Matthew 19-27

Amplified Bible

Concerning Divorce

19 Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the part of Judea that is beyond the Jordan; ² and large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there.

³ And Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” ⁴ He replied, “Have you never read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined inseparably to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?^{(A) 6} So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” ⁷ The Pharisees said to Him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away?”^{(B) 8} He said to them, “Because your hearts were hard and stubborn Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. ⁹ I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery^[a].”

¹⁰ The disciples said to Jesus, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.” ¹¹ But He said to them, “Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom [the capacity to receive] it has been given. ¹² For there are eunuchs who have been born that way from their mother’s womb [making them incapable of consummating a marriage]; and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men [for royal service]; and there are eunuchs who have ^[b]made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

¹³ Then children were brought to Jesus so that He might place His hands on them [for a blessing] and pray; but the disciples reprimanded them. ¹⁴ But He said, “Leave the children alone, and do not forbid them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ After placing His hands on them [for a blessing], He went on from there.

The Rich Young Ruler

¹⁶ And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what [essentially] good thing shall I do to obtain eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?”^{(C) 17} Jesus answered, “Why are you asking Me about what is [essentially] good? There is only One who is [essentially] good; but if you wish to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments.”^{(D) 18} He said to Jesus, “Which commandments?” And Jesus answered, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false testimony;^{(E) 19} Honor your father and mother; and love your neighbor as yourself” [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].^{(F) 20} The young man said to Him, “I have kept all these things [from my youth]; what do I still lack?”^{(G) 21} Jesus answered him, “If you wish to be perfect [that is, have the spiritual maturity that accompanies godly character with no moral or ethical deficiencies], go and sell what you have and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].” ²² But when the young man heard this, he left grieving and distressed, for he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God].

²³ Jesus said to His disciples, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, it is difficult for a rich man [who clings to possessions and status as security] to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man [who places his faith in wealth and status] to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were completely ^[c]astonished and bewildered, saying, “Then who can be saved [from the wrath of God]?” ²⁶ But Jesus looked at them and said, “With people [as far as it depends on them] it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”^(H)

The Disciples’ Reward

²⁷ Then Peter answered Him, saying, “Look, we have given up everything and followed You [becoming Your disciples and accepting You as Teacher and Lord]; what then will there be for us?” ²⁸ Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, in the renewal [that is, the Messianic restoration and regeneration of all things] when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you [who have followed Me, becoming My disciples] will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother ^[d]or children or farms for My name’s sake will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first [in this world] will be last [in the world to come]; and the last, first.

Laborers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of an estate who went out in the morning at dawn to hire workmen for his vineyard. ² When he had agreed with the laborers for a ^[e]denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ And he went out about the third hour (9:00 a.m.) and saw others standing idle in the market place; ⁴ and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right (an appropriate wage).’ And they went. ⁵ He went out about the sixth hour (noon) and the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.), and did the same thing. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour (5:00 p.m.) he went out and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ ⁷ They answered him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He told them, ‘You go into the vineyard also.’

⁸ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last [to be hired] and ending with the first [to be hired].’^{(I) 9} Those who had been hired at the eleventh hour (5:00 p.m.) came and received a denarius each [a day’s wage]. ¹⁰ Now when the first [to be hired] came, they thought they would get more; but each of them also received a denarius. ¹¹ When they received it, they protested and grumbled at the owner of the estate, ¹² saying, ‘These men who came last worked [only] one hour, and yet you have made them equal [in wages] to us who have carried [most of] the burden and [worked in] the scorching heat of the day.’ ¹³ But the owner of the estate replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take what belongs to you and go, but I choose to give to this last man [hired] the same as I give to you. ¹⁵ Am I not lawfully permitted to do what I choose with what is mine? Or is your eye ^[f]envious because I am generous?’ ¹⁶ So those who are last [in this world] shall be first [in the world to come], and those who are first, last.”

Death, Resurrection Foretold

¹⁷ As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve [disciples] aside, and along the way He said to them, ¹⁸ “Listen carefully: we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), and they will [judicially] condemn Him and sentence Him to death, ¹⁹ and will hand Him over to the Gentiles (Roman authorities) to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and He will be raised [to life] on the third day.”

