27In the first light of dawn, all the high priests and religious leaders met and put the finishing touches on their plot to kill Jesus.G1161G4405G1096G3956G749G2532G4245G2992G2983G4824G2596G2424G5620G2289G846G22892Then they tied him up and paraded him to Pilate, the governor.G2532G1210G846G520G2532G3860G846G4194G4091G22323Judas, the one who betrayed him, realized that Jesus was doomed. Overcome with remorse, he gave back the thirty silver coins to the high priests,G5119G2455G3588G3860G846G1492G3754G2632G3338G654G5144G694G749G2532G42454saying, "I've sinned. I've betrayed an innocent man." They said, "What do we care? That's your problem!"G3004G264G3860G121G129G1161G2036G5101G4314G2248G3700G47715Judas threw the silver coins into the Temple and left. Then he went out and hung himself.G2532G4496G694G1722G3485G402G2532G565G5196The high priests picked up the silver pieces, but then didn't know what to do with them. "It wouldn't be right to give this—a payment for murder!—as an offering in the Temple."G1161G749G2983G694G2036G1832G3756G1832G906G846G1519G2878G1893G2076G5092G1297They decided to get rid of it by buying the "Potter's Field" and use it as a burial place for the homeless.G1161G2983G4824G59G1537G846G2763G68G1519G5027G3581G50278That's how the field got called "Murder Meadow," a name that has stuck to this day.G1352G1565G68G2564G68G129G2193G45949Then Jeremiah's words became history: They took the thirty silver pieces, The price of the one priced by some sons of Israel,G5119G4137G3588G4483G1223G2408G4396G3004G2532G2983G5144G694G5092G5091G3739G575G5207G2474G509110And they purchased the potter's field. And so they unwittingly followed the divine instructions to the letter.G2532G1325G846G1519G2763G68G2505G2962G4929G342711Jesus was placed before the governor, who questioned him: "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?" Jesus said, "If you say so."G1161G2424G2476G1715G2232G2532G2232G1905G846G3004G1488G4771G935G2453G1161G2424G5346G846G4771G300412But when the accusations rained down hot and heavy from the high priests and religious leaders, he said nothing.G2532G1722G846G2723G5259G749G2532G4245G611G376213Pilate asked him, "Do you hear that long list of accusations? Aren't you going to say something?"G5119G3004G4091G846G191G3756G4214G2649G467514Jesus kept silence—not a word from his mouth. The governor was impressed, really impressed.G2532G3756G611G846G4314G3761G1520G4487G5620G2232G2296G302915It was an old custom during the Feast for the governor to pardon a single prisoner named by the crowd.G1161G2596G1859G2232G1486G630G3793G1520G1198G3739G230916At the time, they had the infamous Jesus Barabbas in prison.G1161G2192G5119G1978G1198G3004G91217With the crowd before him, Pilate said, "Which prisoner do you want me to pardon: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?"G3767G846G4863G4091G2036G846G5101G2309G630G5213G912G2228G2424G3588G3004G554718He knew it was through sheer spite that they had turned Jesus over to him.G1063G1492G3754G1223G5355G3860G84619While court was still in session, Pilate's wife sent him a message: "Don't get mixed up in judging this noble man. I've just been through a long and troubled night because of a dream about him."G1161G846G2521G1909G968G846G1135G649G4314G846G3004G2532G4671G3367G1565G1342G1063G3958G4183G4594G2596G3677G1223G84620Meanwhile, the high priests and religious leaders had talked the crowd into asking for the pardon of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus.G1161G749G2532G4245G3982G3793G2443G154G912G1161G622G242421The governor asked, "Which of the two do you want me to pardon?" They said, "Barabbas!"G2232G611G1161G2036G846G5101G575G1417G2309G630G5213G1161G2036G91222"Then what do I do with Jesus, the so-called Christ?" They all shouted, "Nail him to a cross!"G4091G3004G846G5101G4160G3767G2424G3588G3004G5547G3956G3004G846G471723He objected, "But for what crime?" But they yelled all the louder, "Nail him to a cross!"G1161G2232G5346G1063G5101G2556G4160G1161G2896G4057G3004G471724When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was imminent, he took a basin of water and washed his hands in full sight of the crowd, saying, "I'm washing my hands of responsibility for this man's death. From now on, it's in your hands. You're judge and jury."G1161G4091G1492G3754G5623G3762G235G3123G2351G1096G2983G5204G633G5495G561G3793G3004G1510G121G575G129G5127G1342G3700G521025The crowd answered, "We'll take the blame, we and our children after us."G2532G611G3956G2992G2036G846G129G1909G2248G2532G1909G2257G504326Then he pardoned Barabbas. But he had Jesus whipped, and then handed over for crucifixion.G5119G630G912G846G1161G5417G2424G3860G2443G471727The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor's palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun.G5119G4757G2232G3880G2424G1519G4232G4863G1909G846G3650G468628They stripped him and dressed him in a red toga.G2532G1562G846G4060G846G2847G551129They plaited a crown from branches of a thorn bush and set it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand for a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mocking reverence: "Bravo, King of the Jews!" they said. "Bravo!"G2532G4120G4735G1537G173G2007G1909G846G2776G2532G2563G1909G846G1188G2532G1120G1715G846G1702G846G3004G5463G935G245330Then they spit on him and hit him on the head with the stick.G2532G1716G1519G846G2983G2563G2532G5180G846G1519G277631When they had had their fun, they took off the toga and put his own clothes back on him. Then they proceeded out to the crucifixion.G2532G3753G1702G846G1562G5511G1562G846G2532G1746G846G2440G1746G846G2532G520G846G520G1519G471732Along