Matthew, 27

1. Early in the morning all the chief priests and the Jewish authorities met to look for ways of putting Jesus to death.

2. They had him bound and led him away to be handed over to Pilate, the governor.

3. When Judas, the traitor, realized that Jesus had been condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,

4. saying, "I have sinned by betraying an innocent man to death." They answered, "What does it matter to us? That is your concern."

5. So, throwing the money into the Temple, he went away and hanged himself.

6. The priests picked up the money, and said, "This money cannot be put into the Temple treasury, for this is the price of blood."

7. So they met together and decided to buy the Potter's Field with the money and make it a cemetery for foreigners.

8. This is why that place has been called Field of Blood to this day.

9. So what the prophet Jeremiah said was fulfilled: They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price the sons of Israel set on him.

10. And they gave them for the Potter's Field, as the Lord commanded me.

11. Jesus stood before the governor who questioned him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "You say so."

12. The chief priests and the Elders accused him, but he made no answer.

13. Pilate said to him, "Do you hear all the charges they bring against you?"

14. But he did not answer even a single question, so that the governor wondered.

15. It was customary for the governor to release any prisoner the people asked for on the occasion of the Passover.

16. Now there was a well-known prisoner called Barabbas.

17. As the people had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Whom do you want me to set free: Barabbas, or Jesus called the Messiah?"

18. For he realized that Jesus had been handed over to him out of envy.

19. As Pilate was sitting in court, his wife sent him this message, "Have nothing to do with that holy man. Because of him I had a dream last night that disturbed me greatly."

20. But the chief priests and the Elders stirred the crowds to ask for the release of Barabbas and the death of Jesus.

21. When the governor asked them again, "Which of the two do you want me to set free?" they answered, "Barabbas."

22. Pilate said to them, "And what shall I do with Jesus called the Messiah?" All answered, "Crucify him!"

23. Pilate insisted, "What evil has he done?" But they shouted louder, "Crucify him!"

24. Pilate realized that he was getting nowhere and that instead there could be a riot. He then asked for water and washed his hands before the people, saying, "I am not responsible for his blood. It is your doing."

25. And all the people answered, "Let his blood be upon us and upon our children."

26. Then Pilate set Barabbas free, but had Jesus scourged, and handed him over to be crucified.

27. The Roman soldiers took Jesus into the palace of the governor and the whole troop gathered around him.

28. They stripped him and dressed him in a purple military cloak.

29. Then, twisting a crown of thorns, they forced it onto his head, and placed a reed in his right hand. They knelt before Jesus and mocked him, saying, "Long life to the King of the Jews!"

30. They spat on him, took the reed from his hand and struck him on the head with it.

31. When they had finished mocking him, they pulled off the purple cloak and dressed him in his own clothes again, and led him out to be crucified.

32. On the way they met a man from Cyrene called Simon, and forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.

33. When they reached the place called Golgotha (or Calvary) which means the Skull,

34. they offered him wine mixed with gall. Jesus tasted it but would not take it.

35. There they crucified him and divided his clothes among themselves, casting lots to decide what each should take.

36. Then they sat down to guard him.

37. The statement of his offense was displayed above his head and it read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."

38. They also crucified two bandits with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39. People passing by shook their heads and insulted him,

40. saying, "Aha! So you will destroy the Temple and build it up again in three days. Now save yourself and come down from the cross, if you are Son of God."

41. In the same way the chief priests, the Elders and the teachers of the Law mocked him.

42. They said, "The man who saved others cannot save himself. Let the King of Israel now come down from his cross and we will believe in him.

43. He trusted in God; let God rescue him if God wants to, since he himself said: I am the Son of God."

44. Even the robbers who were crucified with him insulted him.

45. From midday darkness fell over the whole land until mid-afternoon.

46. At about three o'clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lamma Sabbacthani?" which means: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

47. As soon as they heard this, some of the bystanders said, "He is calling for Elijah."

48. And one of them went quickly, took a sponge and soaked it in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave him to drink.

49. Others said, "Leave him alone, let us see whether Elijah comes to his rescue."

50. Then Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and gave up his spirit.

51. Just then the curtain of the Temple sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, rocks were split,

52. tombs were opened, and several holy people who had died were raised to life.

53. They came out of the tombs after the resurrection of Jesus, entered the Holy City and appeared to many.

54. The captain and the soldiers who guarded Jesus were greatly terrified when they saw the earthquake and all that had happened, and said, "Truly, this man was a Son of God."

55. There were also some women there who watched from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and saw to his needs.

56. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

57. It was now evening and there arrived a wealthy man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus.

58. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and the governor ordered that the body be given him.

59. So Joseph took the body of Jesus, wrapped it in a clean linen sheet

60. and laid it in his own new tomb which had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance of the tomb and left.

61. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there in front of the tomb.

62. On the following day (the day after the Preparation for the Passover), the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate

63. and said to him, "Sir, we remember that when that impostor was still alive, he said: I will rise after three days.

64. Therefore, have his tomb secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal the body and say to the people: He was raised from the dead. This would be a worse lie than the first."

65. Pilate answered them, "You have soldiers, go and take all the necessary precautions".

66. So they went to the tomb and secured it, sealing the stone and placing it under guard.