Matthew 27

When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

1When morning came, the chief priests and the leaders of the people met. They planned together to have Jesus put to death.

2And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

2They tied him up and led him away. They handed him over to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of that land.

3Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

3Judas was the one who had handed Jesus over. When he saw that Jesus was condemned, he was very sorry. He brought the thirty silver coins back to the chief priests and leaders.

4Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

4Judas said, "I did wrong. I handed over a man who did nothing wrong." They said, "That is not our problem. It is yours."

5And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

5So Judas threw the silver coins down in the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

6And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

6The chief priests picked up the coins. They said, "Our law says we cannot put this in the temple money box. It paid for a man's death."

7And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.

7They talked it over. They used the money to buy the potter's field. It would be a burial place for strangers.

8Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.

8That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood.

9Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;

9This made true the words of Jeremiah, a prophet who told people what God said. He wrote: "They took the thirty silver coins. That was the price the people of Israel set on him.

10And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.

10They used the coins to buy the potter's field, just as the Lord told me."

11And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

11Jesus stood in front of the governor. Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so."

12And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

12The chief priests and leaders said he had done many wrong things. Jesus did not answer them at all.

13Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

13Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear all the things they say against you?"

14And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

14Jesus did not answer even one of their charges. This surprised the governor very much.

15Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

15At that feast the governor always set one prisoner free. The crowd chose which prisoner it would be.

16And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

16At that time they were holding a well-known prisoner named Barabbas.

17Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

17The crowd gathered. Pilate asked them, "Which one should I set free? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" Christ means God's chosen one.

18For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

18Pilate knew why they had handed Jesus over to him. They were jealous of him.

19When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

19Pilate was sitting in the judge's seat. His wife sent him a message. It said, "Do not do anything to that good man. I had a bad dream about him today, and it upset me."

20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

20But the chief priests and leaders talked the crowd into it. The crowd should ask for Barabbas and have Jesus killed.

21The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

21The governor asked them, "Which of the two should I set free?" They said, "Barabbas."

22Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

22Pilate said, "Then what should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Nail him to a cross!"

23And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

23The governor said, "Why? What wrong has he done?" But they shouted even louder, "Nail him to a cross!"

24When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

24Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, and a riot was starting. So he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. He said, "I am not guilty of this good man's death. It is your doing."

25Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

25All the people answered, "Let the blame be on us and on our children."

26Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

26So Pilate set Barabbas free. He had Jesus whipped. Then he handed him over to be nailed to a cross.

27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

27The governor's soldiers took Jesus into the palace yard. They called the whole group of soldiers to come around him.

28And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

28They took off his clothes. They put a red robe on him.

29And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

29They twisted thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand. They knelt down and made fun of him. They said, "Hello, King of the Jews!"

30And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

30They spit on him. They took the stick and hit him on the head.

31And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

31When they were done making fun of him, they took the robe off. They put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to nail him to a cross.

32And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

32On the way out they found a man named Simon. He was from a place called Cyrene. They made him carry the cross for Jesus.

33And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

33They came to a place called Golgotha. That name means "the place of a skull."

34They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

34There they gave Jesus sour wine mixed with something bitter. He tasted it but would not drink it.

NoteThe KJV word "vinegar" meant cheap sour wine, not the vinegar we cook with. "Gall" was something bitter mixed into it.

35And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

35They nailed him to the cross. Then they split up his clothes among them. They threw lots, like rolling dice, to see who got what. This made true what a prophet had written: "They divided my clothes among them. They threw lots for my coat."

36And sitting down they watched him there;

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

37And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

37Above his head they put up a sign. It told what he was charged with. It said: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

38Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

38Two robbers were nailed to crosses beside him. One was on his right and one on his left.

39And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

39People walked by and shouted mean things at him. They shook their heads at him.

40And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

40They said, "You said you would tear down the temple and build it in three days. Save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

41Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

41The chief priests made fun of him too. So did the teachers of the law and the leaders. They said,

42He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

42"He saved other people, but he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now. Then we will believe him.

43He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

43He trusted God. Let God save him now, if God wants him. He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

44The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

44The robbers on the crosses beside him said mean things to him too.

45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

45From noon until three in the afternoon, it was dark over the whole land.

NoteThe KJV counts hours from sunrise. The sixth hour is about noon, and the ninth hour is about three in the afternoon.

46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

46About three o'clock Jesus called out in a loud voice. He said, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" That means, "My God, my God, why have you left me alone?"

47Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

47Some people standing there heard him. They said, "He is calling for Elijah." Elijah was a prophet who lived long before.

48And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

48Right away one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with sour wine. He put it on a stick and held it up for Jesus to drink.

49The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

49The others said, "Leave him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to save him."

50Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

50Jesus called out again in a loud voice. Then he gave up his spirit and died.

51And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

51Just then the curtain in the temple tore in two, from top to bottom. The ground shook and rocks split apart.

NoteThe "veil" was a big, heavy curtain that hung inside the temple.

52And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

52The graves opened. The bodies of many of God's people who had died were raised to life.

53And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

53After Jesus rose from the dead, they came out of the graves. They went into the holy city, and many people saw them.

54Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

54A Roman officer and his soldiers were guarding Jesus. They saw the earthquake and all that happened. They were very afraid. They said, "This really was the Son of God."

55And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

55Many women were there, watching from far away. They had followed Jesus from Galilee and helped take care of him.

56Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.

56Mary Magdalene was one of them. So was Mary, the mother of James and Joses. So was the mother of Zebedee's sons.

57When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:

57When evening came, a rich man from Arimathea arrived. His name was Joseph. He was a follower of Jesus.

58He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

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

59And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

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

60And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

60He laid it in his own new tomb, which was cut into the rock. He rolled a big stone across the door. Then he went away.

61And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

61Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there. They sat across from the tomb.

62Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

62The next day was the day after Preparation Day, when people got ready for the day of rest. The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. The Pharisees were leaders who were very careful about God's law.

63Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

63They said, "Sir, we remember what that man who fooled people said. While he was alive he said, 'After three days I will rise again.'

64Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

64So give the order to guard the tomb until the third day. If not, his followers may come and steal the body. Then they will tell people he rose from the dead. That last lie would be worse than the first one."

65Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

65Pilate said to them, "You have guards. Go and make the tomb as safe as you can."

66So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

66So they went and made the tomb safe. They sealed the stone and put guards there.