Preferred Treatment Asked

²⁰ Then [Salome] the ^[g]mother of Zebedee’s children [James and John] came up to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down [in respect], asked a favor of Him.^{(J) 21} And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit [in positions of honor and authority] one on Your right and one on Your left.” ²² But Jesus replied, “You do not realize what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup [of suffering] that I am about to drink?” They answered, “We are able.” ²³ He said to them, “You will drink My cup [of suffering]; but to sit on My right and on My left this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”

²⁴ And when the [other] ten heard this, they were resentful and angry with the two brothers. ²⁵ But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles have absolute power and lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them [tyrannizing them].^{(K) 26} It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your [willing and humble] slave; ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [paying the price to set them free from the penalty of sin].”

Sight for the Blind

²⁹ As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.^{(L) 30} And two blind men were sitting by the road, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David (Messiah)!” ³¹ The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, Son of David (Messiah) have mercy on us!” ³² Jesus stopped and called them, and asked, “What do you want Me to do for you?” ³³ They answered Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” ³⁴ Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him [as His disciples].

The Triumphal Entry

21 When they approached Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples [ahead],^{(M) 2} saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and at once you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, you should say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and without delay the owner will send them [with you].” ⁴ This happened so that what was spoken by the prophet would be fulfilled, saying:

⁶ Then the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them, ⁷ and they brought the donkey and ^[h]the colt, and ^[i]placed their coats on them; and Jesus sat on the coats. ⁸ Most of the crowd spread their coats on the road [as before a king], while others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of Him, and those that followed Him, were shouting [in praise and adoration],

¹⁰ When He entered Jerusalem, all the city was trembling [with excitement], saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹ And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Cleansing the Temple

¹² And Jesus entered the temple [grounds] and drove out [with force] all who were buying and selling [birds and animals for sacrifice] in the temple area, and He turned over the tables of the moneychangers [who made a profit exchanging foreign money for temple coinage] and the chairs of those who were selling doves [for sacrifice].^{(P) 13} Jesus said to them, “It is written [in Scripture], ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”^(Q)

¹⁴ And the blind and the lame came to Him in [the porticoes and courts of] the temple area, and He healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful and miraculous things that Jesus had done, and heard the ^[k]boys who were shouting in [the porticoes and courts of] the temple [in praise and adoration], “Hosanna to the Son of David (the Messiah),” they became indignant ¹⁶ and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus replied to them, “Yes; have you never read [in the Scripture], ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared and provided praise for Yourself’?”^{(R) 17} Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

The Barren Fig Tree

¹⁸ Now early in the morning, as Jesus was coming back to the city, He was hungry.^{(S) 19} Seeing a lone fig tree at the roadside, He went to it and found nothing but leaves on it; and He said to it, “Never again will fruit come from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

²⁰ When the disciples saw it, they were astonished and asked, “How is it that the fig tree has withered away all at once?” ²¹ Jesus replied to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, if you have faith [personal trust and confidence in Me] and do not doubt or allow yourself to be drawn in two directions, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen [if God wills it].^{(T) 22} And whatever you ask for in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Authority Challenged

²³ When He entered the temple area, the ^[l]chief priests and elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching and said, “By what [kind of] authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority [to exercise this power]?”^{(U) 24} Jesus replied to them, “I will also ask you a question, and if you tell Me the answer, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵ The baptism of John—from where did it come? From heaven [that is, ordained by God] or from men?” And they began debating among themselves [considering the implications of their answer], saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe John?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the [response of the] crowd; for they all regard John as a prophet.” ²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what [kind of] authority I do these things.”

Parable of Two Sons

²⁸ “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ ²⁹ And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and changed his mind and went. ³⁰ Then the man came to the second son and said the same thing; and he replied, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of the father?” The chief priests and elders replied, “The first one.” Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. ³² For John came to you [walking] in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even change your mind afterward and believe him [accepting what he proclaimed to you].

Parable of the Landowner

³³ “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to tenant farmers and went on a journey [to another country].^{(V) 34} When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his [share of the] fruit. ³⁵ But the tenants took his servants and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. ³⁶ Again he sent other servants, more than the first time; and they treated them the same way. ³⁷ Finally he sent his own son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son and have regard for him.’ ³⁸ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This [man] is the heir; come on, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ ³⁹ So they took the son and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. ⁴⁰ Now when the owner of the vineyard comes back, what will he do to those tenants?” ⁴¹ They said to Him, “He will put those despicable men to a miserable end, and rent out the vineyard to other tenants [of good character] who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”

⁴² Jesus asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

⁴³ Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to [another] people who will produce the fruit of it. ⁴⁴ And he who falls on this Stone will be broken to pieces; but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”^(X)

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was talking about them. ⁴⁶ And although they were trying to arrest Him, they feared the people, because they regarded Jesus as a prophet.

