Matthew 27:45-56

Contemporary English Version

The Death of Jesus

(Mark 15.33-41; Luke 23.44-49; John 19.28-30)

⁴⁵ At noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until three o'clock. ^46 (A) Then about that time Jesus shouted, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”^[a] which means, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?”

⁴⁷ Some of the people standing there heard Jesus and said, “He's calling for Elijah.”^{[b] 48 (B)} One of them at once ran and grabbed a sponge. He soaked it in wine, then put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus.

⁴⁹ Others said, “Wait! Let's see if Elijah will come^[c] and save him.” ⁵⁰ Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died.

^51 (C) At once the curtain in the temple^[d] was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and rocks split apart. ⁵² Graves opened, and many of God's people were raised to life. ⁵³ They left their graves, and after Jesus had risen to life, they went into the holy city, where they were seen by many people.

⁵⁴ The officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus felt the earthquake and saw everything else that happened. They were frightened and said, “This man really was God's Son!”

^55 (D) Many women had come with Jesus from Galilee to be of help to him, and they were there, looking on at a distance. ⁵⁶ Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John^[e] were some of these women.