Matthew 27:1–26

Jesus Taken to Pilate

27Now when it^* was early morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus in order to put him to death. ²And after^* tying him up, they led him^* away and handed him^* over to Pilate the governor.

The Suicide of Judas Iscariot

³Then when^* Judas, the one who had betrayed him, saw that he had been condemned, he regretted what he had done^* and^* returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and elders, ⁴saying, “I have sinned by^* betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”^{* 5}And throwing the silver coins into the temple he departed. And he went away and^* hanged himself. ⁶But the chief priests took the silver coins and^* said, “It is not permitted to put them into the temple treasury, because it is blood money.”^{a 7}And after^* taking counsel, they purchased with^b them the Potter’s Field, for a burial place for strangers. ⁸(For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood until today.) ⁹Then what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, who said, “And they took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one who had been priced, on whom a price had been set by the sons of Israel, ¹⁰and they gave them for the potter’s field, just as the Lord directed me.”^c

Jesus Before Pilate

¹¹So Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the king of the Jews?” And Jesus said, “You say so.” ¹²And when he was being accused^d by the chief priests and elders he answered nothing. ¹³Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” ¹⁴And he did not reply to him, not even with reference to one statement, so that the governor was very astonished.

Pilate Releases Barabbas

¹⁵Now at each feast, the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd—the one whom they wanted. ¹⁶And at that time they had a notorious prisoner named Jesus^e Barabbas.^{f 17}So after^* they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you—Jesus^g Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸(For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy. ¹⁹And while^* he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message^* to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man,^h for I have suffered much as a result of a dream today because of him.”) ²⁰But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should ask for Barabbas and put Jesus to death. ²¹So the governor answered and^* said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” ²²Pilate said to them, “What then should I do with Jesus, the one who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” ²³And he said, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they began to shout^* even louder, saying, “Let him be crucified!”

²⁴So Pilate, when he^* saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but instead an uproar was developing, took water and^* washed hisⁱ hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this man. You see to it!”^{* 25}And all the people answered and^* said, “His blood be on us and on our children!” ²⁶Then he released Barabbas for them, but after^* he had Jesus flogged, he handed him^* over so that he could be crucified.