Parable of the Marriage Feast

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, ² “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. ³ And he sent his servants to call those who had [previously] been invited to the wedding feast, but they refused to come. ⁴ Then he sent out some other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened calves are butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ ⁵ But they paid no attention [they disregarded the invitation, treating it with contempt] and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. ⁶ The rest [of the invited guests] seized his servants and mistreated them [insulting and humiliating them] and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged [when he heard this], and sent his soldiers and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. ⁸ Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding [feast] is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. ⁹ So go to the main highways that lead out of the city, and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ ¹⁰ Those servants went out into the streets and gathered together all the people they could find, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests [sitting at the banquet table].

¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed [appropriately] in wedding clothes, ¹² and he said, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wearing the wedding clothes [that were provided for you]?’ And the man was speechless and without excuse. ¹³ Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].’ ¹⁴ For many are called (invited, summoned), but few are chosen.”

Tribute to Caesar

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and conspired together plotting how to trap Him by [distorting] what He said.^{(Y) 16} They sent their disciples to Him, along with the ^[n]Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are sincere and that You teach the way of God truthfully, without concerning Yourself about [what] anyone [thinks or says of Your teachings]; for You are impartial and do not seek anyone’s favor [and You treat all people alike, regardless of status]. ¹⁷ Tell us then, what do You think? Is it permissible [according to Jewish law and tradition] to pay a ^[o]poll-tax to Caesar, or not?” ¹⁸ But Jesus, aware of their malice, asked, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for the poll-tax.” And they brought Him a denarius [a day’s wage]. ²⁰ And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” ²¹ They said, “[^[p]The Emperor Tiberius] Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” ²² When they heard this, they were caught off guard, and they left Him and went away.

Jesus Answers the Sadducees

²³ On that day some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection [of the dead], came to Him and asked Him a question,^{(Z) 24} saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, leaving no children, his brother as next of kin shall ^[q]marry his widow, and raise children for his brother.’^{(AA) 25} Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother. ²⁶ The second also [died childless], and the third, down to the seventh. ²⁷ Last of all, the woman died. ²⁸ So in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.”

²⁹ But Jesus replied to them, “You are all wrong because you know neither the Scriptures [which teach the resurrection] nor the power of God [for He is able to raise the dead]. ³⁰ For in the resurrection neither do men marry nor are women given in marriage, but they are like angels in heaven [who do not marry nor produce children]. ³¹ But as to the resurrection of the dead—have you not read [in the Scripture] what God said to you: ³² ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”^{(AB) 33} When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

³⁴ Now when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced (muzzled) the Sadducees, they gathered together.^{(AC) 35} One of them, a lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law], asked Jesus a question, to test Him: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”^{(AD) 37} And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’^{(AE) 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’^{(AF) 40} The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

⁴¹ Now while the Pharisees were [still] gathered together, Jesus asked them a question:^{(AG) 42} “What do you [Pharisees] think of the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “^[r]The son of David.” ⁴³ Jesus asked them, “How is it then that David by the inspiration of the Spirit, calls Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

⁴⁵ So then, if David calls Him (the Son, the Messiah) ‘Lord,’ ^[s]how is He David’s son?” ⁴⁶ No one was able to say a word to Him in answer, nor from that day on did anyone dare to question Him again.

Pharisaism Exposed

23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, ² saying: “The scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves in Moses’ chair [of authority as teachers of the Law]; ³ so practice and observe everything they tell you, but do not do as they do; for they preach [things], but do not practice them. ⁴ The scribes and Pharisees tie up ^[t]heavy loads [that are hard to bear] and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger [to make them lighter]. ⁵ They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their ^[u]phylacteries (tefillin) wide [to make them more conspicuous] and make their ^[v]tassels long.^{(AI) 6} They love the place of distinction and honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues [those on the platform near the scrolls of the Law, facing the congregation], ⁷ and to be greeted [with respect] in the market places and public forums, and to have people call them Rabbi. ⁸ But do not be called Rabbi (Teacher); for One is your Teacher, and you are all [equally] brothers. ⁹ Do not call anyone on earth [who guides you spiritually] your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. ¹⁰ Do not let yourselves be called leaders or teachers; for One is your Leader (Teacher), the Christ. ¹¹ But the greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be raised to honor.

Eight Woes

¹³ “But woe (judgment is coming) to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are [in the process of] entering to do so.^{(AJ) 14 [w]}[Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you swallow up widows’ houses, and to cover it up you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation.]

¹⁵ “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte (convert to Judaism), and when he becomes a convert, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears [an oath] by the sanctuary of the temple, that is nothing (non-binding); but whoever swears [an oath] by the gold of the temple is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’ ¹⁷ You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the sanctuary of the temple that sanctified the gold?^{(AK) 18} And [you scribes and Pharisees say], ‘Whoever swears [an oath] by the altar, that is nothing (non-binding), but whoever swears [an oath] by the offering on it, he is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’ ¹⁹ You [spiritually] blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? ²⁰ Therefore, whoever swears [an oath] by the altar, swears both by it and by everything [offered] on it. ²¹ And whoever swears [an oath] by the sanctuary of the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells within it.^{(AL) 22} And whoever swears [an oath] by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

²³ “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth (tithe) of your mint and dill and cumin [focusing on minor matters], and have neglected the weightier [more important moral and spiritual] provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the [primary] things you ought to have done without neglecting the others. ²⁴ You [spiritually] blind guides, who strain out a gnat [consuming yourselves with miniscule matters] and swallow a camel [ignoring and violating God’s precepts]!^(AM)

²⁵ “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and robbery and self-indulgence (unrestrained greed). ²⁶ You [spiritually] blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the plate [examine and change your inner self to conform to God’s precepts], so that the outside [your public life and deeds] may be clean also.

²⁷ “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. ²⁸ So you, also, outwardly seem to be just and upright to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.^(AN)

²⁹ “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets and decorate and adorn the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰ and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Fill up, then, the [allotted] measure of the guilt of your fathers’ sins. ³³ You ^[x]serpents, you spawn of vipers, how can you escape the penalty of hell?

³⁴ “Therefore, take notice, I am sending you prophets and wise men [interpreters, teachers] and scribes [men educated in the Mosaic Law and the writings of the prophets]; some of them you will kill and even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues, and pursue and persecute from city to city, ³⁵ so that on you will come the guilt of all the blood of the righteous shed on earth, from the blood of righteous ^[y]Abel to the blood of Zechariah [the priest], the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.^{(AO) 36} I assure you and most solemnly say to you, [the judgment for] all these things [these vile and murderous deeds] will come on this generation.^(AP)

Lament over Jerusalem

³⁷ “^[z]O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.^{(AQ) 38} Listen carefully: your house is being left to you desolate [completely abandoned by God and destitute of His protection]!^{(AR) 39} For I say to you, you will not see Me again [ministering to you publicly] until you say, ‘Blessed [to be celebrated with praise] is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”^(AS)

Signs of Christ’s Return

24 Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the [magnificent and massive] ^[aa]buildings of the temple.^{(AT) 2} And He said to them, “Do you see all these things? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, not one stone here will be left on another, which will not be torn down.”

³ While Jesus was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, and said, “Tell us, when will this [destruction of the temple] take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end (completion, consummation) of the age?”

⁴ Jesus answered, “Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]. ⁵ For many will come in My name [misusing it, and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to Me], saying, ‘I am the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ and they will mislead many. ⁶ You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [of the age]. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].

⁹ “Then they will hand you over to [endure] tribulation, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. ¹⁰ At that time many will be offended and repelled [by their association with Me] and will fall away [from the One whom they should trust] and will betray one another [handing over believers to their persecutors] and will hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets will appear and mislead many. ¹² Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ This good news of the kingdom [the gospel] will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end [of the age] will come.

Perilous Times

¹⁵ “So when you see the ^[ab]abomination of desolation [the appalling sacrilege that astonishes and makes desolate], spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place (let the ^[ac]reader understand),^{(AU) 16} then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains [for refuge]. ¹⁷ Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things that are in his house [because there will not be enough time]. ¹⁸ Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. ¹⁹ And woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰ Pray that your flight [from persecution and suffering] will not be in winter, or on a Sabbath [when Jewish laws prohibit travel]. ²¹ For ^[ad]at that time there will be a great tribulation (pressure, distress, oppression), such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will [again].^{(AV) 22} And if those days [of tribulation] had not been cut short, no human life would be saved; but for the sake of the elect (God’s chosen ones) those days will be shortened. ²³ Then if anyone says to you [during the great tribulation], ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false Christs and false prophets will appear and they will provide great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect (God’s chosen ones). ²⁵ Listen carefully, I have told you in advance. ²⁶ So if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out there, or, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms [of a house],’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming [in glory] of the Son of Man [everyone will see Him clearly]. ²⁸ Wherever the corpse is, there the ^[ae]vultures will flock together.^(AW)

The Glorious Return

²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not provide its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.^{(AX) 30} And at that time the sign of the Son of Man [coming in His glory] will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth [and especially Israel] will mourn [regretting their rebellion and rejection of the Messiah], and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [in brilliance and splendor].^{(AY) 31} And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet and they will gather together His elect (God’s chosen ones) from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.^(AZ)

Parable of the Fig Tree

³² “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its young shoots become tender and it puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near;^{(BA) 33} so you, too, when you see all ^[af]these things [taking place], know for certain that He is near, right ^[ag]at the door. ³⁴ I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this generation [the people living when these signs and events begin] will not pass away until all these things take place. ³⁵ Heaven and earth [as now known] will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

³⁶ “But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son [in His humanity], but the Father alone. ³⁷ For the coming of the Son of Man (the Messiah) will be just like the days of Noah. ³⁸ For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the [very] day when Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and they did not know or understand until the flood came and swept them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be [unexpected judgment].^{(BB) 40} At that time two men will be in the field; one will be ^[ah]taken [for judgment] and one will be left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken [for judgment] and one will be left.

Be Ready for His Coming

⁴² “So be alert [give strict attention, be cautious and active in faith], for you do not know which day [whether near or far] your Lord is coming. ⁴³ But understand this: If the head of the house had known what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.^{(BC) 44} Therefore, you [who follow Me] must also be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.

⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give the others [in the house] their food and supplies at the proper time?^{(BD) 46} Blessed is that [faithful] servant when his master returns and finds him doing so. ⁴⁷ I assure you and most solemnly say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸ But if that servant is evil and says in his heart, ‘My master is taking his time [he will not return for a long while],’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards; ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour of which he is not aware, ⁵¹ and will cut him in two and put him with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].

Parable of Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went to ^[ai]meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish [thoughtless, silly, and careless], and five were wise [far-sighted, practical, and sensible]. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps. ⁵ Now while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep. ⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order [trimmed the wicks and added oil and lit them]. ⁸ But the foolish virgins said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise replied, ‘No, otherwise there will not be enough for us and for you, too; go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ But while they were going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut and locked. ¹¹ Later the others also came, and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open [the door] for us.’ ¹² But He replied, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I do not know you [we have no relationship].’ ¹³ Therefore, be on the alert [be prepared and ready], for you do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come].

Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it is just like a man who was about to take a journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his possessions.^{(BE) 15} To one he gave five ^[aj]talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The one who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he [made a profit and] gained five more. ¹⁷ Likewise the one who had two [made a profit and] gained two more. ¹⁸ But the one who had received the one went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And the one who had received the five talents came and brought him five more, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted to me five talents. See, I have [made a profit and] gained five more talents.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’

²² “Also the one who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have [made a profit and] gained two more talents.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’

²⁴ “The one who had received one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a harsh and demanding man, reaping [the harvest] where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid [to lose the talent], and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is your own.’

²⁶ “But his master answered him, ‘You wicked, lazy servant, you knew that I reap [the harvest] where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter seed. ²⁷ Then you ought to have put my money with the bankers, and at my return I would have received my money back with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

²⁹ “For to everyone who has [and values his blessings and gifts from God, and has used them wisely], more will be given, and [he will be richly supplied so that] he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have [because he has ignored or disregarded his blessings and gifts from God], even what he does have will be taken away.^{(BF) 30} And throw out the worthless servant into the outer darkness; in that place [of grief and torment] there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].

The Judgment

³¹ “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory and majesty and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.^{(BG) 32} All the nations will be gathered before Him [for judgment]; and He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;^{(BH) 33} and He will put the sheep on His right [the place of honor], and the goats on His left [the place of rejection].

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God, appointed to eternal salvation], inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; ³⁶ I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me [with help and ministering care]; I was in prison, and you came to Me [ignoring personal danger].’^{(BI) 37} Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ³⁸ And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ³⁹ And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰ The King will answer and say to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it for Me.’^(BJ)

⁴¹ “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Leave Me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (demons); ⁴² for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; ⁴³ I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me [with help and ministering care].’ ⁴⁴ Then they also [in their turn] will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ ⁴⁵ Then He will reply to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these [my followers], you did not do it for Me.’^{(BK) 46} Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal (unending) punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life.”^(BL)

The Plot to Kill Jesus

26 When Jesus had finished this ^[ak]discourse, He said to His disciples, ² “You know that the Passover is coming in two days, and the Son of Man is to be betrayed and handed over for crucifixion.”^(BM)

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the courtyard of the [elegant home of the Jewish] high priest, whose name was ^[al]Caiaphas, ⁴ and plotted together to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him. ⁵ But they said, “It must not be during the festival (Passover), otherwise there might be a riot among the people.”

The Anointing in Bethany

⁶ Now when Jesus was [back] in Bethany, at the home of ^[am]Simon the leper,^{(BN) 7} a ^[an]woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive ^[ao]perfume and she poured it on Jesus’ head as He reclined at the table. ⁸ But when the ^[ap]disciples saw it they were indignant and angry, saying, “Why all this waste [of money]? ⁹ For this perfume might have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” ¹⁰ But Jesus, aware [of the malice] of this [remark], said to them, “Why are you bothering the woman? She has done a good thing to Me. ¹¹ For you always have the poor with you; but you will not always have Me.^{(BO) 12} When she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. ¹³ I assure you and most solemnly say to you, wherever this gospel [of salvation] is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her [for her act of love and devotion].”

Judas’ Bargain

¹⁴ Then one of the twelve [disciples], who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Jesus over to you?” And they weighed out ^[aq]thirty pieces of silver.^{(BP) 16} And from that moment Judas began looking for an opportune time to betray Jesus.^(BQ)

¹⁷ Now on the first day of ^[ar]Unleavened Bread (Passover Week) the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”^{(BR) 18} He said, “Go into the city to ^[as]a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time [to suffer and atone for sin] is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’” ¹⁹ [Accordingly] the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.^(BS)

The Last Passover

²⁰ When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.^{(BT) 21} And as they were eating, He said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you that one of you will betray Me.” ²² Being deeply grieved and extremely distressed, each one of them began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?” ²³ Jesus answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the bowl with Me [as a ^[at]pretense of friendship] will betray Me. ²⁴ The Son of Man is to go [to the cross], just as it is written [in Scripture] of Him; but woe (judgment is coming) to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”^{(BU) 25} And Judas, the betrayer, said, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Jesus said to him, “^[au]You have said it yourself.”

The Lord’s Supper Instituted

²⁶ Now as they were eating Jesus took bread, and after ^[av]blessing it, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”^{(BV) 27} And when He had taken a cup and ^[aw]given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; ²⁸ for this is My blood of the [new and better] covenant, which [ratifies the agreement and] is being poured out for many [as a ^[ax]substitutionary atonement] for the forgiveness of sins.^{(BW) 29} But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

³⁰ After singing a ^[ay]hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night [disillusioned about Me, confused, and some even ashamed of Me], for it is written [in the Scriptures], ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’^{(BX) 32} But after I am raised [to life], I will go ahead of you [leading the way] to Galilee.” ³³ Peter replied to Him, “Though they all fall away because of You [and doubt and disown You], I will never fall away!”^{(BY) 34} Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this night, before a rooster crows, you will [completely] deny Me three times.” ³⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And all the disciples said the same thing.

The Garden of Gethsemane

³⁶ Then Jesus came with them to a place called ^[az]Gethsemane (olive-press), and He told His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”^{(BZ) 37} And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee [James and John], He began to be grieved and greatly distressed. ³⁸ Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and stay awake and keep watch with Me.”

³⁹ And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will], let this cup ^[ba]pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” ⁴⁰ And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour? ⁴¹ Keep actively watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the ^[bb]body is weak.”

⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” ⁴³ Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words once more. ⁴⁵ Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Listen, ^[bc]the hour [of My sacrifice] is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners [whose way and nature is to oppose God]. ⁴⁶ Get up, let us go. Look, My betrayer is near!”

Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest

⁴⁷ As Jesus was still speaking, Judas [Iscariot], one of the twelve [disciples], came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, [who came as representatives] from the chief priests and elders of the people.^{(CA) 48} Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” ⁴⁹ Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Greetings (rejoice), Rabbi!” And he ^[bd]kissed Him [in a deliberate act of betrayal]. ⁵⁰ Jesus said to Judas, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then they came and seized Jesus and arrested Him.

⁵¹ And ^[be]one of those who were with Jesus reached out and drew his sword, and struck [Malchus] the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.^{(CB) 52} Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place; for all those who habitually draw the sword will die by the sword.^{(CC) 53} Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will immediately provide Me with more than twelve ^[bf]legions of angels? ⁵⁴ How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?”

⁵⁵ At that moment Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Day after day I used to sit in the porches and courts of the temple teaching, and you did not arrest Me. ⁵⁶ But all this has taken place so that the Scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.

Jesus before Caiaphas

⁵⁷ Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to ^[bg]Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) had gathered [^[bh]illegally] together.^{(CD) 58} But Peter followed Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the [elegant home of the Jewish] high priest, and went inside, and sat with the ^[bi]guards to see the outcome.

⁵⁹ Now the chief priests and the whole Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) tried to get false witnesses to testify against Jesus, so that they might [have a reason to] put Him to death. ⁶⁰ They found none, even though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward, ⁶¹ and testified, “This man said, ‘^[bj]I am able to ^[bk]tear down the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” ⁶² The high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Have You no answer to give? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” ⁶³ But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I call on You to swear a binding oath by the living God, that you tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” ⁶⁴ Jesus said to him, “You have [in fact] said it; but more than that I tell you [regardless of what you do with Me now], in the future you will see [Me revealed as] the Son of Man seated at the ^[bl]right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^(CE)

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his ^[bm]robes [in mock horror] and exclaimed, “He has blasphemed [by making Himself God’s equal]! What further need have we of witnesses or evidence? See, you have now heard the blasphemy.^{(CF) 66} What do you think?” They answered, “^[bn]He deserves to be put to death.”

⁶⁷ Then they spat in His face and struck Him with their fists; and some slapped Him,^{(CG) 68} saying, “^[bo]Prophesy to us, You Christ (Messiah, Anointed); who was it that struck You?”

Peter’s Denials

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came up to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”^{(CH) 70} But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” ⁷¹ And when he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” ⁷² And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” ⁷³ After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them too; for even your [Galilean] accent gives you away.” ⁷⁴ Then he began to curse [that is, to invoke God’s judgment on himself] and swear [an oath], “I do not know the man!” And at that moment a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the [prophetic] words of Jesus, when He had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly [in repentance].

Judas’ Remorse

27 When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) conferred together against Jesus, [plotting how] to put Him to death [since under Roman rule they had no power to execute anyone]; ² so they bound Him, and led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate the governor [of Judea, who had the authority to condemn prisoners to death].

³ When Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was gripped with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,^{(CI) 4} saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They replied, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” ⁵ And throwing the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary, he left; and went away and ^[bp]hanged himself. ⁶ The chief priests, picking up the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put these in the treasury [of the temple], because it is the price of blood.” ⁷ So after consultation they used the money to buy the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. ⁸ Therefore that piece of ground has been called the Field of Blood to this day. ⁹ Then the words spoken by Jeremiah the prophet were fulfilled: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him on whom a price had been set by the sons of Israel;^{(CJ) 10} and they gave them for the Potter’s Field, as the Lord directed me.”^(CK)

Jesus before Pilate

¹¹ Now Jesus stood before [Pilate] the governor, and the governor asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” [In affirmation] Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”^{(CL) 12} But when the charges were brought against Him by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer.^{(CM) 13} Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they are testifying against You?” ¹⁴ But Jesus did not reply to him, not even to a single accusation, so that the governor was greatly astonished.

