The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Literal Standard Version 2020 ⭑

- Chapter 27 -

(Mark 15:1–5)

And morning having come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, so as to put Him to death;

and having bound Him, they led [Him] away, and delivered Him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself

(Zechariah 11:10–17)

Then Judas—he who delivered Him up—having seen that He was condemned, having regretted, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and to the elders, saying,

“I sinned, having delivered up innocent blood”; and they said, “What [is that] to us? You will see!”

And having cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed, and having gone away, he strangled himself.

And the chief priests having taken the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, seeing it is the price of blood”;

and having taken counsel, they bought the potter’s field with them, for the burial of strangers;

therefore that field was called, “Field of Blood,” to this day.

Then was fulfilled that spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And I took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him who has been priced, whom they of the sons of Israel priced,

and gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD appointed to me.”

Jesus before Pilate

(Luke 23:1–5; John 18:28–40)

And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “You say [it].”

And in His being accused by the chief priests and the elders, He did not answer anything;

then Pilate says to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they witness against You?”

And He did not answer him, not even to one word, so that the governor wondered greatly.

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

(Mark 15:6–11; Luke 23:13–25)

And at the celebration the governor had been accustomed to release one to the multitude, a prisoner, whom they willed,

and they had a noted prisoner then, called Barabbas,

therefore they having been gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you will [that] I may release to you? Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?”

For he had known that they had delivered Him up because of envy.

And as he is sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Nothing—to you and to that Righteous One, for I suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

And the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes that they might ask for themselves Barabbas, and might destroy Jesus;

and the governor answering said to them, “Which of the two will you [that] I may release to you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”

Pilate says to them, “What then will I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all say to him, “Let [Him] be crucified!”

And the governor said, “Why, what evil did He do?” And they were crying out the more, saying, “Let [Him] be crucified!”

Pilate Washes His Hands

(Mark 15:12–15)

And Pilate having seen that it profits nothing, but rather a tumult is made, having taken water, he washed the hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent from the blood of this Righteous One; you will see [to it] yourselves”;

and all the people answering said, “His blood [is] on us, and on our children!”

Then he released Barabbas to them, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered [Him] up that He may be crucified;

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

(Isaiah 50:4–11; Mark 15:16–20; Luke 22:63–65; John 19:1–15)

then the soldiers of the governor having taken Jesus to the Praetorium, gathered to Him all the band;

and having unclothed Him, they put a crimson cloak around Him,

and having plaited Him a garland out of thorns they put [it] on His head, and [put] a reed in His right hand, and having kneeled before Him, they were mocking Him, saying, “Hail, the King of the Jews!”

And having spit on Him, they took the reed, and were striking on His head;

and when they had mocked Him, they took off the cloak from Him, and put His own garments on Him, and led Him away to crucify [Him].

The Crucifixion

(Psalm 22:1–31; Mark 15:21–32; Luke 23:26–43; John 19:16–27)

And coming forth, they found a man, a Cyrenian, by name Simon: they impressed him that he might carry His cross;

and having come to a place called Golgotha, which is called “Place of [the] Skull,”

they gave Him vinegar mixed with gall to drink, and having tasted, He would not drink.

And having crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting a lot, [[ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments to themselves, and they cast a lot over My clothing”;]]

and sitting down, they were watching Him there,

and they put up over His head, His accusation written: “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

Then two robbers are crucified with Him, one on the right hand and one on the left,

and those passing by kept slandering Him, wagging their heads,

and saying, “You that are throwing down the temple, and in three days building [it], save Yourself; if You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

And in like manner also the chief priests mocking, with the scribes and elders, said,

“He saved others; He is not able to save Himself! If He is King of Israel, let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe Him;

He has trusted on God, let Him now deliver Him if He wants Him, because He said, I am [the] Son of God”;

with the same also the robbers, who were crucified with Him, were reproaching Him.

The Death of Jesus

(Psalm 22:1–31; Mark 15:33–41; Luke 23:44–49; John 19:28–30)

And from the sixth hour darkness came over all the land to the ninth hour,

and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a great voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” That is, “My God, My God, why did You forsake Me?”

And certain of those standing there having heard, said, “He calls Elijah”;

and immediately, one of them having run, and having taken a sponge, having filled [it] with vinegar, and having put [it] on a reed, was giving Him to drink,

but the rest said, “Let alone, let us see if Elijah comes—about to save Him.”

And Jesus having again cried with a great voice, yielded the spirit;

and behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,

and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the holy ones who have fallen asleep, arose,

and having come forth out of the tombs after His rising, they went into the holy city, and appeared to many.

And the centurion, and those with him watching Jesus, having seen the earthquake, and the things that were done, were exceedingly afraid, saying, “Truly this was God’s Son.”

And there were there many women beholding from afar, who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him,

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

The Burial of Jesus

(Isaiah 53:9–12; Mark 15:42–47; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42)

And evening having come, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who also himself was discipled to Jesus,

he having gone near to Pilate, asked for himself the body of Jesus; then Pilate commanded the body to be given back.

And having taken the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen,

and laid it in his new tomb that he hewed in the rock, and having rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, he went away;

now Mary the Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.

The Guards at the Tomb

And on the next day that is after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate,

saying, “Lord, we have remembered that this deceiver said while yet living, After three days I rise;

command, then, the grave to be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples, having come by night, may steal Him away, and may say to the people, He rose from the dead, and the last deceit will be worse than the first.”

And Pilate said to them, “You have a guard, go away, make [it] secure—as you have known”;

and they, having gone, made the grave secure, having sealed the stone, together with the guard.