Matthew 27

King James Version

Full text for Matthew Chapter 27

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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;

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

11¶ And 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.›

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

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

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

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

16And they had then a notable prisoner, called 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?

18For he knew that for envy they had delivered 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.

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

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

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

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].

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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.

36And sitting down they watched him there;

37And set up over his head his accusation written, 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.

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

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.

41Likewise also the chief priests mocking [him], with the scribes and elders, 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.

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

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

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

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?

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

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.

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

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

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;

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

59And when Joseph had taken 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.

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

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

63Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, 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.

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

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

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Matthew 27 details Jesus' condemnation by Pilate, influenced by the chief priests and the multitude who chose Barabbas over him. Judas, repenting, returns the thirty pieces of silver and hangs himself, which money is then used to purchase the potter's field. Jesus is scourged, mocked, and then crucified at Golgotha, where he yields up the ghost amidst supernatural signs. His body is subsequently laid in a new tomb by Joseph of Arimathaea, which is then secured by a Roman guard at the request of the Jewish leaders.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins with the chief priests and elders delivering Jesus to Pontius Pilate for condemnation. Judas, seeing Jesus condemned, repents, returns the thirty pieces of silver, and takes his own life; the silver is used to purchase the potter's field, fulfilling prophecy. Pilate, finding no fault in Jesus and urged by his wife's dream, attempts to release him, but the incited crowd demands Barabbas's release and Jesus' crucifixion. Pilate washes his hands, declaring his innocence, and delivers Jesus to be scourged and mocked by soldiers. Jesus is then led to Golgotha, where he is crucified between two thieves, enduring further taunts. At the ninth hour, Jesus cries out and yields up the ghost, accompanied by an earthquake, the rending of the temple veil, and the opening of graves. Joseph of Arimathaea secures Jesus' body from Pilate and lays it in his own new tomb. Finally, the chief priests and Pharisees request a guard for the tomb, fearing the disciples might steal the body, and Pilate grants their request, leading to the sealing of the stone and the setting of a watch.

Long Summary

Matthew 27 details the final hours leading to Jesus' crucifixion and burial. The chief priests and elders, having condemned Jesus, deliver him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. Meanwhile, Judas Iscariot, filled with remorse upon seeing Jesus condemned, returns the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests, confessing his sin of betraying innocent blood, and subsequently hangs himself. The priests, deeming the silver blood money, use it to purchase the potter's field for burying strangers, fulfilling prophecy attributed to Jeremy. Before Pilate, Jesus remains largely silent amidst accusations, astonishing the governor. Pilate, knowing the priests' envy and urged by his wife's dream, offers to release either Barabbas or Jesus, but the multitude, swayed by the chief priests, clamors for Barabbas and insists on Jesus' crucifixion. Pilate, unable to sway the crowd, symbolically washes his hands, declaring his innocence of Jesus' blood, to which the people accept the responsibility. Jesus is then scourged and subjected to cruel mockery by the Roman soldiers, who dress him in a scarlet robe, crown him with thorns, and salute him as "King of the Jews." Led to Golgotha, Simon of Cyrene is compelled to carry his cross. Jesus is crucified between two thieves, his garments divided by lot, fulfilling scripture. An inscription above his head proclaims him "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS." Passersby, chief priests, scribes, and elders mock him, challenging him to save himself if he is the Son of God or King of Israel. From the sixth to the ninth hour, darkness covers the land. Jesus cries out, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" and then yields up the ghost. Miraculous events follow: the temple veil tears, the earth quakes, rocks rend, and graves open, with many saints rising after his resurrection. The centurion and his watch, witnessing these events, declare Jesus truly the Son of God. Later, Joseph of Arimathaea, a wealthy disciple, obtains Jesus' body from Pilate and lays it in his own new rock-hewn tomb, sealing it with a great stone. The chief priests and Pharisees, remembering Jesus' prophecy of rising in three days, request Pilate to secure the tomb until the third day, fearing a theft of the body by his disciples. Pilate grants them a guard, and they make the sepulchre sure by sealing the stone and setting a watch.

Core Concepts

  • Judas's Repentance and SuicideJudas, upon seeing Jesus condemned, repents of his betrayal and returns the thirty pieces of silver, but ultimately takes his own life by hanging. This act highlights the tragic consequences of his betrayal and the despair that followed.
  • Pilate's Dilemma and Hand-WashingPontius Pilate, recognizing Jesus' innocence and swayed by his wife's dream, attempts to release him, but yields to the clamor of the multitude. He symbolically washes his hands to disclaim responsibility for Jesus' blood, placing the blame upon the people.
  • The Mockery and ScourgingBefore crucifixion, Jesus endures severe physical abuse and humiliation from the Roman soldiers. They scourge him, dress him in a scarlet robe, crown him with thorns, and mockingly hail him as "King of the Jews."
  • The Crucifixion and SignsJesus is crucified at Golgotha between two thieves, enduring taunts from various groups. His death is accompanied by supernatural phenomena, including darkness over the land, an earthquake, the rending of the temple veil, and the resurrection of saints.
  • Prophetic FulfillmentThe chapter explicitly notes the fulfillment of several prophecies, such as the use of the thirty pieces of silver for the potter's field (attributed to Jeremy/Jeremiah) and the casting of lots for Jesus' garments. These details underscore the divine plan unfolding.
  • Jesus' Burial and Tomb SecurityJoseph of Arimathaea, a wealthy disciple, respectfully buries Jesus' body in his own new tomb. The chief priests and Pharisees, fearing a fabricated resurrection claim, secure the tomb with a sealed stone and a Roman guard.