Jesus Delivered to Pilate (Matthew 27:1–2)
2 UDB Pilate asked Jesus, "Do you say that you are the king of the Jews?" Jesus answered him, "You yourself have said so." BSB BSB: So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
3 UDB Then the chief priests claimed that Jesus had done many bad things. BSB BSB: And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things.
4 UDB So Pilate asked him again, "Do you have nothing to reply? Listen to how many bad things they are saying that you have done!" BSB BSB: Then Pilate questioned Him again, “Have You no answer? Look how many charges they are bringing against You!”
5 UDB But Jesus did not say anything more. The result was that Pilate was very much surprised. BSB BSB: But to Pilate’s amazement, Jesus made no further reply.
The Crowd Chooses Barabbas (Matthew 27:15–23; Luke 23:13–25)
6 UDB Now it was the governor's custom each year during the Passover Celebration to release one person who was in prison. He usually released any prisoner the people requested. BSB BSB: Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing.
7 UDB At that time there was a man named Barabbas who was in prison with some other men. They had committed murder when they rebelled against the Roman government. BSB BSB: And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection.
8 UDB A crowd approached Pilate and asked him to release someone, just as in the past. BSB BSB: So the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to keep his custom.
9 UDB Pilate answered them, "Would you like me to release for you the man whom you people say is your king?" BSB BSB: “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.
10 UDB He asked this because he realized what the chief priests were wanting to do. They were accusing Jesus because they were jealous of him because many people were becoming his disciples. BSB BSB: For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over.
11 UDB But the chief priests urged the crowd to request that Pilate release Barabbas for them instead of Jesus. BSB BSB: But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.
Pilate Delivers Up Jesus (Matthew 27:24–26)
12 UDB Pilate said to them again, "If I release Barabbas, what do you want me to do with your king?" BSB BSB: So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”
13 UDB Then they shouted back, "Crucify him!" BSB BSB: And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!”
14 UDB Then Pilate said to them, "Why? What crime has he committed?" But they shouted even louder, "Crucify him!" BSB BSB: “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
15 UDB So because Pilate wanted to please the crowd, he released Barabbas to them. Then his soldiers flogged Jesus; after that, Pilate told them to take him away and crucify him. BSB BSB: And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus (Isaiah 50:4–11; Matthew 27:27–31; Luke 22:63–65; John 19:1–15)
16 UDB The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the barracks and they called together the other soldiers who were there. BSB BSB: Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together.
17 UDB After the soldiers gathered together, they put a purple robe on Jesus. Then they placed on his head a crown that they had woven from thornbush branches. BSB BSB: They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head.
18 UDB Then they greeted him like they would greet a king, in order to ridicule him; they said, "Greetings, King of the Jews!" BSB BSB: And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”
19 UDB They repeatedly struck his head with a reed and spat on him. They knelt down in front of him to pretend to honor him. BSB BSB: They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him.
20 UDB When they had finished mocking him, they pulled off the purple robe. They put his own clothes on him, and then they led him outside of the city in order to nail him to a cross. BSB BSB: After they had mocked Him, they removed the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.
The Crucifixion (Psalm 22:1–31; Matthew 27:32–44; Luke 23:26–43; John 19:16–27)
21 UDB Now a man named Simon from Cyrene came along. He was the father of Alexander and Rufus, and he was passing by Jesus on his way to the city from somewhere else. The soldiers compelled Simon to carry the cross for Jesus. BSB BSB: Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.
22 UDB The soldiers brought them both to a place that they call Golgotha. That name means, "A place like a skull." BSB BSB: They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull.
23 UDB Then they tried to give Jesus wine that was mixed with myrrh. But he refused to drink it. BSB BSB: There they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it.
25 UDB It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. BSB BSB: It was the third hour when they crucified Him.
26 UDB They attached to the cross above Jesus's head a sign on which it had been written the reason why they were nailing him to the cross. It said, "The King of the Jews." BSB BSB: And the charge inscribed against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27 UDB They also nailed to crosses two men who were robbers. They nailed one to a cross at the right side of Jesus and one to a cross at his left side. BSB BSB: Along with Jesus, they crucified two robbers, one on His right and one on His left.
29 UDB The people who were passing by insulted him by shaking their heads at him. They said, "Aha! You said that you would destroy the temple and then you would build it again within three days. BSB BSB: And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
30 UDB If you could do that, then rescue yourself by coming down from the cross!" BSB BSB: come down from the cross and save Yourself!”
31 UDB The chief priests, along with the men who taught the Jewish laws, also wanted to make fun of Jesus. So they said to each other, "He has saved others from trouble, but he cannot save himself! BSB BSB: In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself!
32 UDB He said, 'I am the Christ.' He also said, 'I am the King who rules the people of Israel.' If his words are true, he should be able to bring himself down from the cross! Then we will see how great he is and we will believe him!" The men who were crucified beside him cursed him again and again. BSB BSB: Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” And even those who were crucified with Him berated Him.
The Death of Jesus (Psalm 22:1–31; Matthew 27:45–56; Luke 23:44–49; John 19:28–30)
34 UDB At three o'clock Jesus shouted loudly, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" That means, "My God, my God, why have you deserted me?" BSB BSB: At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35 UDB When some of the people who were standing there heard the word 'Eloi', they misunderstood it and said, "Listen! He is calling for the prophet Elijah!" BSB BSB: When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, He is calling Elijah.”
36 UDB One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He placed it on the tip of a reed, and then held it up to try to get Jesus to suck on it. He said, "Wait! Let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down from the cross!" BSB BSB: And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”
38 UDB At that moment the curtain in the temple sanctuary split into two pieces from top to bottom. BSB BSB: And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
39 UDB The officer who supervised the soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross was standing in front of Jesus. When he saw how Jesus had died, he exclaimed, "Truly, this man was the Son of God!" BSB BSB: When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
40 UDB There were also some women there; they were watching these events from a distance. They had accompanied Jesus when he was in Galilee, and they had provided what he needed. They had come with him to Jerusalem. Among those women was Mary from Magdala. There was another Mary, who was the mother of the younger James and of Joses. There was also Salome. BSB BSB: And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
The Burial of Jesus (Isaiah 53:9–12; Matthew 27:57–61; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42)
42 UDB When evening was near, a man named Joseph from Arimathea came there. He was a member of the Jewish council, one whom everyone respected. He was also one of those who had been waiting expectantly for when God would show himself as king. Evening was now approaching. It was the day before the Sabbath, a day the Jews called the day of preparation. So he went with courage to Pilate and asked him to permit him to take the body of Jesus down from the cross and bury it immediately. BSB BSB: Now it was already evening. Since it was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath),
45 UDB When the officer told Pilate that Jesus was dead, Pilate allowed Joseph to take away the body. BSB BSB: When Pilate had confirmed it with the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
47 UDB Mary from Magdala and Mary the mother of Joses were watching where Jesus's body was placed. BSB BSB: Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where His body was placed.