Matthew 27:1-31

New King James Version

Jesus Handed Over to Pontius Pilate^(A)

27 When morning came, ^(B)all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. ² And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and ^(C)delivered Him to ^[a]Pontius Pilate the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself^(D)

^3 (E)Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty ^(F)pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ⁴ saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”

And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”

⁵ Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and ^(G)departed, and went and hanged himself.

⁶ But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” ⁷ And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. ⁸ Therefore that field has been called ^(H)the Field of Blood to this day.

⁹ Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ^(I)“And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, ¹⁰ and ^(J)gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”

Jesus Faces Pilate^(K)

¹¹ Now Jesus stood before the governor. ^(L)And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

Jesus said to him, ^(M)“It is as you say.” ¹² And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, ^(N)He answered nothing.

¹³ Then Pilate said to Him, ^(O)“Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” ¹⁴ But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Taking the Place of Barabbas^(P)

^15 (Q)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. ¹⁶ And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called ^[b]Barabbas. ¹⁷ Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of ^(R)envy.

¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

^20 (S)But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. ²¹ The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”

They said, ^(T)“Barabbas!”

²² Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

²³ Then the governor said, ^(U)“Why, what evil has He done?”

But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a ^[c]tumult was rising, he ^(V)took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this ^[d]just Person. You see to it.”

²⁵ And all the people answered and said, ^(W)“His blood be on us and on our children.”

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them; and when ^(X)he had ^[e]scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(Y)

^27 (Z)Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the ^[f]Praetorium and gathered the whole ^[g]garrison around Him. ²⁸ And they ^(AA)stripped Him and ^(AB)put a scarlet robe on Him. ^29 (AC)When they had ^[h]twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on 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!” ³⁰ Then ^(AD)they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. ³¹ And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, ^(AE)and led Him away to be crucified.