Matthew Chapter 27 | Best devotional materials, including: introduction, background, main content, Bible reading and prayer video, Scripture, and post-reading prayer to help you gain a deeper understanding of biblical truth.

Dear brothers and sisters, peace in Christ. Welcome to our One Chapter per day Bible reading time. 

By God’s grace, today we will read Matthew chapter 27.

This chapter brings us to one of the most solemn and powerful moments in the entire Gospel—the trial, crucifixion, and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see Jesus falsely accused, mocked, and led to the cross. Yet, even in suffering, He fulfills the Scriptures and willingly lays down His life for our redemption. The curtain of the temple is torn in two, and the earth shakes as creation bears witness to the sacrifice of the Son of God.

This passage reminds us of the depth of Jesus’ love and the cost of our salvation. Let us listen with reverence and gratitude to God’s Word together.

Matthew Chapter 27 Introduction:

Matthew chapter 27 presents one of the most solemn and significant moments in the entire Gospel — the suffering, crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus Christ. This chapter reveals the depth of human sin and the greatness of God’s love. It is both tragic and redemptive: though Jesus is condemned unjustly, His sacrifice becomes the very means by which salvation is made available to all mankind. Matthew 27 brings us to the foot of the cross, where divine justice and mercy meet.

Main Content of Matthew Chapter 27

1. Jesus Before Pilate (verses 1–26)
Early in the morning, Jesus is brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Despite finding no fault in Him, Pilate yields to the pressure of the crowd, who demand Jesus’ crucifixion and the release of Barabbas, a notorious prisoner. The people cry out, “Crucify Him!” In a symbolic act, Pilate washes his hands, claiming innocence of Jesus’ blood, but the crowd takes the guilt upon themselves.

2. The Mocking and Crucifixion of Jesus (verses 27–44)
Jesus is handed over to the soldiers, who mock Him, place a crown of thorns on His head, and dress Him in a scarlet robe, calling Him the “King of the Jews.” They strike Him and spit on Him before leading Him to Golgotha. Simon of Cyrene is forced to carry the cross. At Golgotha, Jesus is crucified between two criminals. The bystanders mock Him, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself.” Yet through this act of sacrifice, He is indeed saving the world.

3. The Death of Jesus (verses 45–56)
From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness covers the land. Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” Then, after crying out again, He gives up His spirit. At that moment, the temple curtain is torn in two from top to bottom, symbolizing the opening of the way to God. The earth shakes, and many are struck with awe — even the Roman centurion declares, “Surely He was the Son of God.” Faithful women, including Mary Magdalene, look on from a distance.

4. The Burial of Jesus (verses 57–66)
Joseph of Arimathea, a respected man and follower of Jesus, goes to Pilate and requests the body of Jesus. He wraps it in clean linen and lays it in his own new tomb, sealing it with a large stone. The chief priests and Pharisees, fearing that the disciples might steal the body, request guards to secure the tomb — setting the stage for the miraculous resurrection that follows.

Spiritual Significance of Matthew Chapter 27

Matthew 27 shows the cost of our redemption. Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God, willingly takes upon Himself the punishment we deserved. His suffering reveals not only the cruelty of human sin but also the boundless compassion of God’s heart. The tearing of the temple curtain declares that through Christ’s death, the separation between God and humanity has been removed. What appears as defeat is, in truth, the greatest victory — the triumph of love over sin and death.

Through Matthew chapter 27, we are called to stand before the cross in humility and gratitude. Here, we see the depth of God’s grace and the seriousness of sin. As we meditate on this chapter, may our hearts be moved to worship and our lives transformed by the love of Christ, who gave Himself for us.

Matthew Chapter 27 YouTube Bible Reading and Prayer Video:

Judas Hangs Himself

27 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. 2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”

5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”[a]

Jesus Before Pilate

11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” 14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus[b] Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”

20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”

26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus

45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[c] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).[d]

47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and[e] went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph,[f] and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

The Burial of Jesus

57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.