Chapter 27

1Early in the morning, all the leading priests and senior leaders of the people met to plan how to have Jesus put to death.

2They tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the Roman governor.

3Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, saw that Jesus had been condemned. Judas regretted what he had done and returned the thirty silver coins to the leading priests and senior leaders.

4Judas said, “I did wrong by betraying an innocent man to his death.” They replied, “What does that have to do with us? That is your responsibility.”

5Judas threw the silver coins into the temple building and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

6The leading priests picked up the coins and said, “We are not allowed to put this money into the temple treasury because it is blood money—the price paid to cause someone’s death.”

7After discussing the matter, they used the money to buy the Potter’s Field as a burial place for foreigners.

8That is why the field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

9This fulfilled what the prophet Jeremiah had said: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him—the amount some of Israel’s people had decided he was worth.

10The prophecy continued: “They used the money to buy the potter’s field, as God had commanded me.”

11Jesus stood before Pilate. The governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You say so.”

12But when the leading priests and senior leaders accused Jesus, he gave no answer.

13Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear all the accusations they are making against you?”

14But Jesus did not answer even one of the charges, and Pilate was greatly amazed.

15During the festival, the governor had a custom of releasing one prisoner chosen by the crowd.

16At that time, there was a notorious prisoner named Jesus Barabbas.

17When the people had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah, God’s promised king?”

18Pilate knew that the religious leaders had handed Jesus over because they were jealous of him.

19While Pilate was seated to hear the case, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man. I suffered greatly today because of a dream about him.”

20But the leading priests and senior leaders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.

21The governor asked the crowd, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” They answered, “Barabbas.”

22Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They all answered, “Crucify him!”

23Pilate asked, “Why? What crime has he committed?” But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”

24Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was beginning. So he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am not responsible for this man’s death. You take the responsibility.”

25Everyone there answered, “Let the blame for his blood fall on us and on our children!”

26Then Pilate released Barabbas for them. He had Jesus beaten with a whip and handed him over to be crucified.

27The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters and gathered the whole Roman army unit around him.

28They stripped him and put a scarlet military cloak around him.

29They twisted thorny branches into a crown and placed it on his head. Then they put a reed in his right hand like a royal scepter. They knelt in front of him and mocked him, saying, “Long live the king of the Jews!”

30They spat on him, took the reed, and kept striking him on the head with it.

31After mocking Jesus, they removed the cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

32As the soldiers were leaving the city, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon. They forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.

33They came to a place called Golgotha, which means “Place of a Skull.”

34They offered Jesus wine mixed with something bitter. After tasting it, he refused to drink it.

35After crucifying Jesus, the soldiers divided his clothes among themselves, using lots to decide who would receive each piece.

36Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.

37Above Jesus’ head, they placed a sign stating the charge against him: “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”

38Two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39People passing by insulted Jesus and shook their heads at him in scorn.

40They said, “You who would tear down the temple and rebuild it in three days—save yourself! If you are God’s Son, come down from the cross!”

41The leading priests, together with the teachers of the law and the senior leaders, mocked Jesus in the same way.

42They said, “He rescued others, but he cannot rescue himself! He is the king of Israel. Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.

43They continued mocking him: “He trusted in God. Let God rescue him now, if God wants him, because he said, ‘I am God’s Son.’”

44The bandits crucified with Jesus insulted him in the same way.

45From noon until about three in the afternoon, darkness covered the whole land.

46At about three, Jesus cried out loudly, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” This means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

47When some of the people standing there heard him, they said, “This man is calling Elijah.”

48One of them immediately ran and got a sponge. He filled it with sour wine, put it on a reed, and held it up for Jesus to drink.

49But the others said, “Leave him alone. Let us see whether Elijah comes to save him.”

50Jesus cried out loudly once more and died.

51At that moment, the curtain inside the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks split apart.

52Tombs opened, and the bodies of many of God’s people who had died were raised to life.

53After Jesus was raised, they came out of the tombs, entered Jerusalem, the holy city, and appeared to many people.

54The Roman army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and everything that had happened. They became terrified and said, “This man truly was God’s Son.”

55Many women were watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee and had taken care of his needs.

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

57When evening came, a rich man named Joseph arrived from Arimathea. He too had become a follower of Jesus.

58Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate ordered that the body be given to him.

59Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linen cloth.

60He placed Jesus’ body in his own new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. Then he rolled a large stone against the tomb’s entrance and left.

61Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting across from the tomb.

62The next day, after the day of preparation for the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went together to Pilate.

63They said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive, he said, ‘After three days I will rise.’

64They continued, “So order the tomb to be secured until the third day. Otherwise, his followers may come, steal his body, and tell the people, ‘He was raised from the dead.’ That final deception would be worse than the first.”

65Pilate told them, “You have a guard unit. Go and make the tomb as secure as you know how.”

66They went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and placing the guards there.