Devine Scripture

Matthew 27:1

What does Matthew 27:1 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 27:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 27:1 means

Verse 1 tells us that at dawn the Jewish leadership—chief priests and elders—met to plot Jesus’ death. This shows their settled hostility: they move from accusation to planning to secure a Roman sentence. Their counsel is not a legal inquiry but a conspiratorial decision driven by fear of Jesus’ influence and a desire to protect their authority. The phrase ‘to put him to death’ highlights that the religious court lacked execution power and needed Roman cooperation, signaling the coming handover to civil authorities.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Now when morning was come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

KJV

King James Version · 1611

When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Now when morning was come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Now when it was morning, all the chief priests and those in authority took thought together with the purpose of putting Jesus to death.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And morning having come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, so as to put him to death;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And when morning was come, all the chief priests and ancients of the people took counsel against Jesus, that they might put him to death.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And when it was morning all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus so that they might put him to death.

Context

This opening of the chapter continues the narrative of Jesus’ arrest and trial (Matthew 26). After Gethsemane and the Sanhedrin’s night proceedings, morning brings the leadership’s formal determination to eliminate Jesus. This verse shifts the scene from private betrayal to public, coordinated action, preparing for the handoff to Pilate and the political dimensions of Jesus’ fate.

v.1This passage

v.2and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pilate the governor.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Proverbs 4:16

    For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

  • Matthew 23:13

    But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye shut the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye enter not in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering in to enter.

  • John 18:28

    They lead Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Prætorium: and it was early; and they themselves entered not into the Prætorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover.

  • Matthew 26:3

    Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the elders of the people, unto the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas;

  • Acts 5:21

    And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought.

  • Luke 23:1

    And the whole company of them rose up, and brought him before Pilate.

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