Matthew 27:27

THE MESSAGE

The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor's palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun. They stripped him and dressed him in a red toga. They plaited a crown from branches of a thornbush and set it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand for a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mocking reverence: "Bravo, King of the Jews!" they said. "Bravo!" Then they spit on him and hit him on the head with the stick. When they had had their fun, they took off the toga and put his own clothes back on him. Then they proceeded out to the crucifixion.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole company around him.

King James Version (1611)
Then the souldiers of the Gouernour tooke Iesus into the common hall, and gathered vnto him the whole band of souldiers.

King James Version
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

English Standard Version
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.

New American Standard Bible
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort to Him.

New Century Version
The governor's soldiers took Jesus into the governor's palace, and they all gathered around him.

Amplified Bible
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and they gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then when the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium, they gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company around Him.

Contemporary English Version
The governor's soldiers led Jesus into the fortress and brought together the rest of the troops.

Complete Jewish Bible
The governor's soldiers took Yeshua into the headquarters building, and the whole battalion gathered around him.

Darby Translation
Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken Jesus with [them] to the praetorium, gathered against him the whole band,

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Pilate's soldiers took Jesus into the governor's palace. All the soldiers gathered around him.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the souldiers of the gouernour tooke Iesus into the common hall, and gathered about him the whole band,

George Lamsa Translation
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium, and the whole company gathered around him.

Good News Translation
Then Pilate's soldiers took Jesus into the governor's palace, and the whole company gathered around him.

Lexham English Bible
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's residence and gathered the whole cohort to him.

Literal Translation
Then taking Jesus into the praetorium, the soldiers of the governor gathered all the cohort against Him.

American Standard Version
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered unto him the whole band.

Bible in Basic English
Then the ruler's armed men took Jesus into the open square, and got all their band together.

Hebrew Names Version
Then the governor's soldiers took Yeshua into the Praetorium, and gathered to him the whole cohort.

International Standard Version
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the imperial headquarterspraetorium">[fn] and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him.Mark 15:15; John 19:2;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jeshu to the Praetorium, and the whole cohort gathered against him.

Murdock Translation
Then the soldiers of the president took Jesus into the Praetorium, and assembled the whole regiment against him.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then the souldiours of the deputie toke Iesus in the common hall, and gathered vnto hym all the bande [of souldiours.]

English Revised Version
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the palace, and gathered unto him the whole band.

World English Bible
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered to him the whole cohort.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then the soldiers of the governour, taking Jesus into the common hall, gathered to him the whole troop.

Weymouth's New Testament
Then the Governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and called together the whole battalion to make sport of Him.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thanne knyytis of the iustice token Jhesu in the moot halle, and gadriden to hym al the cumpeny `of knyytis.

Update Bible Version
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered to him the whole battalion.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered to him the whole band [of soldiers].

New English Translation
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the governor's residence and gathered the whole cohort around him.

New King James Version
Mark 15:16-20">[xr] Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.

New Living Translation
Some of the governor's soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment.

New Life Bible
Then the soldiers of Pilate took Jesus into a large room. A big group of soldiers gathered around Him.

New Revised Standard
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then the soldiers of the governor, taking Jesus aside into the judgment-hall, gathered unto him all the band;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the soldiers of the governor, taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto him the whole band.

Revised Standard Version
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the praetorium, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then the soudeours of the debite toke Iesus vnto the comen hall and gaddered vnto him all the company.

Young's Literal Translation
then the soldiers of the governor having taken Jesus to the Praetorium, did gather to him all the band;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then the debites soudyers toke Iesus, in to the comon hall, and gathered the whole multitude ouer him,

Mace New Testament (1729)
after this the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered all the foot-guards about him.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Pilate's men took Jesus and put about two hundred armed guards around him.

