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 had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Yeshua to put him to death.
2 They tied his hands and took him to Pilate, the [Roman] governor.
They bound him, led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius 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 Judah, who betrayed him, when he saw that Yeshua was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief 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 that I betrayed innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.”
5 So Judas [took] the money [and] threw it inside the Temple. Then he went away and hanged himself.
He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary and departed. Then 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 pieces of silver and said, “It’s not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.”
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].
They took counsel, and bought the potter’s field with them to bury strangers in.
8 That is why that place is still called {why they still call that place} ‘The field of blood’.
Therefore that field has been called “The Field of Blood” to 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 that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him upon whom a price had been set, whom some of the children of Israel priced,
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 they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded 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 Yeshua stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Yeshua said to him, “So you say.”
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.
When he was accused by the chief 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 said to him, “Don’t you hear how many things they testify against you?”
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.
He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marvelled greatly.
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 at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner whom they desired.
16 At that time there was [in Jerusalem] a well-known prisoner whose name was Barabbas.
They had then a notable 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?”
When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Yeshua who is called 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].
For he knew that because of 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!”
While he was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things today in a 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}.
Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas and destroy Yeshua.
21 So when the governor asked them, “Which of the two men do you want me to release for you?” They replied, “Barabbas!”
But the governor answered them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” 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 said to them, “What then shall I do to Yeshua who is called Messiah?” They all said to him, “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 the governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, 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]!”
So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it.”
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 Yeshua he flogged and delivered to 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 governor’s soldiers took Yeshua into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against 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 robe 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 braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they knelt down before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, 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 reed and struck him on the 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.
When they had mocked him, they took the robe off him, and put his clothes on him, and 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.
As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross.
33 They came to a place called Golgotha. That name means ‘the place [like] a skull’.
When they came to a place called “Golgotha”, that is to say, “The place of a 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 sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, 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].
When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing amongst them, casting lots,
36 Then the soldiers sat down there to guard him, [to prevent anyone from trying to rescue him].
and they sat and watched 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 set up over his head the accusation against him written, “THIS IS YESHUA, 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 there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his 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].
Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging 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, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, 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 chief priests also mocking with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said,
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 others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in 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 in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
44 And the [two] bandits who had been crucified with him also insulted him, saying similar things.
The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.
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 there was darkness over 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?’
About the ninth hour Yeshua cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you 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!”
Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling 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 took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.
49 But the other [people there] said, “Wait! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him!”
The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
50 Then after Jesus shouted out loudly again, he died, giving his spirit over [to God].
Yeshua cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his 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.
Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
52 [Some] tombs opened up, and the bodies of many godly people who had died became alive again.
The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the holy ones who had fallen asleep were raised;
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 out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to 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 who were with him watching Yeshua, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were done, were terrified, saying, “Truly this 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 there watching from afar, who had followed Yeshua from Galilee, serving 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.
Amongst them were Miriam Magdalene, Miriam the mother of Jacob and Yosi, 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 had come, a rich man from Arimathaea named Joseph, who himself was also Yeshua’s disciple, came.
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].
This man went to Pilate and asked for Yeshua’s body. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up.
59 So Joseph [and others] took the body and wrapped it in a clean white cloth.
Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean 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 laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock. Then he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
61 Mary from Magdala and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb, [watching].
Miriam Magdalene was there, and the other Miriam, 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.
Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to 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 remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will 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].”
Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead;’ and the last deception will 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 said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you 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 with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.
