Chapter XXVI: Christ's Death and Burial

1 [27:27]THEN the soldiers of the procurator taking Jesus to the Praetorium assembled about him the whole cohort, [27:28]and stripped him, and put on him a crimson cloak, [27:29]and making a crown of thorns they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they knelt before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! [27:30]And they spit on him, and took the reed and beat him on his head. [27:31]And when they had mocked him, they took the cloak off from him, and put on him his own clothes, and led him away to crucify him.

2 [27:32]And going out, they found a Cyrenian by the name of Simon, whom they compelled to bear his cross. [27:33]And coming to a place called Golgotha, which is called A place of a cranium, [27:34]they gave him vinegar to drink mixed with gall; and when he had tasted of it he would not drink.

3 [27:35]And having crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots, [27:36]and sat down and watched him there. [27:37]And they put over his head his accusation, written; THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. [27:38]Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

4 [27:39]And those who went by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, [27:40]and saying, You that destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself. If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. [27:41]And the chief priests in like manner also mocked him, with the scribes and elders, and said, [27:42]He saved others, himself he cannot save. If he is the king of Israel let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe on him; [27:43]he trusted in God; let him deliver him if he wishes for him; for he said, I am a Son of God. [27:44]The robbers also that were crucified with him did the same, and reproached him. [27:45]And from the sixth hour there was darkness on all the land till the ninth hour; [27:46]and at about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [27:47]And some of those standing there hearing him, said, He calls for Elijah. [27:48]And one of them ran immediately to him, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and putting it on a reed gave it to him to drink. [27:49]But the rest said, Let him alone; let us see if Elijah will come and save him. [27:50]And Jesus crying again with a loud voice, gave up the spirit.

5 [27:51]And behold, the vail of the temple was rent in two, from top to bottom, and the earth was shaken, and the rocks rent, [27:52]and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of saints that slept arose, [27:53]and going out of the tombs, after his resurrection entered into the holy city, and appeared to many.

6 [27:54]And the centurion and those with him watching Jesus, seeing the earthquake, and the [other] events which occurred, were greatly afraid, and said, Certainly, this was a Son of God. [27:55]And there were many women there, beholding from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, to wait upon him; [27:56]among whom were Mary the Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

7 [27:57]And when it was evening a rich man came from Arimathea, by the name of Joseph, who himself also was a disciple of Jesus; [27:58]this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded it to be given him; [27:59]and Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in clean linen, [27:60] and placed it in a new tomb of his which he had excavated in a rock, and having rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb he went away; [27:61]and Mary the Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite to the tomb.