Contextual Overview

²⁶ Then he pardoned Barabbas. But he had Jesus whipped, and then handed over for crucifixion. ²⁷The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor's palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun. They stripped him and dressed him in a red toga. They plaited a crown from branches of a thornbush and set it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand for a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mocking reverence: "Bravo, King of the Jews!" they said. "Bravo!" Then they spit on him and hit him on the head with the stick. When they had had their fun, they took off the toga and put his own clothes back on him. Then they proceeded out to the crucifixion. ³²Along the way they came on a man from Cyrene named Simon and made him carry Jesus' cross. Arriving at Golgotha, the place they call "Skull Hill," they offered him a mild painkiller (a mixture of wine and myrrh), but when he tasted it he wouldn't drink it.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

common hall: or, governor's house, Mark 15:16, John 18:28, John 18:33, John 19:8, John 19:9, Acts 23:35, Gr

band: John 18:3, Acts 10:1, Acts 27:1

Reciprocal: Psalms 35:15 - the abjects Matthew 20:19 - to mock Mark 10:34 - mock Luke 23:11 - set John 19:2 - the soldiers Hebrews 12:2 - despising

Cross-References

Genesis 26:12
Isaac planted crops in that land and took in a huge harvest. God blessed him. The man got richer and richer by the day until he was very wealthy. He accumulated flocks and herds and many, many servants, so much so that the Philistines began to envy him. They got back at him by throwing dirt and debris into all the wells that his father's servants had dug back in the days of his father Abraham, clogging up all the wells.

Genesis 27:11
"But Mother," Jacob said, "my brother Esau is a hairy man and I have smooth skin. What happens if my father touches me? He'll think I'm playing games with him. I'll bring down a curse on myself instead of a blessing."

Genesis 27:13
"If it comes to that," said his mother, "I'll take the curse on myself. Now, just do what I say. Go and get the goats."

Genesis 27:14
So he went and got them and brought them to his mother and she cooked a hearty meal, the kind his father loved so much.

Song of Solomon 2:13
class="poetry"> I'm just a wildflower picked from the plains of Sharon, a lotus blossom from the valley pools.

The Man

A lotus blossoming in a swamp of weeds— that's my dear friend among the girls in the village.

The Woman

As an apricot tree stands out in the forest, my lover stands above the young men in town. All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love. He took me home with him for a festive meal, but his eyes feasted on me! Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly! Apricots, raisins—anything. I'm about to faint with love! His left hand cradles my head, and his right arm encircles my waist! Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem, by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer: Don't excite love, don't stir it up, until the time is ripe—and you're ready. Look! Listen! There's my lover! Do you see him coming? Vaulting the mountains, leaping the hills. My lover is like a gazelle, graceful; like a young stag, virile. Look at him there, on tiptoe at the gate, all ears, all eyes—ready! My lover has arrived and he's speaking to me!

The Man

Get up, my dear friend, fair and beautiful lover—come to me! Look around you: Winter is over; the winter rains are over, gone! Spring flowers are in blossom all over. The whole world's a choir—and singing! Spring warblers are filling the forest with sweet arpeggios. Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed, and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms. Oh, get up, dear friend, my fair and beautiful lover—come to me! Come, my shy and modest dove— leave your seclusion, come out in the open. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice. For your voice is soothing and your face is ravishing.

The Woman

Then you must protect me from the foxes, foxes on the prowl, Foxes who would like nothing better than to get into our flowering garden. My lover is mine, and I am his. Nightly he strolls in our garden, Delighting in the flowers until dawn breathes its light and night slips away. Turn to me, dear lover. Come like a gazelle. Leap like a wild stag on delectable mountains!

Hebrews 11:20
By an act of faith, Isaac reached into the future as he blessed Jacob and Esau.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then the soldiers of the governor,.... Those that were about him, his attendants and guards,

took Jesus into the common hall; the "praetorium", or judgment hall, as it is sometimes called; the governor's palace, into which the Jews would not enter, lest they should defile themselves: Pilate therefore came out to them, and went into the pavement called Gabbatha, and sat upon a judgment seat there; see John 18:28, where he passed sentence on Christ; which being done, the soldiers took him into the hall of judgment; which being both magnificent and large, was fit for the scene they intended to act there. Munster's Hebrew Gospel reads it, they took him "in the house of judgment"; and the Ethiopic version renders it, "out of the court of judicature"; both wrong.

And gathered unto him whole band [of soldiers]; the same that Judas had with him to take him, consisting of five hundred, and some say more: these their fellow soldiers, to whom Jesus was committed, got together to him, or "against him", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it, make themselves sport and diversion with him. Think in what hands and company our dear Lord now was: now was he encompassed with dogs, and enclosed with the assembly of the wicked indeed; see

Psalms 22:16. The Persic version renders it, "multitudes of knaves being gathered together to him".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See also Mark 15:15-20; John 19:1-3.

