LEB MAT Chapter 27

Jesus Taken to Pilate

27 Now when it[fn] was early morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus in order to put him to death. 2 And after[fn] tying him up, they led him[fn] away and handed him[fn] over to Pilate the governor.

The Suicide of Judas Iscariot

3 Then when[fn] Judas, the one who had betrayed him, saw that he had been condemned, he regretted what he had done[fn] and[fn] returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by[fn] betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”[fn] 5 And throwing the silver coins into the temple he departed. And he went away and[fn] hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests took the silver coins and[fn] said, “It is not permitted to put them into the temple treasury, because it is blood money.”[fn] 7 And after[fn] taking counsel, they purchased with[fn] them the Potter’s Field, for a burial place for strangers. 8 (For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood until today.) 9 Then what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, who said, “And they took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one who had been priced, on whom a price had been set by the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, just as the Lord directed me.”[fn]

Jesus Before Pilate

11 So Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the king of the Jews?” And Jesus said, “You say so.” 12 And when he was being accused[fn] by the chief priests and elders he answered nothing. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” 14 And he did not reply to him, not even with reference to one statement, so that the governor was very astonished.

Pilate Releases Barabbas

15 Now at each feast, the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd—the one whom they wanted. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner named Jesus[fn] Barabbas.[fn] 17 So after[fn] they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you—Jesus[fn] Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy. 19 And while[fn] he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message[fn] to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man,[fn] for I have suffered much as a result of a dream today because of him.”) 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should ask for Barabbas and put Jesus to death. 21 So the governor answered and[fn] said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate said to them, “What then should I do with Jesus, the one who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they began to shout[fn] even louder, saying, “Let him be crucified!”

24 So Pilate, when he[fn] saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but instead an uproar was developing, took water and[fn] washed his[fn] hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this man. You see to it!”[fn] 25 And all the people answered and[fn] said, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas for them, but after[fn] he had Jesus flogged, he handed him[fn] over so that he could be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s residence and[fn] gathered the whole cohort to him. 28 And they stripped him and[fn] put a scarlet military cloak around him, 29 and weaving a crown of thorns, they put it[fn] on his head, and put[fn] a reed in his right hand. And kneeling down before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 30 And they spat on him and[fn] took the reed and repeatedly struck[fn] him[fn] on his head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the military cloak and put his own clothes on him, and led him away in order to crucify him.[fn]

Jesus Is Crucified

32 And as they[fn] were going out, they found a man of Cyrene named[fn] Simon. They forced this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they[fn] came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull),[fn] 34 they gave him wine mixed with gall to drink, and when he[fn] tasted it[fn] he did not want to drink it.[fn] 35 And when they[fn] had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves[fn] by[fn] casting lots. 36 And they sat down and[fn] were watching over him there. 37 And they put above his head the charge against him in writing:[fn] “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 And those who passed by reviled him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “The one who would destroy the temple and rebuild it[fn] in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” 41 In the same way also the chief priests, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him,[fn] saying, 42 “He saved others; he is not able to save himself! He is the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusts in God; let him deliver him now if he wants to,[fn] because he said, ‘I am the Son of God’!” 44 And in the same way even the robbers who were crucified with him were reviling him.

Jesus Dies on the Cross

45 Now from the sixth hour, darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour. 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?”)[fn] 47 And some of those who were standing there, when they[fn] heard it,[fn] said, “This man is summoning Elijah!” 48 And immediately one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it[fn] with sour wine and put it[fn] on a reed and[fn] gave it[fn] to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Leave him[fn] alone! let us see if Elijah is coming to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and[fn] gave up his[fn] spirit. 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. 52 And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

54 Now the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus, when they[fn] saw the earthquake and the things that took place, were extremely frightened, saying, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” 55 And there were many women there, observing from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Jesus Is Buried

57 Now when it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who also was a disciple of Jesus himself. 58 This man approached Pilate and[fn] asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it[fn] to be given to him.[fn] 59 And Joseph took the body and[fn] wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a large stone to the entrance of the tomb and[fn] went away. 61 Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The Tomb Is Sealed and Guarded

62 Now on the next day, which is after the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate, 63 saying, “Sir, we remember that while[fn] that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come and[fn] steal him and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it[fn] as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went with the guard of soldiers and[fn] made the tomb secure by[fn] sealing the stone.