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Matthew 27
International Children’s Bible
Matthew 27
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Is Taken to Pilate
27 Early the next morning, all the leading priests and elders of the people decided to kill Jesus. 2 They tied him, led him away, and turned him over to Pilate, the governor.
Judas Kills Himself
3 Judas saw that they had decided to kill Jesus. Judas was the one who gave Jesus to his enemies. When Judas saw what happened, he was very sorry for what he had done. So he took the 30 silver coins back to the priests and the leaders. 4 Judas said, “I sinned. I gave you an innocent man to be killed.”
The leaders answered, “What is that to us? That’s your problem, not ours.”
5 So Judas threw the money into the Temple. Then he went off and hanged himself.
6 The leading priests picked up the silver coins in the Temple. They said, “Our law does not allow us to keep this money with the Temple money. This money has paid for a man’s death.” 7 So they decided to use the coins to buy a field called Potter’s Field. This field would be a place to bury strangers who died while visiting Jerusalem. 8 That is why that field is still called the Field of Blood. 9 So the thing came true that Jeremiah the prophet had said: “They took 30 silver coins. That is how little the Israelites thought he was worth. 10 They used those 30 silver coins to buy Potter’s Field, as the Lord commanded me.”[a]
Pilate Questions Jesus
11 Jesus stood before Pilate the governor. Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, I am.”
12 When the leading priests and the elders accused Jesus, he said nothing.
13 So Pilate said to Jesus, “Don’t you hear these people accusing you of all these things?”
14 But Jesus said nothing in answer to Pilate. Pilate was very surprised at this.
Pilate Tries to Free Jesus
15 Every year at the time of Passover the governor would free one person from prison. This was always a person the people wanted to be set free. 16 At that time there was a man in prison who was known to be very bad. His name was Barabbas.[b] 17 All the people gathered at Pilate’s house. Pilate said, “Which man do you want me to free: Barabbas,[c] or Jesus who is called the Christ?” 18 Pilate knew that they gave Jesus to him because they were jealous.
19 Pilate said these things while he was sitting on the judge’s seat. While he was sitting there, his wife sent a message to him. The message said, “Don’t do anything to that man. He is not guilty. Today I had a dream about him, and it troubled me very much.”
20 But the leading priests and elders told the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be freed and for Jesus to be killed.
21 Pilate said, “I have Barabbas and Jesus. Which do you want me to set free for you?”
The people answered, “Barabbas!”
22 Pilate asked, “What should I do with Jesus, the one called the Christ?”
They all answered, “Kill him on a cross!”
23 Pilate asked, “Why do you want me to kill him? What wrong has he done?”
But they shouted louder, “Kill him on a cross!”
24 Pilate saw that he could do nothing about this, and a riot was starting. So he took some water and washed his hands[d] in front of the crowd. Then he said, “I am not guilty of this man’s death. You are the ones who are causing it!”
25 All the people answered, “We will be responsible. We accept for ourselves and for our children any punishment for his death.”
26 Then Pilate freed Barabbas. Pilate told some of the soldiers to beat Jesus with whips. Then he gave Jesus to the soldiers to be killed on a cross.
27 Pilate’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace. All the soldiers gathered around Jesus. 28 They took off his clothes and put a red robe on him. 29 Then the soldiers used thorny branches to make a crown. They put this crown of thorns on Jesus’ head. They put a stick in his right hand. Then the soldiers bowed before Jesus and made fun of him. They said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spit on Jesus. Then they took his stick and hit him on the head many times. 31 After they finished making fun of Jesus, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led Jesus away to be killed on a cross.
Jesus Is Killed on a Cross
32 The soldiers were going out of the city with Jesus. They forced another man to carry the cross to be used for Jesus. This man was Simon, from Cyrene. 33 They all came to the place called Golgotha. (Golgotha means the Place of the Skull.) 34 At Golgotha, the soldiers gave Jesus wine to drink. This wine was mixed with gall.[e] He tasted the wine but refused to drink it. 35 The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross. They threw lots to decide who would get his clothes.[f] 36 The soldiers sat there and continued watching him. 37 They put a sign above Jesus’ head with the charge against him written on it. The sign read: “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 38 Two robbers were nailed to crosses beside Jesus, one on the right and the other on the left. 39 People walked by and insulted Jesus. They shook their heads, 40 saying, “You said you could destroy the Temple and build it again in three days. So save yourself! Come down from that cross, if you are really the Son of God!”
41 The leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish elders were also there. These men made fun of Jesus 42 and said, “He saved other people, but he can’t save himself! People say he is the King of Israel! If he is the King, then let him come down now from the cross. Then we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. So let God save him now, if God really wants him. He himself said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 And in the same way, the robbers who were being killed on crosses beside Jesus also insulted him.
