THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW 27

1 When the morning was come all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death

2 And when they had bound him they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor

3 Then Judas which had betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned repented himself and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders

4 Saying I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood And they said What is that to us see thou to that

5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself

6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces and said It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury because it is the price of blood

7 And they took counsel and bought with them the otter’s field to bury strangers in

8 Wherefore that field was called The field of blood unto this day

9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet saying And they took the thirty pieces of silver the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel did value

10 And gave them for the otter’s field as the Lord appointed me

11 And Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him saying Art thou the King of the Jews And Jesus said unto him Thou sayest

12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders he answered nothing

13 Then said Pilate unto him Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee

14 And he answered him to never a word insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly

15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner whom they would

16 And they had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas

17 Therefore when they were gathered together Pilate said unto them Whom will ye that I release unto you Barabbas or Jesus which is called Christ

18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him

19 When he was set down on the judgment seat his wife sent unto him saying Have thou nothing to do with that just man for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus

21 The governor answered and said unto them Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you They said Barabbas

22 Pilate saith unto them What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ They all say unto him Let him be crucified

23 And the governor said Why what evil hath he done But they cried out the more saying Let him be crucified

24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing but that rather a tumult was made he took water and washed his hands before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this just person see ye to it

25 Then answered all the people and said His blood be on us and on our children

26 Then released he Barabbas unto them and when he had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers

28 And they stripped him and put on him a scarlet robe

29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns they put it upon his head and a reed in his right hand and they bowed the knee before him and mocked him saying Hail King of the Jews

30 And they spit upon him and took the reed and smote him on the head

31 And after that they had mocked him they took the robe off from him and put his own raiment on him and led him away to crucify him

32 And as they came out they found a man of Cyrene Simon by name him they compelled to bear his cross

33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha that is to say a place of a skull

34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall and when he had tasted thereof he would not drink

35 And they crucified him and parted his garments casting lots that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet They parted my garments among them and upon my vesture did they cast lots

36 And sitting down they watched him there

37 And set up over his head his accusation written THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS

38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him one on the right hand and another on the left

39 And they that passed by reviled him wagging their heads

40 And saying Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days save thyself If thou be the Son of God come down from the cross

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him with the scribes and elders said

42 He saved others himself he cannot save If he be the King of Israel let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him

43 He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the Son of God

44 The thieves also which were crucified with him cast the same in his teeth

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli Eli lama sabachthani that is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken me

47 Some of them that stood there when they heard that said This man calleth for Elias

48 And straightway one of them ran and took a spunge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink

49 The rest said Let be let us see whether Elias will come to save him

50 Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice yielded up the ghost

51 And behold the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and the earth did quake and the rocks rent

52 And the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which slept arose

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many

54 Now when the centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus saw the earthquake and those things that were done they feared greatly saying Truly this was the Son of God

55 And many women were there beholding afar off which followed Jesus from Galilee ministering unto him

56 Among which was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joses and the mother of bedee’s children

57 When the even was come there came a rich man of rimathæa named Joseph who also himself was Jesus’ disciple

58 He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered

59 And when Joseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth

60 And laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out in the rock and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed

61 And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre

62 Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate

63 Saying Sir we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive After three days I will rise again

64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say unto the people He is risen from the dead so the last error shall be worse than the first

65 Pilate said unto them Ye have a watch go your way make it as sure as ye can

66 So they went and made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone and setting a watch