Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.”
Parallel Translations
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Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.”
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Pilate sayde vnto them. Take watche men: Go and make it as sure as ye can.
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Then Pilate saide vnto them, Ye haue a watch: goe, and make it sure as ye knowe.
Cross-references (4)
Passages linked to Matthew 27:65 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Matthew 27:66 So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.
- Matthew 28:11-15 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers, saying, “Say that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry.” So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until today.
- Psalms 76:10 Surely the wrath of man praises you. The survivors of your wrath are restrained.
- Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain The soldiers of the garrison, which were appointed to…
The soldiers of the garrison, which were appointed to keep the Temple.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch:…
65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
Ver. 65. Pilate said unto them] He was willing to please both sides; and therefore condescends both to Joseph of Arimathea for his burial, and to the priests for securing the sepulchre. Κοινοφιλης, erat utpote qui ab omnibus gratiam inire cupiebat; quales quidam per iocum placentas dixit. But if I yet please men, saith Paul, as once I did when I was a Pharisee, "I am no more the servant of Christ," Gal 1:10. He scorns that such base deceit should be found in his followers, Col 2:8. Mordecai will not crouch or curry favour, to die for it. Micaiah will not budge, though sure to kiss the stocks for his stiffness.
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Ye have a watch] Appointed for the use and service of the temple, a band of garrison soldiers who had their captain, Act 4:1, and are here set to watch that true temple, wherein "the Godhead dwelt bodily," i.e. personally.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain So they went,.... From Pilate's palace, to the garden…
So they went,.... From Pilate's palace, to the garden of Joseph, and to the sepulchre there; which whether more than a sabbath day's journey, or two thousand cubits, may be inquired; and if so, then they broke one of their own traditions, which allowed a person to go no further on a sabbath day; See Gill on Act 1:12.
And made the sepulchre sure; in the following manner,
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sealing the stone; that was rolled to the door of it, it may be with some public seal, with Pilate's, or with the sanhedrim's; as the stone at the mouth of the lions' den, in which Daniel was put, was sealed with the king's signet, and with the signet of his lords, Dan 6:17, that there might be no change of the sentence upon him, and by which it appeared, that his deliverance was by no human assistance: so the stone at Christ's sepulchre was sealed, that it could not be removed without breaking it; which would show, whether any fraudulent methods were taken to remove the body:
and setting a watch; a guard of soldiers, to observe and prevent any person coming near it; or "with the watch": they made sure the sepulchre with the watch; or sealed the stone, the watch being present; all which was overruled by the providence of God, for the greater confirmation of the truth of Christ's resurrection: by the methods taken, it clearly appears, there could be no fraud in the case; the body was laid in a tomb, where no corpse had ever been before; in a tomb hewed out of a rock, to which there was no access, but at the door; where a great stone was rolled; and this had a seal upon it, and a guard of soldiers about it; and hereby there were more witnesses of Christ's resurrection, than otherwise would have been; as the soldiers, though they were afterwards bribed to tell another story; and even the chief priests and Pharisees were convicted that he was risen, or they would never have taken such a method with the soldiers, as they did.
Next: Matthew Chapter 28
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Ye have a guard - Of your own, in…
Ye have a guard - Of your own, in the tower of Antonia, which was stationed there for the service of the temple.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 65. Ye have a watch] The Jews had…
Verse 65. Ye have a watch] The Jews had a corps of Roman troops, consisting of several companies, as a guard for the temple, Ac 4:1. These companies mounted guard by turns, see Lu 22:4. Some of these companies, which were not then on duty, Pilate gave them leave to employ to watch the tomb.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Ye have a watch - The Jews had a…
Ye have a watch - The Jews had a guard of Roman soldiers, who kept watch in the tower of Antonia, on the northwest of the temple. Pilate either referred to these, or to the “watch” that attended the crucifixion - the whole “band” that had been appointed for that. As the torments of crucifixion sometimes lasted many days, the band had been probably granted to them during that time, and they were therefore still at the direction of the chief priests.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain You have a guard; supposed to be a company…
You have a guard; supposed to be a company of Roman soldiers, destined for the guard of the temple: (Bible de Vence) or, may take a guard; go, and make it secure; which they did, sealing the stone, and placing guards at the monument. Providence ordered this, to make Christ’s resurrection more certain and evident. (Witham)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch--The guards…
Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch--The guards had already acted under orders of the Sanhedrim, with Pilate's consent; but probably they were not clear about employing them as a night watch without Pilate's express authority.
go your way, make it as sure as ye can--as ye know how, or in the way ye deem securest. Though there may be no irony in this speech, it evidently insinuated that if the event should be contrary to their wish, it would not be for want of sufficient human appliances to prevent it.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 65. Ye have a watch — The imperative construction…
65. Ye have a watch — The imperative construction which the Greek verb would bear, Have a watch, is not natural. Yet the indicative mood of the verb possesses essentially the same force as the imperative. The Jews desired that a custodia or guard of Roman soldiers should be placed at their command to watch the body. Pilate gives his consent by reminding them that they have one already; alluding probably to the quaternion who watched the crucifixion. Compare Act_12:4 and Joh_19:23. The Jews by this measure intended to prevent the existence of any proof of the divinity of Christ, but they furnished in fact, by their precaution, an additional confirmation. Here, as previously, Pilate appears chary of having any thing to do in the transaction, and determined to leave all action and responsibility with them.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 65. Ye have a watch] The meaning is either…
65. Ye have a watch] The meaning is either (1) that Pilate refuses the request; “Ye have a watch of your own”—(a) the Levitical temple guard, or (b) a small body of soldiers whom Pilate may have already placed at their disposal—or (2) he grants it curtly and angrily, “Take a watch; begone.”
The latter view is generally adopted now. It seems quite clear from ch. Mat_28:14 that the guard was of Roman soldiers.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (65) Ye have a watch.—Better, Take ye a guard.…
(65) Ye have a watch.—Better, Take ye a guard. The Greek verb may be either imperative or indicative. The former gives the better meaning. The “watch,” or “guard,” was a body of Roman soldiers (St. Matthew uses the Latin term custodia), who could not be set to such a task without Pilate’s permission. If the priests had had such a “guard” at their disposal before, there would have been no need for them to apply to Pilate.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Ye have a watch (ecete koustwdian , take a…
Ye have a watch (ecete koustwdian , take a guard). Pilate answers briefly and haughtily, "Well, I give permission; do as you like; take a body of soldiers as a guard, and go your way. " This last verb is imperative, so the former is most probably imperative also. If taken as indicative, the question arises What guard had they? This is difficult to answer, unless, as Alford supposes, it may refer to some detachment placed at their disposal during the feast. But of this we know nothing historically.
Make it as sure (asfalisasye , secure it for yourselves) as ye can; literally, as ye know how. Take any precaution you think fit to employ.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 65. Ye have a guard. That is, ye can…
65. Ye have a guard. That is, ye can have a guard. He granted them a guard of Roman soldiers.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 a guard
a guard
This consisted of four to sixteen Roman soldiers.
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sealing the stone
Possible meanings are 1) they put a cord around the stone and attached it to the rock wall on either side of the entrance to the tomb or 2) they put seals between the stone and the wall.
placing the guard
"telling the soldiers to stand where they could keep people from tampering with the tomb"
translationWords
Pilate
grave
seal
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.