MAT 27:45-56

The Death of Jesus

45Now from the sixth hour, darkness came over all the earth until the ninth hour. [27:46] And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' — that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' [27:47] And some of those standing there, having heard, were saying that this man calls for Elijah. [27:48] And immediately one of them, having run and taken a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed, was giving it to him to drink. [27:49] But the rest were saying, 'Wait! Let us see whether Elijah comes to save him.' Now another, having taken a spear, pierced his side, and water and blood went out. [27:50] And Jesus, having cried out again in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit. [27:51] And behold, the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom into two, and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split, [27:52] and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, [27:53] and having gone out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered into the holy city and appeared to many. [27:54] And the centurion and those with him keeping guard over Jesus, having seen the earthquake and the things that were happening, feared greatly, saying, 'Truly, this man was God's Son.' [27:55] Now there were many women there looking on from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. [27:56] Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

In the world it was spoken into

In the first-century Jewish context, darkness over the land during Jesus’s crucifixion would evoke apocalyptic imagery, recalling prophetic texts like Amos 8:9, where darkness signifies divine judgment. The cry “Eli Eli, lema sabachthani?” quotes Psalm 22:1, a psalm of lament that first-century Jews would recognize as expressing profound abandonment and suffering. The mention of Elijah reflects Jewish eschatological expectations, as Elijah was believed to return as a forerunner of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6). The offering of vinegar (a sour wine) aligns with Roman crucifixion practices, where soldiers provided cheap wine to prolong suffering. The tearing of the Temple veil would resonate deeply with Jewish listeners, as it symbolized access to God’s presence, previously restricted to the high priest. The resurrection of saints uses the euphemism “fallen asleep,” common in Jewish and early Christian discourse, to describe death.

›See the receipts

How other translations render this

MAT 27:45

KJV: Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
BSB: From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
Koinōnos: Now from the sixth hour, darkness came over all the earth until the ninth hour.

MAT 27:46

KJV: 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?
BSB: About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Koinōnos: And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' — that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

MAT 27:47

KJV: Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
BSB: When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He is calling Elijah.”
Koinōnos: And some of those standing there, having heard, were saying that this man calls for Elijah.

MAT 27:48

KJV: 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.
BSB: One of them quickly ran and brought a sponge. He filled it with sour wine, put it on a reed, and held it up for Jesus to drink.
Koinōnos: And immediately one of them, having run and taken a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed, was giving it to him to drink.

MAT 27:49

KJV: The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
BSB: But the others said, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to save Him.”
Koinōnos: But the rest were saying, 'Wait! Let us see whether Elijah comes to save him.' Now another, having taken a spear, pierced his side, and water and blood went out.

MAT 27:50

KJV: Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
BSB: When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit.
Koinōnos: And Jesus, having cried out again in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit.

MAT 27:51

KJV: 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;
BSB: At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
Koinōnos: And behold, the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom into two, and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split,

MAT 27:52

KJV: And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
BSB: The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
Koinōnos: and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,

MAT 27:53

KJV: And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
BSB: After Jesusʼ resurrection, when they had come out of the tombs, they entered the holy city and appeared to many people.
Koinōnos: and having gone out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.

MAT 27:54

KJV: 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.
BSB: When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
Koinōnos: And the centurion and those with him keeping guard over Jesus, having seen the earthquake and the things that were happening, feared greatly, saying, 'Truly, this man was God's Son.

MAT 27:55

KJV: And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
BSB: And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.
Koinōnos: Now there were many women there looking on from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.

MAT 27:56

KJV: Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.
BSB: Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedeeʼs sons.
Koinōnos: Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

MAT 27:45

land:The word translated 'land' here refers to the entire earth, not just a specific plot of ground. It emphasizes the cosmic scope of the darkness.

MAT 27:50

[His] spirit.:The term used here for 'spirit' can also mean 'breath' or 'wind.' In this context, it highlights the physical act of Jesus's last breath, signifying the moment of death.

MAT 27:51

veil:The word translated 'veil' specifically refers to the thick, inner curtain in the Temple that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, not a general curtain.

MAT 27:52

having fallen asleep:The phrase 'having fallen asleep' was a common euphemism in the ancient world for death, particularly for those who were believed to be at rest or awaiting resurrection.