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

49But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” 50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

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

• And beholdἰδούidou · look!G2400
• veilκαταπέτασμαkatapetasma · curtainG2665
• of the templeναόςnaos · templeG3485
• was tornσχίζωschizō · to splitG4977
• in twoδύοduo · twoG1417
• from topἄνωθενanōthen · from above/againG509
• to bottomκάτωkatō katōterō · underG2736
• the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• shookσείωseiō · to shakeG4579
• and the rocksπέτραpetra · rockG4073

Cross-references for Matthew 27:51

• Exodus 26:31“You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman.
• Exodus 40:21He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up a veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
• Leviticus 16:2The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.
• Leviticus 21:23only he shall not go in to the veil or come near the altar because he has a defect, so that he will not profane My sanctuaries. For I am the Lord who sanctifies them.’”
• 2 Chronicles 3:14He made the veil of violet, purple, crimson and fine linen, and he worked cherubim on it.
• Isaiah 25:7And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, Even the veil which is stretched over all nations.
• Mark 15:38And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
• Luke 23:45because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
• Ephesians 2:13But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
• Hebrews 6:19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,
• Hebrews 10:19Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
• Matthew 28:2And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.
• Psalms 18:7Then the earth shook and quaked; And the foundations of the mountains were trembling And were shaken, because He was angry.
• Micah 1:3For behold, the Lord is coming forth from His place. He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.
• Nahum 1:3The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. In whirlwind and storm is His way, And clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
• Habakkuk 3:10The mountains saw You and quaked; The downpour of waters swept by. The deep uttered forth its voice, It lifted high its hands.

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