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. 



15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. (Mr 15:6; Lu 23:18; Joh 18:39; Joh 19:16) 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (Mt 27:22) 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. (Joh 12:19) 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” (Mt 2:12; Mt 27:24; Lu 23:47; Joh 19:13) 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. (Ac 3:14) 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” (Ac 13:28) 23 And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” (Lu 23:41; Joh 8:46) 



24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood;[2] see to it yourselves.” (De 21:6; Ps 26:6; Ps 73:13; Mt 26:5; Mt 27:4; Mt 27:19) 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” (Ex 20:5; Jos 2:19; La 5:7; Mt 23:35; Ac 5:28) 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged[3] Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. (Isa 50:6; Isa 53:5; Mt 20:19; Lu 23:16; Joh 19:1) 



27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters,[4] and they gathered the whole battalion[5] before him. (Mr 15:16; Joh 18:28; Joh 18:33; Joh 19:2; Joh 19:9; Ac 10:1; Ac 23:35; Php 1:13) 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, (Lu 23:11; Re 18:12; Re 18:16) 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” (Mt 20:19; Mt 27:11) 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. (Mt 26:67) 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. (Isa 53:7) 



32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. (Nu 15:35; Mt 21:39; Mr 15:21; Lu 23:26; Joh 19:17; Heb 13:12) 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), (Mr 15:22; Lu 23:32; Lu 23:44; Joh 19:17; Joh 19:23; Joh 19:28) 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. (Ps 69:21; Ac 8:23) 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. (Ps 22:18) 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. (Ps 22:17; Mt 27:54) 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” (Mt 27:11; Mt 27:29) 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. (Mt 20:21; Joh 18:40) 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads (Job 16:4; Ps 22:7; Ps 109:25; Isa 37:22; Jer 18:16; La 1:12; La 2:15; Lu 22:65; Lu 23:39; Jas 2:7) 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” (Mt 4:3; Mt 4:6; Mt 14:33; Mt 26:61; Mt 26:63; Mt 27:43) 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. (Mt 26:53; Mt 27:37; Lu 4:23; Joh 1:49; Joh 10:18; Joh 12:13) 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” (Ps 22:8) 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. (Lu 23:39) 



45 Now from the sixth hour[6] there was darkness over all the land[7] until the ninth hour.[8] 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Ps 22:1; Heb 5:7) 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. (Ru 2:14; Ps 69:21) 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. (Mt 27:46; Joh 10:18) 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. (Ex 26:31; 2Ch 3:14; Mt 27:54) 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, (Da 7:18; Da 7:22; Joh 11:11; Ac 7:60; Ac 13:36; 1Co 15:6; 1Co 15:18; 1Co 15:20; 1Th 4:13; 2Pe 3:4) 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. (Mt 4:5) 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son[9] of God!” (Mt 27:36; Mt 27:43; Mr 15:39; Lu 23:47; Lu 23:49) 55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, (Ps 38:11; Lu 8:2; Joh 19:25) 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. (Mt 20:20; Mt 27:55; Mr 15:40) 



57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. (Mr 15:42; Lu 23:50; Joh 19:38) 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. (Isa 22:16; Isa 53:9; Mr 16:4; Joh 11:38) 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. (Mt 27:56; Mt 28:1) 



62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate (Mr 15:42; Lu 23:54; Joh 19:14; Joh 19:31; Joh 19:42) 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ (Mt 16:21; Mt 17:23; Mt 20:19; Mt 26:61; Mt 27:64; Mt 28:6; Mr 8:31; Mr 10:34; Lu 9:22; Lu 18:33; Lu 24:6; Joh 2:19; Joh 7:12) 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” (Mt 28:13) 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard[10] of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” (Mt 28:11) 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. (Da 6:17) 

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Matthew 27

New International Version



1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor. 3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’ ‘What is that to us?’ they replied. ‘That’s your responsibility.’ 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, ‘It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.’ 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: ‘They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.’[1] (Jer 19:1; Jer 32:6; Zec 11:12; Zec 11:13) 



11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ ‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied. 12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate asked him, ‘Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?’ 14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge – to the great amazement of the governor. 15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus[2] Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, ‘Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. 19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: ‘Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.’ 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. 21 ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ asked the governor. ‘Barabbas,’ they answered. 22 ‘What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ Pilate asked. They all answered, ‘Crucify him!’ 23 ‘Why? What crime has he committed?’ asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him!’ 24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘It is your responsibility!’ 25 All the people answered, ‘His blood is on us and on our children!’ 26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. 



27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers round him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said. 30 They spat on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. 



32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means ‘the place of the skull’). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews. 38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!’ 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, “I am the Son of God.” ’ 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. 



45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli,[3] lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’). (Ps 22:1) 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, ‘He’s calling Elijah.’ 48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, ‘Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.’ 50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and[4] went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’ 55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph,[5] and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. 



57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. 



62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, “After three days I will rise again.” 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.’ 65 ‘Take a guard,’ Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’ 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. 

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