Matthew 27:11-28:20

New International Version

Jesus Before Pilate^(A)

¹¹ Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”^(B)

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

¹² When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.^{(C) 13} Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”^{(D) 14} But Jesus made no reply,^(E) not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

¹⁵ Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner^(F) chosen by the crowd. ¹⁶ At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus^[a] Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^{(G) 18} For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,^(H) his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent^(I) man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream^(J) because of him.”

²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.^(K)

²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

²² “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^(L) Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

²³ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar^(M) was starting, he took water and washed his hands^(N) in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”^(O) he said. “It is your responsibility!”^(P)

²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”^(Q)

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged,^(R) and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(S)

²⁷ Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium^(T) and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. ²⁸ They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,^{(U) 29} and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.^{(V) 30} They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.^{(W) 31} After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.^(X)

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(Y)

³² As they were going out,^(Z) they met a man from Cyrene,^(AA) named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.^{(AB) 33} They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).^{(AC) 34} There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall;^(AD) but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵ When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.^{(AE) 36} And sitting down, they kept watch^(AF) over him there. ³⁷ Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

³⁸ Two rebels were crucified with him,^(AG) one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹ Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads^{(AH) 40} and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,^(AI) save yourself!^(AJ) Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”^{(AK) 41} In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴² “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel!^(AL) Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe^(AM) in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him^(AN) now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus^(AO)

⁴⁵ From noon until three in the afternoon darkness^(AP) came over all the land. ⁴⁶ About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,^[b] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).^[c](AQ)

⁴⁷ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar,^(AR) put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ⁴⁹ The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰ And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.^(AS)

⁵¹ At that moment the curtain of the temple^(AT) was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split^{(AU) 52} and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³ They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and^[d] went into the holy city^(AV) and appeared to many people.

⁵⁴ When the centurion and those with him who were guarding^(AW) Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”^(AX)

⁵⁵ Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.^{(AY) 56} Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph,^[e] and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.^(AZ)

The Burial of Jesus^(BA)

⁵⁷ As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸ Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. ⁵⁹ Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and placed it in his own new tomb^(BB) that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. ⁶¹ Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

⁶² The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ⁶³ “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’^{(BC) 64} So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body^(BD) and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵ “Take a guard,”^(BE) Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal^(BF) on the stone^(BG) and posting the guard.^(BH)

Jesus Has Risen^(BI)

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene^(BJ) and the other Mary^(BK) went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake,^(BL) for an angel^(BM) of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone^(BN) and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.^{(BO) 4} The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid,^(BP) for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.^(BQ) Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.^(BR) There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them.^(BS) “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers^(BT) to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Guards’ Report

¹¹ While the women were on their way, some of the guards^(BU) went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away^(BV) while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor,^(BW) we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.^{(BX) 17} When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.^{(BY) 19} Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,^(BZ) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,^{(CA) 20} and teaching^(CB) them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you^(CC) always, to the very end of the age.”^(CD)