Matthew 27
Jesus Delivered to Pilate
aWhen morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people btook counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and aled him away and bdelivered him over to cPilate the governor.
Judas Hangs Himself
3 Then when aJudas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, bhe changed his mind and brought back cthe thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? aSee to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, ahe departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into athe treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore athat field has been called the Field of Blood bto this day. 9 aThen was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, b“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, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
Jesus Before Pilate
11 aNow Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you bthe King of the Jews?” Jesus said, c“You have said so.” 12 aBut when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, a“Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.
The Crowd Chooses Barabbas
15 aNow at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 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 aJesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out aof envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on athe judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with bthat righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today cin a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to aask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 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?” aThey all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? aWhat evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that aa riot was beginning, he took water and bwashed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of cthis man’s blood; dsee to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, a“His blood be on us and bon our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having ascourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
Jesus Is Mocked
27 aThen the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the bgovernor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cbattalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put aa scarlet robe on him, 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 amocked him, saying, “Hail, bKing of the Jews!” 30 And athey spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and aled him away to crucify him.
The Crucifixion
32 abAs they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to acarry his cross. 33 aAnd when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 athey offered him wine to drink, mixed with bgall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, athey divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and akept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, athe King of the Jews.” 38 Then two arobbers were crucified with him, bone on the right and one on the left. 39 And athose who passed by bderided him, cwagging their heads 40 and saying, a“You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! bIf you are cthe Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 a“He saved others; bhe cannot save himself. cHe is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 aHe trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 aAnd the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
The Death of Jesus
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus acried out with a loud voice, saying, b“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 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 asour wine, and put it on a reed and bgave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus acried out again with a loud voice and byielded up his spirit.
51 And behold, athe curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And bthe earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of athe saints bwho had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into athe holy city and appeared to many. 54 aWhen the centurion and those who were with him, bkeeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, c“Truly this was the Son of God!”
55 There were also amany women there, looking on bfrom a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, cministering to him, 56 among whom were aMary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and bthe mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Jesus Is Buried
57 aWhen it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 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 alaid it in his own new tomb, bwhich he had cut in the rock. And he rolled ca great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and athe other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
The Guard at the Tomb
62 The next day, that is, after the day of aPreparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how athat impostor said, while he was still alive, b‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, alest 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.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have aa guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by asealing the stone and setting a guard.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.