Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death; and they bound Him and led Him away and delivered Him up to Pilate the governor.
Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."
But they said, "What is that to us? See to that yourself!"
And he threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood." And they counseled together and with the money bought the Potter's Field as a burial place for strangers. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons of Israel; and they gave them for the Potter's Field, as the Lord directed me."
Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"
And Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He made no answer.
Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?"
And He did not answer him with regard to a even a single charge, so that the governor was quite amazed. Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the multitude any one prisoner who they wanted. And they were holding at that time a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew that because of envy they had delivered Him up.
And while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him."
But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death.
But the governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?"
And they said, "Barabbas."
Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?"
But they kept shouting all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified!"
And when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing,k but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of this Man's blood; see to that yourselves."
And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children!"
Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he delivered Him to be crucified.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. And after weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head and a reed in His right hand; and they kneeled down before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spat on him and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. And after they had mocked Him, they took His robe off and put His garments on Him and led Him away to crucify Him.
And as they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross.
And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, they gave Him wine to drink mingled with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink. And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots; and sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. And they put up above His head the charge against Him which read, "This is Jesus The King of the Jews."
At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.
And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads and saying, "You are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."
In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, "He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we shall believe in Him. He trusts in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He takes pleasure in Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"
And the robbers also who had been crucified with Him were casting the same insult at Him.
Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani?" that is, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
And some of those who were standing there when they heard it began saying, "This man is calling for Elijah."
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook, and the rocks were split, and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
Now the centurion and those who were keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
And many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, among whom was Mary Magdalene, along with Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
And when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given over to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.
Matthew 27:1-61
Other References
Zechariah 11:12-13
Genesis 20:6; 31:11
Joshua 2:19
Psalm 69:21
Psalm 22:18
Psalm 22:7
Psalm 22:8
Psalm 22:1
Exodus 26:31
