Matthew 27:51

Matthew 27:51 in other versions

• King James Version (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;
• New International Version (NIV)At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split
• English Standard Version (ESV)And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,

Context of Matthew 27:51

49The others said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” 50Then Jesus loudly cried out once again and gave up his life. Suddenly, the curtain in the temple was split in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split open. 52The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died came back to life. 53They came out of the tombs after he had come back to life, and they went into the holy city where they appeared to many people.

Matthew 27:51 word by word

Καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ ἐσχίσθη ἀπ᾽ ἄνωθεν ἕως κάτω εἰς δύο, καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐσείσθη, καὶ αἱ πέτραι ἐσχίσθησαν,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• the veilὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the veilκαταπέτασμαkatapetasma · curtainG2665
• of the templeναόςnaos · templeG3485
• was rentσχίζωschizō · to splitG4977
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• twainδύοduo · twoG1417
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the topἄνωθενanōthen · from above/againG509
• toἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• the bottomκάτωkatō katōterō · underG2736
• the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• did quakeσείωseiō · to shakeG4579
• the rocksπέτραpetra · rockG4073

Cross-references for Matthew 27:51

• Exodus 26:31“Make a canopy of violet, purple, and bright red yarn. Creatively work an angel design into fine linen yarn.
• Exodus 40:21Then he brought the ark into the tent and hung the canopy over it to mark off where the ark was. Moses followed the Lord’s instructions.
• Leviticus 16:2The Lord said, “Tell your brother Aaron that he cannot go into the holy place whenever he wants to. If he goes up to the canopy and stands in front of the throne of mercy on the ark, he will die, because I appear in the smoke above the throne of mercy.
• Leviticus 21:23However, he must never come up to the canopy or to the altar, since he has a physical defect. He must never dishonor the holy places because I, the Lord, set them apart as holy.”
• 2 Chronicles 3:14Solomon made the canopy of violet, purple, and dark red cloth and of linen and decorated it with angels.
• Isaiah 25:7On this mountain he will remove the veil of grief covering all people and the mask covering all nations.
• Mark 15:38The curtain in the temple was split in two from top to bottom.
• Luke 23:45The sun had stopped shining. The curtain in the temple was split in two.
• Ephesians 2:13But now through Christ Jesus you, who were once far away, have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
• Hebrews 6:19We have this confidence as a sure and strong anchor for our lives. This confidence goes into the ⌞holy⌟ place behind the curtain
• Hebrews 10:19Brothers and sisters, because of the blood of Jesus we can now confidently go into the holy place.
• Matthew 28:2Suddenly, there was a powerful earthquake. An angel of the Lord had come down from heaven, rolled the stone away, and was sitting on it.
• Psalms 18:7Then the earth shook and quaked. Even the foundations of the mountains trembled. They shook violently because he was angry.
• Micah 1:3The Lord is going to come from his place. He is going to come down and step on the worship places of the earth.
• Nahum 1:3The Lord is patient and has great strength. The Lord will never let the guilty go unpunished. Raging winds and storms mark his path, and clouds are the dust from his feet.
• Habakkuk 3:10The mountains look at you. They writhe in pain. Floodwaters pass by. The deep ocean roars. Its waves rise up high.

Commentaries on Matthew 27:51

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 51The veil of the temple was rent - That is, the veil which separated the holy place, where the priests ministered, from the holy of holies, into which the high priest only entered, and that once a year, to make a general expiation for the sins of the people. This rending of the veil was emblematical, and pointed out that the separation between Jews and Gentiles was now abolished, and that the privilege of the high priest was now communicated to all…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 51The vail of the temple - This was doubtless the veil, curiously performed, which separated the holy from the most holy place, dividing the temple into two apartments, Exodus 26:31-33. In twain - In two pieces or parts. This was the time of day when the priest was burning incense in the holy place, and it is probable that he witnessed it. The most holy place has been usually considered as a type of heaven, and the tearing of the veil to signify that the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 51-56Verses 51-56 The rending of the veil signified that Christ, by his death, opened a way to God. We have an open way through Christ to the throne of grace, or mercy-seat now, and to the throne of glory hereafter. When we duly consider Christ's death, our hard and rocky hearts should be rent; the heart, and not the garments. That heart is harder than a rock that will not yield, that will not melt, where Jesus Christ is plainly set forth crucified. The graves…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 51The tearing of the temple curtain is symbolic. It means that that the wall dividing people from God has been torn down by the death of Jesus (see also Ephesians 2:11–22; Hebrews 6:19; 9:1–10:25). The earth quaked and the rocks were split: These are signs that judgment has come (see Exodus 19:18; Judges 5:4; Psalm 18:7; Joel 3:14–17; Amos 8:8–10). The Jewish historian Josephus records that around AD 30, a star resembling a sword appeared and the temple…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5151. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom--This was the thick and gorgeously wrought veil which was hung between the "holy place" and the "holiest of all," shutting out all access to the presence of God as manifested "from above the mercy seat and from between the cherubim"--"the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest" (He 9:8). Into this holiest of all none…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 27:51

• Death
• Earthquakes
• Jesus, the Christ
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Temple
• Vail

In the dictionaries

• Accusation
• Notable
• Plat
• Seal
• Veil, vail
• Wag
• Watch
• Wont
• Desire of All Nations
• Earthquake

Commentaries on Matthew 27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings