Matthew 27:32-66 ▼

32 As they were leaving, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced to carry Jesus' cross.

33 When they came to a place called Golgotha (which means |Skull Place|),

34 they offered him a drink of wine mixed with gall. But when he tasted it, he refused to drink it.

35 After they had crucified him, they determined who would get his clothes by throwing dice for them.

36 Then they sat down there and continued guarding him.

37 Above his head they placed the charge against him. It read, |This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.|

38 At that time two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left.

39 Those who passed by kept insulting him, shaking their heads,

40 and saying, |You who were going to destroy the sanctuary and rebuild it in three days—save yourself! If you're the Son of God, come down from the cross!|

41 In the same way the high priests, along with the scribes and elders, were also making fun of him. They kept saying,

42 |He saved others but can't save himself! He is the king of Israel. Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.

43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him, if he wants to do so now. After all, he said, 'I am the Son of God.'|

44 In a similar way, the bandits who were being crucified with him kept insulting him.

45 From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.

46 About three o'clock, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, |Eli, eli, lema sabachthani?|, which means, |My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?|

47 When some of the people standing there heard this, they said, |He's calling for Elijah.|

48 So one of the men ran off at once, took a sponge, and soaked it in some sour wine. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus a drink.

49 But the others kept saying, |Wait! Let's see if Elijah will come and save him.|

50 Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice again and died.

51 Suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth shook, rocks were split open,

52 tombs were opened, and many saints who had died were brought back to life.

53 After his resurrection, they came out of their tombs, went into the Holy City, and appeared to many people.

54 When the centurion and those guarding Jesus with him saw the earthquake and the other things that were taking place, they were terrified and said, |This man certainly was the Son of God!|

55 Now many women were also there, watching from a distance. They had accompanied Jesus from Galilee and had ministered to him.

56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

57 Later that evening, a rich man arrived from Arimathea. His name was Joseph, and he had become a disciple of Jesus.

58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered it to be done.

59 So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth.

60 Then he placed it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out of the rock. After rolling a large stone across the door of the tomb, he left,

61 but Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained there, sitting in front of the tomb.

62 The following day (that is, after the Day of Preparation), the high priests and Pharisees gathered before Pilate

63 and said, |Sir, we remember how that impostor said while he was still alive, 'I will be raised after three days.'

64 Therefore, order the tomb to be secured until the third day, or his disciples may go and steal him and then tell the people, 'He has been raised from the dead.' Then the last deception would be worse than the first one.|

65 Pilate told them, |You have a military guard. Go and make the tomb as secure as you know how.|

66 So they went and secured the tomb by putting a seal on the stone in the presence of the guards.