Matthew 27:40

and saying, “You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

BSB

and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

KJV

And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

ASV

and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross.

BBE

You who would give the Temple to destruction and put it up again in three days, get yourself free: if you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Original Greek

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καὶ kai and G2532 λέγοντες legontes saying G3004 ὁ ho You who [are] G3588 καταλύων kataluōn destroying G2647 τὸν ton the G3588 ναὸν naon temple G3485 καὶ kai and G2532 ἐν en in G1722 τρισὶν trisin three G5140 ἡμέραις hēmerais days G2250 οἰκοδομῶν oikodomōn building [it] G3618 σῶσον sōson do save G4982 σεαυτόν seauton Yourself G4771 εἰ ei If G1487 υἱὸς huios [the] Son G5207 εἶ ei You are G1510 τοῦ tou (the) G3588 θεοῦ theou of God G2316 καὶ kai also G2532 κατάβηθι katabēthi do descend G2597 ἀπὸ apo from G575 τοῦ tou the G3588 σταυροῦ staurou cross G4716

The early church

All 8
What forgiveness then for them, when by the resurrection of His body they shall see the temple of God rebuilt within three days?
Hilary of Poitiers · d. 367Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
And as beginning to extenuate His former miracles, they add, Save thyself; if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. (Hom. de Cruc. et Latr. ii.) But He, on the contrary, does not come down from the cross, because He is the Son of God; for He therefore came that He might be crucified for us.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
And yet who would not have been moved by the multitude that was following Him, and lamenting Him? Nay, not these wild beasts. Wherefore also He to the multitude vouchsafes an answer, but to these men not so. For after having done what they would, they endeavor also to injure His honor, fearing His resurrection. Therefore they say these things publicly, and crucified thieves with Him, and wishing to prove Him a deceiver, they say, "Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days come down from the cross." For since on telling Pilate to remove the accusation (this was the writing, "The king of the Jews"), they prevailed not, but he persevered in saying, "What I have written, I have written," they then endeavor by their derision of Him to show that He is not a king.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Matthew
The foolish rabble cast the same taunt against Him that the false witnesses had invented, Aha! thou that destroyest the temple of God and rebuildest it in three days.
Jerome · d. 420Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(Serm. 55. 2.) From what source of error, O Jews, have ye sucked in the poison of such blasphemies? What teacher delivered it to you? What learning moved you to think that the true King of Israel, that the veritable Son of God, would be He who would not suffer Himself to be crucified, and would set free His body from the fastenings of the nails? Not the hidden meaning of the Law, not the mouths of the Prophets. Had ye indeed ever read, I hid not my face from the shame of spitting; (Is. 50:6.) or that again, They pierced my hands and my feet, they told all my bones. (Ps. 22:16.) Where have ye ever read that the Lord came down from the cross? But ye have read, The Lord hath reigned from the tree.e
Leo the Great · d. 461Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 35–44

It was usual to put shame upon malefactors, by a writing to notify the crime for which they suffered. So they set up one over Christ's head. This they designed for his reproach, but God so overruled it, that even his accusation was to his honour. There were crucified with him at the same time, two robbers. He was, at his death, numbered among the transgressors, that we, at our death, might be numbered among the saints. The taunts and jeers he received are here recorded. The enemies of Christ labour to make others believe that of religion and of the people of God, which they themselves know to be false. The chief priests and scribes, and the elders, upbraid Jesus with being the King of Israel. Many people could like the King of Israel well enough, if he would but come down from the cross; if they could but have his kingdom without the tribulation through which they must enter into it. But if no cross, then no Christ, no crown. Those that would reign with him, must be willing to suffer with him. Thus our Lord Jesus, having undertaken to satisfy the justice of God, did it, by submitting to the punishment of the worst of men. And in every minute particular recorded about the sufferings of Christ, we find some prediction in the Prophets or the Psalms fulfilled.

Read Matthew Henry on Matthew 27 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Mark 15:29–30Luke 23:36–37

Cross-references

12

People & places

Jesus

Topics

TempleBlasphemy

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.