the way they came on a man from Cyrene named Simon and made him carry Jesus' cross.G1161G1831G2147G444G2956G4613G3686G5126G29G2443G142G846G471633Arriving at Golgotha, the place they call "Skull Hill,"G2532G2064G1519G5117G3004G1115G3739G2076G3004G5117G289834they offered him a mild painkiller (a mixture of wine and myrrh), but when he tasted it he wouldn't drink it.G1325G846G3690G4095G3396G3326G5521G2532G1089G2309G3756G409535After they had finished nailing him to the cross and were waiting for him to die, they whiled away the time by throwing dice for his clothes.G1161G4717G846G1266G846G2440G906G2819G2443G4137G3588G4483G5259G4396G1266G3450G2440G1438G2532G1909G3450G2441G906G281936(SEE 27:35)G2532G2521G5083G846G156337Above his head they had posted the criminal charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.G2532G2007G1883G846G2776G846G156G1125G3778G2076G2424G935G245338Along with him, they also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left.G5119G1417G3027G4717G4862G846G1520G1537G1188G2532G1520G1537G217639People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament:G1161G3899G987G846G2795G846G277640"You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you're really God's Son, come down from that cross!"G2532G3004G2647G3485G2532G3618G1722G5140G2250G4982G4572G1487G1488G5207G2316G2597G575G471641The high priests, along with the religion scholars and leaders, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him:G1161G3668G2532G749G1702G3326G1122G2532G4245G300442"He saved others—he can't save himself! King of Israel, is he? Then let him get down from that cross. We'll all become believers then!G4982G243G1438G3756G1410G4982G1487G2076G935G2474G2597G3568G2597G575G4716G2532G4100G84643He was so sure of God—well, let him rescue his 'Son' now—if he wants him! He did claim to be God's Son, didn't he?"G3982G1909G2316G4506G846G3568G1487G2309G846G1063G2036G3754G1510G5207G231644Even the two criminals crucified next to him joined in the mockery.G1161G3027G2532G3588G4957G846G3679G846G846G367945From noon to three, the whole earth was dark.G1161G575G1623G5610G1096G4655G1909G3956G1093G2193G1766G561046Around mid-afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"G1161G4012G1766G5610G2424G310G3173G5456G3004G2241G2241G2982G4518G5123G3450G2316G3450G2316G2444G1459G316547Some bystanders who heard him said, "He's calling for Elijah."G1161G5100G2476G1563G191G3004G3754G3778G5455G224348One of them ran and got a sponge soaked in sour wine and lifted it on a stick so he could drink.G2532G2112G1520G1537G846G5143G2532G2983G4699G5037G4130G3690G2532G4060G2563G4222G846G422249The others joked, "Don't be in such a hurry. Let's see if Elijah comes and saves him."G1161G3062G3004G863G1492G1487G2243G2064G4982G84650But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last.G1161G2424G2896G3825G3173G5456G863G415151At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces.G2532G2400G2665G3485G4977G1519G1417G575G509G2193G2736G2532G1093G4579G2532G4073G497752What's more, tombs were opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were raised.G2532G3419G455G2532G4183G4983G40G3588G2837G145353(After Jesus' resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.)G2532G1831G1537G3419G3326G846G1454G1525G1519G40G4172G2532G1718G418354The captain of the guard and those with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was happening, were scared to death. They said, "This has to be the Son of God!"G1161G1543G2532G3326G846G5083G2424G1492G4578G2532G1096G5399G4970G3004G230G3778G2258G5207G231655There were also quite a few women watching from a distance, women who had followed Jesus from Galilee in order to serve him.G1161G4183G1135G2258G1563G2334G575G3113G3748G190G2424G575G1056G1247G84656Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the Zebedee brothers.G1722G3739G2258G3137G3094G2532G3137G3384G2385G2532G2500G2532G3384G2199G520757Late in the afternoon a wealthy man from Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, arrived. His name was Joseph.G1161G3798G1096G2064G4145G444G575G707G5122G2501G3739G2532G846G3100G2424G310058He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate granted his request.G3778G4334G4091G154G4983G2424G5119G4091G2753G4983G59159Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linens,G2532G2501G2983G4983G1794G846G2513G461660put it in his own tomb, a new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the entrance. Then he went off.G2532G5087G846G1722G846G2537G3419G3739G2998G1722G4073G2532G4351G3173G3037G2374G3419G56561But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary stayed, sitting in plain view of the tomb.G1161G1563G2258G3137G3094G2532G243G3137G2521G561G502862After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate.G1161G1887G3748G2076G3326G3904G749G2532G5330G4863G4314G409163They said, "Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, 'After three days I will be raised.'G3004G2962G3415G3754G1565G4108G2036G2089G2198G3326G5140G2250G145364We've got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There's a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, 'He's risen from the dead.' Then we'll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first."G2753G3767G5028G805G2193G5154G2250G3379G846G3101G2064G3571G2813G846G2813G2532G2036G2992G1453G575G3498G2532G2078G4106G2071G5501G441365Pilate told them, "You will have a guard. Go ahead and secure it the best you can."G1161G4091G5346G846G2192G2892G5217G805G5613G149266So they went out and secured the tomb, sealing the stone and posting guards.G1161G4198G805G5028G805G4972G3037G3326G2892
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