Matthew Twenty-Seven

   When it was morning, the high priests and the elders of the people took counsel concerning Jesus, how to put him to death. So they bound him, and took him and delivered him to Pilate the governor.

   ¶ Then Judas the traitor, when he saw that Jesus was convicted, repented, and went away and brought back the same thirty pieces of silver to the high priests and the elders. And he said, I have sinned, because I have betrayed innocent blood. But they said to him, What is that to us? You know better. Then he threw the silver in the temple, and departed; and he went and hanged himself. The high priests took the silver and said, It is not lawful to put it in the house of offerings, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with it the potter’s field, for a cemetery for strangers. On this account that field was called The field of blood, to this day.

   ¶ Then what was spoken by the prophet was fulfilled, who said, I took the thirty pieces of silver, the costly price which was bargained with the children of Israel. And I gave them for the potter’s field, as
the Lord commanded me. And Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him and said to him, Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus said to him, You say that. And while the chief priests and elders were accusing him, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, Do you not hear how much they testify against you? But he did not answer him, not even a word; and because of this Pilate marvelled greatly. Now on every feast day it was the custom of the governor to release one prisoner to the people, anyone whom they wanted. They had a well-known prisoner, called Bar-Abbas, who was bound. When they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, Whom do you want me to release
to you? Bar-Abbas, or Jesus who is called the Christ? For Pilate knew that because of envy they
had delivered him.

   ¶ When the governor was sitting on his judgment seat, his wife sent to him and said to him, Have nothing to do with that righteous man; for today I have suffered a great deal in my dream because of him. But the high priests and the elders urged the people to ask for Bar-Abbas, and to destroy Jesus. And the governor answered and said to them, Which of these two do you want me to release to you? They said, Bar-Abbas. Pilate said to them, What shall I then do with Jesus who is called the Christ? They all said, Let him be crucified. Pilate said to them, What evil has he done? But they cried out the more and said, Let him be crucified.

   ¶ Now when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but that instead confusion was increasing, he took water and washed his hands before the people, and said, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; do as you please. All the people then answered and said, Let his blood be on us and on our children.

   ¶ Then he released to them Bar-Abbas, and had Jesus scourged with whips, and delivered to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium, and the whole company gathered around him. And they removed his clothes and put on him a scarlet robe. And they wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they knelt on their knees before him, and they were mocking him and saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spat in his face, and took the reed and struck him on his head. And when they had mocked him, they took off the robe from him and put on him his own clothes, and took him away to be crucified. And as they were going out, they found a man of Cyrene, whose name was Simon, whom they compelled to carry his cross.

   ¶ And they came to a place which is called Golgotha, which is interpreted The Skull. And they gave him to drink vinegar mixed with gall; and he tasted it, but he would not drink.

   ¶ And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes by casting lots. And they were sitting there and watching him. And they placed above his head in writing the reason for his death:
THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

   ¶ And there were crucified with him two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. And those who passed by blasphemed against him, nodding their heads, And saying, O you who can tear down
the temple and build it in three days, deliver yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross. The high priests likewise were mocking, together with the scribes, the elders and the Pharisees. And they were saying, He saved others, but he cannot save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe in him. He trusted in God; let him save him now, if he is pleased with him; for he said, I am God’s Son. The bandits also, who were crucified with him were reproaching him. Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the land, until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, Eli, Eli, lmana shabachthani! which means, My God, my God, for this I was kept! Some of the men who were standing by, when they heard it, said, This man has called for Elijah. And immediately one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. But the rest said, Hush, let us see if Elijah will come to save him.

   ¶ But Jesus again cried out with a loud voice, and gave up his breath. And immediately the door curtains of the temple were rent in two, from the top to the bottom; and the earth quaked, and the
rocks split; And the tombs were opened; and the bodies of a great many saints who were sleeping
in death rose up, And they went out; and after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city, and
appeared to a great many.

   ¶ When the centurion and those who were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake and all that happened, they were very much frightened, and they said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
There were also many women there, who were looking from afar, those who had followed Jesus from Galilee, and who used to minister to him. One of them was Mary of Magdala; and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

   ¶ When evening came, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, whose name was Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate commanded that the body should be given to him. So Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a shroud of fine linen, And laid it in his own new tomb which was hewn in a rock; and they rolled a large stone, and
placed it against the door of the tomb, and went away. And there were there Mary of Magdala
and the other Mary, who were sitting opposite the tomb.

   ¶ The next day, which is after Friday, the high priests and the Pharisees together came to Pilate, And they said to him, Our lord, we have just remembered that that deceiver used to say when he was alive, After three days I will rise again. Now, therefore, command that precautions be taken at the tomb for three days. It is probable that his disciples may come and steal him at night, and then say to the people, He has risen from the dead; and the last deception will be worse than the first. Pilate said to them, You have guards; go and take precautions as best you know. So they went and kept a watch at the tomb, and together with the guards they sealed the stone.