Matthew 27

Now early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the People plotted together against Jesus to put him to death.

And having bound him, they led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

Then Judas, the one betraying him, having seen that he was condemned, regretted what he had done and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself.”

And having thrown down the silver coins into the sanctuary, he departed, and having gone away, he hanged himself.

And the chief priests, having taken the silver coins, said, “It is not lawful to put these into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.”

After some discussion, they used them to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers.

Therefore that field has been called “Field of Blood” to this day.

Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, And they took the 30 silver coins, the price of the one whose price had been priced by the sons of Israel,

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the king of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “Yes, it is as you say.”

And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer.

Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?”

But he did not answer him with even one word, so the governor was greatly amazed.

Now at the Passover Feast, it was the governor’s custom to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wanted.

And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”

For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.

And while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I have suffered many things in a dream because of him.”

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

But the governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”

Pilate said to them, “Then what do you want me to do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all kept saying, “He should be crucified!”

But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted even louder, saying, “He should be crucified!”

So when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water, and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”

And all the People answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

Then he released Barabbas to them, but he flogged Jesus and handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and gathered the whole cohort of Roman soldiers around him.

And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.

And they twisted together 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!”

And they spat on him, and took the reed and were striking him on the head.

And after they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to be crucified.

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, whom they forced to carry his cross.

And having come to a place called Golgotha (which means, Place of the Skull),

they gave him wine mixed with gall to drink, and when he had tasted it, he would not drink.

And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among them, casting lots for them.

And sitting down, they began to keep watch over him there.

And they set up over his head the charge against him, which read, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Then two rebels were crucified with him, one on the right hand and one on the left.

And those passing by were hurling insults at him, shaking their heads,

and saying, “The one who claimed he would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself. If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

In the same way the chief priests also, with the experts in the law and elders, mocking him, said,

“He saved others but 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.

He had confidence in God, let God rescue him now if he wants him, since he said ‘I am the Son of God.’”

Even the rebels who were crucified with him were insulting him in the same way.

Now from the sixth hour darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” (that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

And some of those standing there, when they heard this, said, “This man is calling for Elijah.”

And immediately one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with wine vinegar and put it on a stick, and gave him a drink.

But the rest said, “Leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

And Jesus, having cried out again with a loud voice, gave up his spirit.

And Look! The curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split.

And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the holy ones who had fallen asleep were raised,

and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

Now the centurion and those who were with him keeping watch over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, were greatly afraid, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.”

And many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, were there looking on from a distance,

among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who also himself had become a disciple of Jesus.

He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded it to be given to him.

And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth

and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut into the rock, and he rolled a large stone in front of the entrance of the tomb and departed.

And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

Now on the next day, which is the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together before Pilate,

saying, “Lord, we remember that when he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will be raised.’

Therefore, command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him away and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and this last deception will be worse than the first.”

Pilate said to them, “You can have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you know how to.”

So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting the guard.