Matthew 27:27–44

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

²⁷Then Pilate’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace, and the whole company gathered round him. ²⁸They stripped off his clothes and put a scarlet robe on him. ²⁹Then they made a crown out of thorny branches and placed it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand; then they knelt before him and mocked him. “Long live the King of the Jews!” they said. ³⁰They spat on him, and took the stick and hit him over the head. ³¹When they had finished mocking him, they took the robe off and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

Jesus Is Crucified

³²As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene named Simon, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. ³³They came to a place called Golgotha, which means, “The Place of the Skull”. ^34*There they offered Jesus wine mixed with a bitter substance; but after tasting it, he would not drink it.

^35*They crucified him and then divided his clothes among them by throwing dice. ³⁶After that they sat there and watched him. ³⁷Above his head they put the written notice of the accusation against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” ³⁸Then they crucified two bandits with Jesus, one on his right and the other on his left.

^39*People passing by shook their heads and hurled insults at Jesus: ^40*“You were going to tear down the Temple and build it up again in three days! Save yourself if you are God’s Son! Come on down from the cross!”

⁴¹In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the Law and the elders jeered at him: ⁴²“He saved others, but he cannot save himself! Isn’t he the king of Israel? If he comes down off the cross now, we will believe in him! ^43*He trusts in God and claims to be God’s Son. Well, then, let us see if God wants to save him now!”

⁴⁴Even the bandits who had been crucified with him insulted him in the same way.