Matthew 27 50

Matthew 27:50 kjv

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

Matthew 27:50 nkjv

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

Matthew 27:50 niv

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

Matthew 27:50 esv

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

Matthew 27:50 nlt

Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit.

Matthew 27 verses

Matthew 27 50 Meaning

Matthew 27:50 describes the exact moment of Jesus' physical death on the cross. It details that Jesus cried out a final time with great strength, and then actively, rather than passively, released His life or spirit. This act highlights the volitional nature of His sacrifice, signifying His unique authority over His own life and death, and underscoring that His passing was not an involuntary succumb to torture but a deliberate act of laying down His life for a divine purpose.

Matthew 27 50 Context

Matthew 27:50 marks the climax of Jesus' suffering and crucifixion narrative. Following His trial, scourging, and the long agony on the cross, this verse records His final breath. Immediately prior, deep darkness covered the land, a supernatural event preceding the pivotal moment of His passing. Jesus had just cried out His agonizing question, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matt 27:46). His last powerful cry and deliberate giving up of His spirit, as depicted in verse 50, immediately usher in momentous supernatural occurrences, including the tearing of the temple veil, an earthquake, and the resurrection of many saints (Matt 27:51-53), signifying the profound cosmic and salvific implications of His death. This was not a passive demise but a willed, redemptive act.

Matthew 27 50 Word analysis

• And (καὶ - kai): A simple conjunction connecting this final act to the preceding narrative events, especially the periods of darkness and His previous cries from the cross.
• Jesus (Ἰησοῦς - Iēsous): The specific personal name identifies the protagonist, emphasizing His identity as the Christ throughout His earthly life, passion, and death.
• cried out (κράξας - krazo): This strong verb denotes a loud, often emphatic, shout or call. It is used for strong emotional cries or public proclamations. Its use here indicates Jesus maintained physical strength and vocal power until His very last moment, contrary to what one might expect from someone dying of crucifixion, highlighting the unusual nature of His death.
• again (πάλιν - palin): This adverb explicitly refers back to Jesus' previous loud cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matt 27:46). It emphasizes that this final cry was distinct from and succeeded the cry of dereliction, signaling a different, conclusive utterance.
• with a loud voice (φωνῇ μεγάλῃ - phōnē megalē): Reinforces the impact and audibility of Jesus' final cry. This was not a gasp or whisper of exhaustion, but a potent, clear vocalization. This powerful final cry deeply impressed witnesses like the Centurion (Matt 27:54). It also points to the conscious and intentional nature of His death, as opposed to mere physical failure.
• and yielded up (ἀφῆκεν - aphiēmi): This verb means "to send away," "to release," "to let go," or "to dismiss." Critically, it is an active verb, not passive. Jesus was not overcome by death; He actively released His spirit. This linguistic choice strongly underscores His sovereignty and voluntary control over the moment of His death, in fulfillment of His own declaration, "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord" (Jn 10:18). This word also carries the connotation of forgiveness, being used to 'remit' sins, hinting at the purpose of His voluntary death.
• His spirit (τὸ πνεῦμα - to pneuma): Refers to the animating life force, the essential breath and non-physical essence of His being. It implies more than simply "breathing His last," but a conscious release of the very core of His existence. In a theological sense, His spirit returns to God (Ecc 12:7; Lk 23:46), indicating His departure from the physical body. It distinguishes the moment as not just the end of biological life but the decisive surrender of His unique Person.

• "cried out again with a loud voice": This phrase emphasizes the uniqueness of Jesus' death. While crucifixion typically led to slow asphyxiation and weakness, Jesus retained strength for a final, powerful vocal declaration. This demonstrates that He was not succumbing to physical failure, but orchestrating the culmination of His work with intentionality and power, surprising onlookers and underscoring divine agency in His death.
• "and yielded up His spirit": This is perhaps the most significant phrase in the verse. It asserts Jesus' authority and control. Rather than saying He "died" (ἔθνησκεν), Matthew records an active surrender, an intentional "release" or "dismissal" of His spirit. This highlights the atoning, voluntary nature of His death, not a passive victimhood but a conscious and purposeful act of obedience and love for the salvation of humanity, bringing to fruition the Father's redemptive plan.

Matthew 27 50 Bonus section

The immediate and dramatic events that followed Jesus' death—the tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom, the earthquake, the splitting of rocks, and the resurrection of many saints (Matt 27:51-53)—underscore the cosmic significance and divine approval of His voluntary sacrifice. The tearing of the veil signified the opening of direct access to God for all people through Christ's completed work, breaking down the separation imposed by sin. The centurion's declaration, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (Matt 27:54), demonstrates how the remarkable manner of Jesus' death, particularly His loud cry and the subsequent supernatural events, compelled even hardened Roman soldiers to recognize His divine identity. The portrayal in Matthew focuses on the kingly, authoritative nature of Jesus' final moments, aligning with Matthew's overall theme of Jesus as the Messiah-King.

Matthew 27 50 Commentary

Matthew 27:50 records the climactic moment of the cross: Jesus' voluntary and authoritative death. His final "loud cry" speaks not of weakness but of undiminished strength and control, even in His final moments. This was a deliberate declaration, followed by an active "yielding up" of His spirit, contrasting sharply with the passive demise expected from a crucified man. This profound act emphasizes Jesus' sovereignty, that His life was not taken from Him but purposefully given as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humanity. His death was not a failure but the triumphant completion of His redemptive mission, ushering in the new covenant and providing access to God.