New King James Version
Matthew 27:64
64Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”
Matthew 27:64 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
- New International Version (NIV)So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first."
- New Living Translation (NLT)So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”
Context of Matthew 27:64
62On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
Read all of Matthew 27Matthew 27:64 word by word
κέλευσον οὖν ἀσφαλισθῆναι τὸν τάφον ἕως τῆς τρίτης ἡμέρας, μήποτε ἐλθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ κλέψωσιν αὐτὸν καὶ εἴπωσιν τῷ λαῷ· ἠγέρθη ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν. καὶ ἔσται ἡ ἐσχάτη πλάνη χείρων τῆς πρώτης.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Commandκελεύωkeleuō · to orderG2753
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- thatἀσφαλίζωasphalizō · to secureG805
- the sepulchreὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the sepulchreτάφοςtaphos · graveG5028
- untilἕωςheōs · untilG2193
- theἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- thirdτρίτοςtritos · thirdG5154
- lestμήποτεmēpote mē pote · lestG3379
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
- comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- by nightνύξnux · nightG3571
- and stealκλέπτωkleptō · to stealG2813
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto the peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
- He is risenἐγείρωegeirō · to ariseG1453
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
- the lastἔσχατοςeschatos · last/leastG2078
- errorπλάνηplanē · errorG4106
- shall beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- worse thanχείρωνcheirōn · worse thanG5501
- the firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
Cross-references for Matthew 27:64
- Matthew 28:13saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’
- Matthew 12:45Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”
Commentaries on Matthew 27:64
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 64Lest his disciples come by night - , by night, is wanting in ten of the uncial MSS., and in several others, and in most of the versions. Erasmus, Aldus, Bengel, and Boghard, with Griesbach, leave it out of the text.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 64Until the third day - That is, during two nights and the intervening day. This proves that when the Jews spoke of “three days,” they did not of necessity mean three “whole days,” but parts of three days, as was the case in our Saviour‘s lying in the grave. See the notes at Matthew 12:40. The last error shall be worse than the first - That is, the last “deception,” or the taking him from the tomb, pretending that he rose, will have a wider influence among…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 62-66Verses 62-66 On the Jewish sabbath, the chief priests and Pharisees, when they should have been at their devotions, were dealing with Pilate about securing the sepulchre. This was permitted that there might be certain proof of our Lord's resurrection. Pilate told them that they might secure the sepulchre as carefully as they could. They sealed the stone, and set a guard, and were satisfied that all needful care was taken. But to guard the sepulchre…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 62-66This event supports the truth of Jesus resurrection. It is very unlikely that Matthew invented the story, because many witnesses were alive who could have denied it.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6464. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure--by a Roman guard. until the third day--after which, if He still lay in the grave, the imposture of His claims would be manifest to all. and say unto the people, he is risen from the dead--Did they really fear this? so the last error shall be worse than the first--the imposture of His pretended resurrection worse than that of His pretended Messiahship.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 27:64
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries