Matthew 27
Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter EditionKJP 
1Very early in the morning, all the chief priests and elders of the people met to lay plans for putting Jesus to death; 2And when they had bound Him, they led Him away, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor.

3Then when Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, saw that He was condemned, he was seized with remorse, and brought the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4Saying, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood”. And they replied, “What is that to us? You see you to that.” 5And he threw the pieces of silver down in the temple, and went and hanged himself. 6And the chief priests picked up the thirty silver pieces, and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood (payment for murder)”. 7And after some discussion, they took them and bought the potter's field with them, for burying strangers in. 8Therefore, that field has been called, “The field of blood”, to this day. 9Then were the words spoken by Jeremiah, the prophet, fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price at which He was valued by the children of Israel; 10And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me”.

11And meanwhile, Jesus stood before Pilate; and the governor asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus replied, “So you say.” 12And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He said nothing at all. 13Then Pilate asked Him, “Do You not hear how many charges they bring against You?” 14And still He answered him not a word; and Pilate marveled greatly. 15Now it was the governor’s custom at that Passover festival, to release to the people whatever prisoner they wanted freed. 16And they had at that time a notorious prisoner, named Barabbas. 17So, when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which do you want me to release to you - Barabbas, or Jesus, Who is called Christ?” 18For he knew that for envy and self-interest they had delivered Jesus over to him. 19Then, while Pilate was seated on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him”. 20But the chief priests and elders had persuaded the crowd to ask to free Barabbas, and to execute Jesus. 21So when the governor asked them, “Which of these two shall I release to you?”, they said, “Barabbas”. 22Then Pilate asked them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus, Who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let Him be crucified”. 23And the governor asked, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Let Him be crucified!” 24When Pilate saw that he could not prevail, but that rather an uproar was starting, he took water, and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous Person; you see to it”. 25Then all the people replied, “Let His blood be on us, and on our children”. 26Then he released Barabbas to them; and after he had flogged Jesus, he handed Him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

27Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, their headquarters, and gathered the whole band of soldiers around Him. 28And they stripped Him, and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29And when they had twisted together a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and put a reed in His right hand; and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30And they spat upon Him, and took the reed, and struck Him on the head. 31And after that they had mocked Him, they removed the robe from Him, and put His Own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

32And as they exited the Praetorium, they found a man from Cyrene, named Simon; and they compelled him to carry His cross. 33And when they had arrived at the place called Golgotha, which means ‘the place of a skull’, 34They gave Him vinegar mingled with gall to drink; and when He had tasted it, He refused to drink it. 35And they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots; that what was prophesied (in Psalm 22:18) might be fulfilled: “They parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture did they cast lots”. 36And then they sat down and kept watch over Him there; 37And His accusation was written above His head: “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS”. 38Then two thieves were crucified with Him, one on the right, and another on the left. 39And those that passed by shouted insults at Him, wagging their heads, 40And saying, “You that destroys the temple, and rebuilds it in three days, save Yourself. If You are the Son of God, come down from that cross.” 41In the same manner, the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked Him, saying, 42He saved others; but He cannot save Himself. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and then we will believe Him. 43He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44The two thieves, who were crucified with Him, also cast similar taunts in His teeth. 45Now from the sixth hour (noon) until the ninth hour (3 PM), there was darkness over all the land. 46And about that ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” – which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47When some of them that stood there heard that, they said, “This Man is calling for Elijah”. 48And then one of them ran, got a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and offered Him a drink. 49But the others said, “Let Him be; let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him”. 50Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, He yielded up the ghost (His spirit). 51And at that moment, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split; 52And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints (deceased believers) were raised, 53And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared to many. 54Now, when the centurion, and those that were watching Jesus with him, saw the earthquake, and those things that occurred, they feared greatly, and exclaimed, “Surely, This was the Son of God”.

55And many women were there, watching from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him; 56Among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James and Joses (Joseph), and the mother of Zebedee's sons. 57When the evening approached, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus; 58And he went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the sepulcher (tomb), and went away. 61And Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sat across from the tomb, watching.

62Now the next day, the day that followed the day of preparation for the Sabath, the chief priests and Pharisees went as a group to Pilate, 63And said, “Sir, we remember that Deceiver saying, while He was yet alive, ‘After three days I will rise again’. 64Therefore, command that the sepulcher (tomb) be made secure until the third day, to prevent His disciples from coming by night, stealing His body away, and telling the people, ‘He is risen from the dead’; and then the last deception would be worse than the first.” 65Pilate said to them, “You have a watch (guard); go and make it as secure as you can”. 66So they went, and made the sepulcher (tomb) secure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch (posting guards).

Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition
© 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.

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