Matthew 27:32–66

CRUCIFIED BETWEEN TWO CRIMINALS

³²As they were going out, they found a Cyrenian man named Simon. They forced him to carry his cross.^{b 33}When they came to a place called Golgotha^c (which means Place of the Skull), ³⁴they gave him wine^A mixed with gall to drink. But when he tasted it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵After crucifying him, they divided his clothes by casting lots.^{Bd 36}Then they sat down and were guarding him there. ³⁷Above his head they put up the charge against him in writing: This Is Jesus, the King of the Jews.

³⁸Then two criminals^C were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.^{e 39}Those who passed by were yelling insults at^D him, shaking their heads^{f 40}and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”^{g 41}In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders,^E mocked him and said, ⁴²“He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the King of Israel!^h Let him^F come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³He trusts in God; let God rescue him now—if he takes pleasure in him!^G For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” ⁴⁴In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with him taunted him.ⁱ

THE DEATH OF JESUS

⁴⁵From noon until three in the afternoon,^H darkness came over the whole land.^{Ij 46}About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá^J sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”^Kk

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

⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and offered him a drink.^{l 49}But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.^{m 51}Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuaryⁿ was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. ⁵²The tombs were also opened^o and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. ⁵³And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.

⁵⁴When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”^p

⁵⁵Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him were there, watching from a distance.^{q 56}Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.^r

THE BURIAL OF JESUS

⁵⁷When it was evening,^s a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple^t of Jesus. ⁵⁸He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. Then Pilate ordered that it^A be released. ⁵⁹So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen, ⁶⁰and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb.^{u 61}Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.

THE CLOSELY GUARDED TOMB

⁶²The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate^{v 63}and said, “Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’^{w 64}So give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples^x may come, steal him, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵“You have^B a guard of soldiers,” Pilate told them. “Go and make it as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶They went and secured the tomb by setting a seal on the stone and placing the guards.^y