New King James Version

New Living Translation

1When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.

1Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death.

2And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

2Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

3Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

3When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders.

4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”

4“I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”

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

5Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

6But 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.”

6The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.”

7And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.

7After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners.

8Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

8That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood.

9Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced,

9This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says, “They took the thirty pieces of silver— the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,

10and gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD directed me.”

10and purchased the potter’s field, as the LORD directed. ” Jesus’ Trial before Pilate

11Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”

11Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him. Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

12And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.

12But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent.

13Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?”

13“Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded.

14But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

14But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise.

15Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.

15Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted.

16And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

16This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas.

17Therefore, 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?”

17As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

18For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

18(He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)

19While 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.”

19Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”

20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

20Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death.

21The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”

21So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?” The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”

22Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

22Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

23Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

23“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

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

24Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”

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

25And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”

26Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

26So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. The Soldiers Mock Jesus

27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.

27Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment.

28And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.

28They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.

29When they had 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!”

29They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!”

30Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.

30And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it.

31And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

31When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. The Crucifixion

32Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.

32Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.

33And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull,

33And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”).

34they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

34The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.

35Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”

35After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

36Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.

36Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there.

37And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

37A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

38Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

38Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads

39The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery.

40and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

40“Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

41Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,

41The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus.

42“He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.

42“He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him!

43He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

43He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

44Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

44Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way. The Death of Jesus

45Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.

45At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.

46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

46At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

47Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!”

47Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah.

48Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

48One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink.

49The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

49But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”

50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

50Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit.

51Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,

51At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,

52and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

52and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.

53and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

53They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.

54So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

54The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

55And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar,

55And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance.

56among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. The Burial of Jesus

57Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.

57As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus,

58This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.

58went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him.

59When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

59Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth.

60and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.

60He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left.

61And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

61Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching. The Guard at the Tomb

62On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate,

62The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate.

63saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’

63They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’

64Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”

64So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”

65Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.”

65Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.”

66So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

66So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.