Matthew 27:40
New International Version
and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

New Living Translation
“Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

English Standard Version
and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

Berean Standard Bible
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!”

Berean Literal Bible
and saying, "The One destroying the temple and building it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, also descend from the cross!"

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.”

New American Standard Bible
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.”

NASB 1995
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.”

NASB 1977
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.”

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

Amplified Bible
and they said [tauntingly], “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself [from death]! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and saying, “The One who would demolish the sanctuary and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

American Standard Version
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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they were saying, “The One who destroys The Temple and builds it in three days, save yourself, if you are The Son of God, and come down from the cross.”

Contemporary English Version
shouted, "So you're the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days! If you are God's Son, save yourself and come down from the cross!"

Douay-Rheims Bible
And saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days dost rebuild it: save thy own self: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
and said, "You were going to tear down God's temple and build it again in three days. Save yourself! If you're the Son of God, come down from the cross."

Good News Translation
"You were going to tear down the Temple and build it back up in three days! Save yourself if you are God's Son! Come on down from the cross!"

International Standard Version
and saying, "You who were going to destroy the sanctuary and rebuild it in three days—save yourself! If you're the Son of God, come down from the cross!"

Literal Standard Version
and saying, “You that are throwing down the temple, and in three days building [it], save Yourself; if You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

Majority Standard Bible
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!”

New American Bible
and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, [and] come down from the cross!”

NET Bible
and saying, "You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are God's Son, come down from the cross!"

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

New Heart English Bible
and saying, "You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself. If you are the Son of God, then come down from the cross."

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Weymouth New Testament
and said, "You who would pull down the Sanctuary and build a new one within three days, save yourself. If you are God's Son, come down from the cross."

World English Bible
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!”

Young's Literal Translation
and saying, 'Thou that art throwing down the sanctuary, and in three days building it, save thyself; if Son thou art of God, come down from the cross.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Crucifixion
39And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads 40and 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!” 41In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying,…

Cross References
Matthew 26:61
and declared, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"

Matthew 27:41
In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying,

Matthew 27:42
"He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.

John 2:19
Jesus answered, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again."


Treasury of Scripture

And saying, You that destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself. If you be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

saying.

Genesis 37:19,20
And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh…

Revelation 11:10
And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

that destroyest.

Matthew 26:61
And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Luke 14:29,30
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, …

John 2:19-22
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up…

If.

Matthew 27:54
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Matthew 4:3,6
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread…

Matthew 26:63,64
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God…

come.

Matthew 16:4
A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

Luke 16:31
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

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Matthew 27
1. Jesus is delivered bound to Pilate.
3. Judas hangs himself.
19. Pilate, admonished of his wife,
20. and being urged by the multitude, washes his hands, and releases Barabbas.
27. Jesus is mocked and crowned with thorns;
33. crucified;
39. reviled;
50. dies, and is buried;
62. his tomb is sealed and watched.














(40) Thou that destroyest the temple.--Our Lord had not been formally condemned on this charge, the evidence being insufficient, but it had clearly impressed itself on the minds of the people, and was probably that which most worked upon them to demand His death. The other words, "If thou be the Son of God," referred to the actual condemnation on the ground of blasphemy (Matthew 26:64-65). We may reverently think of the form of the taunt as having recalled that of the Temptation in the Wilderness. Then, as now, the words "If thou be the Son of God" were as a challenge from the Power of Evil. Now, as then, they were met by the strength of Faith. To accept the challenge would have been to show that He did not trust the Father, just as it would have been not faith, but want of faith, to have cast Himself from the pinnacle of the Temple, and therefore to disown His Sonship in the very act of claiming it.

Verse 40. - Saying. Some manuscripts (but not the best) insert οὐά after "saying." So the Vulgate (vah!) and other versions. But it seems to he derived from the parallel passage in Mark. What the evangelist gives is only a specimen of the insults hurled at the meek Sufferer, who looked for some to take pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but found none (Psalm 69:20). Thou that destroyest the temple, etc. They shamelessly revive the old accusation (Matthew 26:61; John 2:19), doubtless at the instigation of the Sanhedrists who mingled with the crowd (ver. 41). The saying rankled in the rulers' mind, and we see it playing a part later in the condemnation of Stephen (Acts 6:13, 14). Save thyself. Thou who boastest of thy power to destroy and rebuild this magnificent and solid temple, employ that power in delivering thyself from thy well deserved death. Little they knew that Christ was then fulfilling his own prediction, which would ere long be fully accomplished. As little did they understand that by his words ("I am able to destroy," instead of, "Destroy ye") they were bearing witness to the truth that he was voluntarily laying down his life, and that but for this surrender they could have had no power over him. If thou be the Son of God, etc. Some manuscripts and versions read the passage thus: "Save thyself, if thou be the Son of God, and come down from the cross." But the Received Text is most probably correct. These revilers are doing the devil's work, and are quoting his words (Matthew 4:6), in thus taunting Jesus. They refer to our Lord's own statement before Pilate (Matthew 26:64), thinking it expedient to keep this claim before the people's mind. He might, indeed, have answered the jibe by coming down from the cross; but then, as Bishop Pearson says, in saving himself he would not have saved us.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

saying,
λέγοντες (legontes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“You who
(Ho)
Article - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

are going to destroy
καταλύων (katalyōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2647: From kata and luo; to loosen down, i.e. to demolish; specially to halt for the night.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

temple
ναὸν (naon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3485: A temple, a shrine, that part of the temple where God himself resides. From a primary naio; a fane, shrine, temple.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

rebuild [it]
οἰκοδομῶν (oikodomōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3618: From the same as oikodome; to be a house-builder, i.e. Construct or confirm.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

three
τρισὶν (trisin)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 5140: Three. Or neuter tria a primary number; 'three'.

days,
ἡμέραις (hēmerais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2250: A day, the period from sunrise to sunset.

save
σῶσον (sōson)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4982: To save, heal, preserve, rescue. From a primary sos; to save, i.e. Deliver or protect.

Yourself!
σεαυτόν (seauton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4572: Of yourself.

If
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

You are
εἶ (ei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

[the] Son
Υἱὸς (Huios)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5207: A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship.

of God,
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

come down
κατάβηθι (katabēthi)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2597: To go down, come down, either from the sky or from higher land, descend. From kata and the base of basis; to descend.

from
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

cross!�
σταυροῦ (staurou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 4716: A cross.


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