Matthew 27:27

Into the common hall - The original word here means, rather, the governor’s palace or dwelling.

The trial of Jesus had taken place outside of the palace. The Jews would not enter in John 18:28, and it is probable that courts were held often in a larger and more public place than would be a room in his dwelling. Jesus, being condemned, was led by the soldiers away from the Jews “within” the palace, and subjected there to their profane mockery and sport.

The whole band - The “band” or cohort was a tenth part of a Roman legion, and consisted of from 400 to 600 men, according to the size of the legion. Compare the notes at Matthew 8:29.

Matthew 27:28

And they stripped him - That is, they either took off all his upper garments or removed all his clothing, probably the former.

A scarlet robe - Mark says they clothed him in “purple.” The “scarlet” color was obtained from a species of fruit; “purple” from shell-fish.

See the notes at Isaiah 1:18. The ancients gave the name “purple” to any color that had a mixture of “red” in it, and consequently these different colors might be sometimes called by the same name. The “robe” used here was the same kind worn by Roman generals and other distinguished officers of the Roman army, and also by the Roman governors. It was made so as to be placed on the shoulders, and was bound around the body so as to leave the right arm at liberty. As we cannot suppose that Pilate would array him in a new and splendid robe, we must suppose that this was one which had been worn and cast off as useless, and was now used to array the Son of God as an object of ridicule and scorn.

Matthew 27:29

Had platted - The word “platted” here means “woven together.” They made a “wreath” of a thorn-bush.

A crown - Or perhaps, rather, a wreath.

A crown was worn by kings, commonly made of gold and precious stones. To ridicule the pretensions of Jesus that he was a king, they probably plucked up a thornbush growing near, made it into something resembling in shape a royal crown, so as to correspond with the old purple robe, and to complete the mockery.

Of thorns - What was the precise species of shrub denoted here is not certainly known. It was, however, doubtless, one of that species that has sharp points of very hard wood. They could therefore be easily pressed into the slain and cause considerable pain. Probably they seized upon the first thing in their way that could be made into a crown, and this happened to be a “thorn,” thus increasing the sufferings of the Redeemer. Palestine abounds with thorny shrubs and plants. “The traveler finds them in his path, go where he may. Many of them are small, but some grow as high as a man’s head. The Rabbinical writers say that there are no less than 22 words in the Hebrew Bible denoting thorny and prickly plants.” Professor’s Hackett’s Illustrations of Scripture, p. 135. Compare Proverbs 24:30-31; Proverbs 15:19; Jeremiah 4:3.

And a reed in his right hand - A reed is a straight, slender herb, growing in marshy places, and abundant on the banks of the Jordan. It was often used for the purpose of making staves for walking, and it is not improbable that this was such a staff in the possession of some person present. The word is several times thus used. See 2 Kings 18:21; Isaiah 36:6; Ezekiel 29:6. Kings commonly carried a “sceptre,” made of ivory or gold, as a sign of their office or rank, Esther 4:11; Esther 8:4. This “reed” or “staff” they put in his hand, in imitation of a “sceptre,” to deride, also, his pretensions of being a king.

And they bowed the knee - This was done for mockery. It was an act of pretended homage. It was to ridicule his saying that he was a king. The common mode of showing respect or homage for kings was by kneeling or prostration. It shows amazing forbearance on the part of Jesus that he thus consented to be ridiculed and set at naught. No mere human being would have borne it. None but he who loved us unto death, and who saw the grand results that would come from this scene of sufferings, could have endured such mockery.

Hail, King of the Jews! - The term “hail” was a common mode of salutation to a king, or even to a friend. It implies, commonly, the highest respect for office as well as the person, and is an invocation of blessings. Here it was used to carry on what they thought to be the farce of his being a king; to ridicule in every possible way the pretensions of a poor, unattended, unarmed man of Nazareth, as if he was a weak impostor or was deranged.

Matthew 27:30

And they spit upon him - This was a token of the deepest contempt and insult.

See the notes at Matthew 26:67.

And took the reed - The cane, probably so large as to inflict a heavy blow.

And smote him on the head - Not merely to injure him by the force of the blow, but to press the “thorns” into his head, and thus to add cruelty to insult.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 27:27. The common hall — Or, praetorium. Called so from the praetor, a principal magistrate among the Romans, whose business it was to administer justice in the absence of the consul. This place night be termed in English the court house, or common hall.