¹⁵ Now at the feast [of the Passover] the governor was in the habit of setting free any one prisoner whom the people chose.^{(CN) 16} And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner [guilty of insurrection and murder], called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when they had assembled [for this purpose], Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to set free for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For Pilate knew that it was because of jealousy that the chief priests and elders had handed Jesus over to him.

¹⁹ While he was seated on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous and innocent Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.” ²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. ²¹ The governor said to them, “Which of the two do you wish me to set free for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all replied, “Let Him be crucified!” ²³ And he said, “Why, what has He done that is evil?” But they continued shouting all the louder, “Let Him be crucified!”^(CO)

²⁴ So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands [to ceremonially cleanse himself of guilt] in the presence of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this [righteous] Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”^{(CP) 25} And all the people answered, “Let [the responsibility for] His blood be on us and on our children!”^{(CQ) 26} So he set Barabbas free for them; but after having Jesus severely whipped (scourged), he handed Him over to be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

²⁷ Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into ^[bq]the Praetorium, and they gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him.^{(CR) 28} They stripped him and put a scarlet ^[br]robe on Him [as a king’s robe]. ²⁹ And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and put a reed in His right hand [as a scepter]. Kneeling before Him, they ridiculed Him, saying, “Hail (rejoice), King of the Jews!” ³⁰ They spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him repeatedly on the head. ³¹ After they finished ridiculing Him, they stripped Him of the scarlet robe and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

³² Now as they were coming out, they found a man of ^[bs]Cyrene named ^[bt]Simon, whom they forced into service ^[bu]to carry the cross of Jesus.^(CS)

The Crucifixion

³³ And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means ^[bv]Place of a Skull,^{(CT) 34} they offered Him wine mixed with gall (myrrh, a bitter-tasting narcotic) to drink; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.

³⁵ And when they had crucified Him, they divided His clothes among them by casting ^[bw]lots.^{(CU) 36} Then sitting down there, they began to keep watch over Him [to guard against any rescue attempt]. ³⁷ And above His head they put the accusation against Him which read, “^[bx]THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

³⁸ At the same time two robbers were crucified with Jesus, one on the right and one on the left. ³⁹ Those who passed by were hurling abuse at Him and jeering at Him, wagging their heads [in scorn and ridicule],^{(CV) 40} and they said [tauntingly], “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself [from death]! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” ⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, mocked Him, saying, ⁴² “He saved others [from death]; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him and acknowledge Him. ⁴³ He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”^{(CW) 44} The robbers who had been crucified with Him also began to insult Him in the same way.

⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.).^{(CX) 46} About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud [agonized] voice, ^[by]“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”^{(CY) 47} When some of the bystanders there heard it, they began saying, “This man is calling for ^[bz]Elijah.” ⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, soaked it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.^{(CZ) 49} But the rest said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him [from death].” ⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud [agonized] voice, and gave up His spirit [voluntarily, sovereignly dismissing and releasing His spirit from His body in submission to His Father’s plan].^{(DA) 51} And [at once] the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was ^[ca]torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and the rocks were split apart.^{(DB) 52} The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints (God’s people) who had fallen asleep [in death] were raised [to life]; ⁵³ and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city (Jerusalem) and appeared to many people. ⁵⁴ Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, they were terribly frightened and filled with awe, and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

⁵⁵ There were also many women there looking on from a distance, who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him. ⁵⁶ Among them was ^[cb]Mary Magdalene, and ^[cc]Mary the mother of ^[cd]James and Joseph, and [Salome] the ^[ce]mother of Zebedee’s sons [James and John].

Jesus Is Buried

⁵⁷ When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus.^{(DC) 58} He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus [so that he might bury Him], and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. ⁵⁹ And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth (burial wrapping), ⁶⁰ and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock; and he rolled a large stone over the entrance of the tomb and went away. ⁶¹ And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other ^[cf]Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

⁶² The next day, that is, the day after the [day of] preparation [for the Sabbath], the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate, ⁶³ and said, “Sir, we have remembered that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise [from the dead].’ ⁶⁴ Therefore, give orders to have the tomb made secure and safeguarded until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception [the reporting of His resurrection] will be worse than the first [the reporting that He is the Messiah].” ⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, “You have a guard [of soldiers]; go [with them], make the tomb as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and ^[cg]made the tomb secure, and along with [stationing] a guard of soldiers [to be on watch] they set a seal on the stone.