Study Desk

When daybreak came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.^(a)

After tying Him up, they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate,^[a] the governor.^(b)

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.^(c)

"I have sinned by betraying innocent blood," he said. "What's that to us?" they said. "See to it yourself!"

So he threw the silver into the sanctuary^(d) and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.

The chief priests took the silver and said, "It's not lawful^(e) to put it into the temple treasury,^[b] since it is blood money."^[c]

So they conferred together and bought the potter's field with it as a burial place for foreigners.

Therefore that field has been called "Blood Field" to this day.

Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: They took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of Him whose price was set by the Israelites,

and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me. ^(f)[d]

Now Jesus stood before the governor.^(g) "Are You the King of the Jews?" the governor asked Him. Jesus answered, "You have said it." ^[e](h)

And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He didn't answer.⁽ⁱ⁾

Then Pilate said to Him, "Don't You hear how much they are testifying against You?"

But He didn't answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.^(j)

At the festival^(k) the governor's custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted.

At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.^[f]

So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Who is it you want me to release for you—Barabbas,^[g] or Jesus who is called Messiah?"^(l)

For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy.

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!"^(m)

The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus.

The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered.

Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!"^[h](n)

Then he said, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" all the more.^(o)

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere,^[i] 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.^[j] See to it yourselves!"^(p)

All the people answered, "His blood be on us^(q) and on our children!"

Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged,^[k] he handed Him over to be crucified.^(r)