Jesus Dies
45 At noon the whole country became dark. This darkness lasted for three hours. 46 About three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” This means, “My God, my God, why have you left me alone?”
47 Some of the people standing there heard this. They said, “He is calling Elijah.”
48 Quickly one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled the sponge with vinegar and tied it to a stick. Then he used the stick to give the sponge to Jesus to drink from it. 49 But the others said, “Don’t bother him. We want to see if Elijah will come to save him.”
50 Again Jesus cried out in a loud voice. Then he died.
51 Then the curtain in the Temple[g] split into two pieces. The tear started at the top and tore all the way down to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks broke apart. 52 The graves opened, and many of God’s people who had died were raised from death. 53 They came out of the graves after Jesus was raised from death. They went into the holy city, and many people saw them.
54 The army officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus saw this earthquake and everything else that happened. They were very frightened and said, “He really was the Son of God!”
55 Many women were standing at a distance from the cross, watching. These were women who had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for him. 56 Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were there.
Jesus Is Buried
57 That evening a rich man named Joseph came to Jerusalem. He was a follower of Jesus from the town of Arimathea. 58 Joseph went to Pilate and asked to have Jesus’ body. Pilate gave orders for the soldiers to give it to Joseph. 59 Then Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. 60 He put Jesus’ body in a new tomb that he had cut in a wall of rock. He rolled a very large stone to block the entrance of the tomb. Then Joseph went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other woman named Mary were sitting near the tomb.
The Tomb of Jesus Is Guarded
62 That day was the day called Preparation Day. The next day, the leading priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 They said, “Sir, we remember that while that liar was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise from death.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be guarded closely till the third day. His followers might come and steal the body. Then they could tell the people that he has risen from death. That lie would be even worse than the first one.”
65 Pilate said, “Take some soldiers and go guard the tomb the best way you know.” 66 So they all went to the tomb and made it safe from thieves. They did this by sealing the stone in the entrance and then putting soldiers there to guard it.
Footnotes
- 27:10 “They . . . commanded me.” See Zechariah 11:12–13 and Jeremiah 32:6–9.
- 27:16, 17 Barabbas Some Greek copies read “Jesus Barabbas.”
- 27:16, 17 Barabbas Some Greek copies read “Jesus Barabbas.”
- 27:24 washed his hands He did this as a sign to show that he wanted no part in what the people did.
- 27:34 gall Probably a drink of wine mixed with drugs to help a person feel less pain.
- 27:35 clothes Some Greek copies continue, “So what God said through the prophet came true, ‘They divided my clothes among them, and they threw lots for my clothing.’”
- 27:51 curtain in the Temple A curtain divided the Most Holy Place from the other part of the Temple. That was the special building in Jerusalem where God commanded the Jews to worship him.
Matthew 27
New International Version
Matthew 27
New International Version
Judas Hangs Himself
27 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed.(A) 2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him over(B) to Pilate the governor.(C)
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him,(D) saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver(E) to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”(F)
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple(G) and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.(H)
6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood(I) to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:(J) “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”[a](K)
Jesus Before Pilate(L)
11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”(M)
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.(N) 13 Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”(O) 14 But Jesus made no reply,(P) 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(Q) chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus[b] 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?”(R) 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,(S) his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent(T) man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream(U) because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.(V)
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?”(W) 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(X) was starting, he took water and washed his hands(Y) in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”(Z) he said. “It is your responsibility!”(AA)
25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”(AB)
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged,(AC) and handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus(AD)
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium(AE) and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,(AF) 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.(AG) 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.(AH) 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.(AI)
The Crucifixion of Jesus(AJ)
32 As they were going out,(AK) they met a man from Cyrene,(AL) named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.(AM) 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).(AN) 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall;(AO) but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.(AP) 36 And sitting down, they kept watch(AQ) 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,(AR) one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads(AS) 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,(AT) save yourself!(AU) Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”(AV) 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!(AW) Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe(AX) in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him(AY) 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(AZ)
45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness(BA) came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[c] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[d](BB)
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,(BC) 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.(BD)
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple(BE) was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split(BF) 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[e] went into the holy city(BG) and appeared to many people.
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding(BH) Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”(BI)
55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.(BJ) 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph,[f] and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.(BK)
The Burial of Jesus(BL)
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(BM) 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.’(BN) 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(BO) 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,”(BP) 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(BQ) on the stone(BR) and posting the guard.(BS)
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:10 See Zech. 11:12,13; Jer. 19:1-13; 32:6-9.
- Matthew 27:16 Many manuscripts do not have Jesus; also in verse 17.
- Matthew 27:46 Some manuscripts Eloi, Eloi
- Matthew 27:46 Psalm 22:1
- Matthew 27:53 Or tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they
- Matthew 27:56 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.