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.
Early in the morning all the chief priests and elders of the people consulted together and decided to have Jesus put to death.
2 They tied his hands and took him to Pilate, the [Roman] governor.
They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to 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.
When Judas, the one who'd betrayed Jesus, saw that Jesus had been condemned to death, he regretted what he'd done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the 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!”
“I've sinned! I've betrayed innocent blood!” he told them. “What's that got to do with us?” they replied. “That's your problem!”
5 So Judas [took] the money [and] threw it inside the Temple. Then he went away and hanged himself.
Judas threw the silver coins into the sanctuary and left. He went away and 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].”
The chief priests took the silver coins and said, “This is blood money, so it's not lawful to put this in the Temple treasury.”
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].
So they agreed to buy the potter's field as a place to bury foreigners.
8 That is why that place is still called {why they still call that place} ‘The field of blood’.
That's why the field is still called today the “Field of Blood.”
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];
This fulfilled the prophecy spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “They took thirty silver coins—the ‘value’ of the one who was bought at the price set by some of the children of Israel—
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 used them to pay for the potter's field, just as the Lord instructed me to do.”
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.”
Jesus was brought before Pilate the governor who asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” “You said it,” Jesus replied.
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.
But when the chief priests and elders brought charges against him, Jesus did not answer.
13 So Pilate said to him, “You hear how many things they are saying to accuse you; [are you not going to reply]?”
“Don't you hear how many charges they're bringing against you?” Pilate asked him.
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.
But Jesus didn't say anything, not a single word. This greatly surprised the governor.
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.
Now it was the custom of the governor to release to the crowd during the festival whichever prisoner they wanted.
16 At that time there was [in Jerusalem] a well-known prisoner whose name was Barabbas.
At that time a notorious prisoner was being held, a man named 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?”
So Pilate asked the crowds that had gathered, “Who do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, called the Messiah?”
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].
(He had realized it was because of jealousy that they had handed Jesus over to him to be tried.)
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!”
While he was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent a message to him that said, “Don't do anything to this innocent man, for I've suffered terribly today as a result of a dream about 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 chief priests and the elders convinced the crowds to ask for Barabbas, and to have Jesus put to death.
21 So when the governor asked them, “Which of the two men do you want me to release for you?” They replied, “Barabbas!”
When the governor asked them, “So which of the two do you want me to release to you?” they answered, “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)}!”
“Then what shall I do with Jesus, the Messiah?” he asked them. They all shouted out, “Have him crucified!”
23 Pilate replied, “Why? What crime has he committed?” But they shouted even louder, “[Have] him crucified {[Command that your soldiers] crucify him}!”
“Why? What crime has he committed?” Pilate asked. But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”
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]!”
When Pilate saw it was a lost cause, and that a riot was developing, he took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I'm innocent of this man's blood. It's on your heads!” he told them.
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!”
All the people answered, “May his blood be 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, but he had Jesus whipped and sent to be crucified.
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the government headquarters. The whole (cohort/group of soldiers) gathered around him.
The governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and the whole troop surrounded him.
28 They pulled off [his clothes], and [pretending he was a king, they] put a purple robe on him.
They stripped him and put a scarlet cloak on 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]!”
They made a crown of thorns and placed it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. They kneeled down in front of him and mocked him, saying, “We salute you, King of the Jews!”
30 They kept spitting on him. They took the staff and kept striking him on the head with it.
They spat on him, and took the stick and beat him over the head with it.
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.
When they'd finished mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they 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.
On the way they found a man called Simon, from Cyrene, and they forced him to carry Jesus' cross.
33 They came to a place called Golgotha. That name means ‘the place [like] a skull’.
When they arrived at Golgotha, meaning “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 wine mixed with gall. But having tasted it, he refused to drink it.
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].
After they had crucified him, they rolled dice to divide his clothes between them.
36 Then the soldiers sat down there to guard him, [to prevent anyone from trying to rescue him].
Then they sat down and kept watch over 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’.
They placed a sign over his head with the charge against him. It read, “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.
They crucified two criminals with him, one on the right, 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].
Those who passed by shouted insults at 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!”
saying, “You who promised to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, why don't you save yourself! If you really are the Son of God, then 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,
The chief priests mocked him in the same way, along with the religious teachers and elders.
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 other people, but he can't save himself!” they said. “If he really is the king of Israel, let him come down from the cross, and then we'll 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 trusts God so confidently—well let God rescue him now if he wants him, because he claimed ‘I am the Son of God.’”
44 And the [two] bandits who had been crucified with him also insulted him, saying similar things.
The criminals who were crucified with him also insulted him in the same way.
45 At noon it became dark over the whole land. [It stayed dark] until three o’clock [in the afternoon].
From noon until three o'clock darkness covered the whole country.
46 At about three o’clock Jesus shouted loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” That means, ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’
At about three o'clock Jesus shouted out loud, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
47 When some of the people standing there heard [the word ‘Eli’, misunderstanding it], they said, “He is calling for [the prophet] Elijah!”
When some of those standing there heard it, they said, “He's calling for 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].
Immediately one of them ran and grabbed a sponge, soaked it in vinegar, put it on a stick, and gave it to Jesus to drink.
49 But the other [people there] said, “Wait! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him!”
But the others said, “Leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah will come and save him.”
50 Then after Jesus shouted out loudly again, he died, giving his spirit over [to God].
Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and breathed his last.
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.
Right then the veil of the Temple was torn apart from top to bottom. The ground shook, the rocks split apart,
52 [Some] tombs opened up, and the bodies of many godly people who had died became alive again.
and the graves were opened. Many of those who had lived good lives and had fallen asleep in death were raised to life.
53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus became alive again, they went into Jerusalem and appeared to many people [there].
After the resurrection of Jesus they went out from the graveyards into the holy city where many people saw them.
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).”
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what happened, they were terrified, and said, “This really was the Son of God!”
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.
Many women were also watching from a distance, those who had followed Jesus from Galilee and had supported 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.
These included Mary Magdalene, 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.
When evening came, a rich man named Joseph, from Arimathea, (who was also a disciple of 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].
went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate ordered it to be handed over to him.
59 So Joseph [and others] took the body and wrapped it in a clean white cloth.
Joseph took the body and wrapped it up in a fresh linen 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 placed it in his own new tomb, cut out of solid rock. He rolled a large stone across the entrance to the tomb, and left.
61 Mary from Magdala and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb, [watching].
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
62 The next day was Saturday, the Jewish day of rest. The chief priests and [some of] the Pharisees went to Pilate.
The next day, after the Preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went together to see 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.’
They said to him, “Sir, we recall that the imposter said while he was still alive, ‘After three days, I'll rise again.’
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].”
Give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. That way his disciples can't come and steal his body and tell people that he was raised from the dead, and the deception in the end will become worse than it was at first.”
65 Pilate replied, “You [can] take some soldiers. Go to the tomb and make it as secure as you know how.”
“I'll give you a guard of soldiers,” Pilate told them. “Now go, and make it as secure as you possibly can.”
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].
So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the entrance stone and posting soldiers as guards.
