Holman Christian Standard Bible (292 page)

52
 Then Jesus told him,
“Put your sword back in its place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword. 
53
 Or do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions
 
of angels? 
54
 How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way? ”

55
 At that time Jesus said to the crowds,
“Have you come out with swords and clubs, as if I were a criminal,
 
to capture Me? Every day I used to sit, teaching in the
•temple
complex, and you didn't arrest Me. 
56
 But all this has happened so that the prophetic Scriptures
would be fulfilled.”
Then all the disciples deserted Him and ran away.

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin

57
 Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the
•scribes
and the elders had convened.
58
 Meanwhile, Peter was following Him at a distance right to the high priest's courtyard. He went in and was sitting with the temple police to see the outcome.

59
 The chief priests and the whole
•Sanhedrin
were looking for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death. 
60
 But they could not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two who came forward
61
 stated, “This man said, ‘I can demolish God's sanctuary and rebuild it in three days.' ”

62
 The high priest then stood up and said to Him, “Don't You have an answer to what these men are testifying against You? ”
63
 But Jesus kept silent. Then the high priest said to Him, “By the living God I place You under oath: tell us if You are the
•Messiah
, the Son of God! ” 

64
 “You have said it,”
 Jesus told him.
“But I tell you, in the future
 
you will see
the Son of Man seated at the right hand
of the Power and
coming on the clouds of heaven
.”

65
 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Look, now you've heard the blasphemy! 
66
 What is your decision? ” 

They answered, “He deserves death! ” 
67
 Then they spit in His face and beat Him; others slapped Him
68
 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who hit You? ” 

Peter Denies His Lord

69
 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant approached him and she said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.”

70
 But he denied it in front of everyone: “I don't know what you're talking about! ”

71
 When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the
•Nazarene
! ” 

72
 And again he denied it with an oath, “I don't know the man! ”

73
 After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You certainly are one of them, since even your accent gives you away.”

74
 Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I do not know the man! ” Immediately a rooster crowed,
75
 and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken,
“Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Matthew

Jesus Handed Over to Pilate

27
When daybreak came, all the
•chief
priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 
2
 After tying Him up, they led Him away and handed Him over to
•Pilate
, the governor. 

Judas Hangs Himself

3
 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. 
4
 “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said.

“What's that to us? ” they said. “See to it yourself! ”

5
 So he threw the silver into the sanctuary and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.

6
 The chief priests took the silver and said, “It's not lawful to put it into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” 
7
 So they conferred together and bought the potter's field with it as a burial place for foreigners.
8
 Therefore that field has been called “Blood Field” to this day.
9
 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

Jesus Faces the Governor

11
 Now Jesus stood before the governor. “Are You the King of the Jews? ” the governor asked Him.

Jesus answered,
“You have said it.”
12
 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He didn't answer. 

13
 Then Pilate said to Him, “Don't You hear how much they are testifying against You? ”
14
 But He didn't answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. 

Jesus or Barabbas

15
 At the festival the governor's custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted.
16
 At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 
17
 So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Who is it you want me to release for you — Barabbas, or Jesus who is called
•Messiah
? ” 
18
 For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy.

19
 While he was sitting on the judge's bench, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I've suffered terribly in a dream because of Him! ” 

20
 The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus.
21
 The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you? ”

“Barabbas! ” they answered.

22
 Pilate asked them, “What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah? ”

They all answered, “Crucify Him! ”

23
 Then he said, “Why? What has He done wrong? ”

But they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! ” all the more. 

24
 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves! ” 

25
 All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children! ”
26
 Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified. 

Mocked by the Military

27
 Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into
•headquarters
and gathered the whole
•company
around Him. 
28
 They stripped Him and dressed Him in a scarlet military robe. 
29
 They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and placed a reed in His right hand. And they knelt down before Him and mocked Him: “Hail, King of the Jews! ”
30
 Then they spit on Him, took the reed, and kept hitting Him on the head.
31
 When they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the robe, put His clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. 

Crucified Between Two Criminals

32
 As they were going out, they found a Cyrenian man named Simon. They forced this man to carry His cross. 
33
 When they came to a place called
Golgotha
 (which means Skull Place),
34
 they gave Him wine mixed with gall to drink. But when He tasted it, He would not drink it.
35
 After crucifying Him they divided His clothes by casting lots.
36
 Then they sat down and were guarding Him there.
37
 Above His head they put up the charge against Him in writing:

38
 Then two criminals were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. 
39
 Those who passed by were yelling insults at Him, shaking their heads 
40
 and saying, “The One who would demolish the sanctuary and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross! ” 
41
 In the same way the chief priests, with the
•scribes
and elders, mocked Him and said,
42
 “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
43
 He has put His trust in God; let God rescue Him now — if He wants Him! For He said, ‘I am God's Son.' ”
44
 In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with Him kept taunting Him. 

The Death of Jesus

45
 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over the whole land.
46
 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice,
“
Elí, Elí, lemá
 
sabachtháni?
”
that is,
“
My God, My God, why have You forsaken
 
Me?
”

47
 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He's calling for Elijah! ”

48
 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, and offered Him a drink. 
49
 But the rest said, “Let's see if Elijah comes to save Him! ”

50
 Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit. 
51
 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split.
52
 The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the
•saints
who had fallen
•asleep
were raised.
53
 And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.

54
 When the
•centurion
and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “This man really was God's Son! ”

55
 Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and ministered to Him were there, looking on from a distance. 
56
 Among them were
•Mary
Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons. 

The Burial of Jesus

57
 When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.
58
 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Then Pilate ordered that it be released.
59
 So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in
•clean
, fine linen,
60
 and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb. 
61
 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.

The Closely Guarded Tomb

62
 The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the
•Pharisees
gathered before Pilate 
63
 and said, “Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive He said,
‘After three days I will rise again.'
 
64
 Therefore give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come, steal Him, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.' Then the last deception will be worse than the first.”

65
 “You have a guard of soldiers,” Pilate told them. “Go and make it as secure as you know how.”
66
 Then they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting the guard.

Matthew

Resurrection Morning

28
After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning,
•Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb.
2
 Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. 
3
 His appearance was like lightning, and his robe was as white as snow. 
4
 The guards were so shaken from fear of him that they became like dead men.

5
 But the angel told the women, “Don't be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 
6
 He is not here! For He has been resurrected, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. 
7
 Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. In fact, He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there.' Listen, I have told you.” 

8
 So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell His disciples the news.
9
 Just then Jesus met them and said,
“Good morning! ”
They came up, took hold of His feet, and worshiped Him. 
10
 Then Jesus told them,
“Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see Me there.”