Matthew 27:65–66 are the final two verses of the twenty-seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament, coming after the crucifixion and entombment of Jesus. The chief priests and the Pharisees meet with Pontius Pilate, and he approves their request for a tomb guard. Content The original Koine Greek, according to Westcott and Hort, reads: 65: εφη αυτοις ο πιλατος εχετε κουστωδιαν υπαγετε ασφαλισασθε ως οιδατε 66: οι δε πορευθεντες ησφαλισαντο τον ταφον σφραγισαντες τον λιθον μετα της κουστωδιας In the King James Version of the Bible it is translated as: 65: Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 66: So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. The modern World English Bible translates the passage as: 65: Pilate said to them, "You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can." 66: So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone. The New International Version reads: 65: “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66: So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. For a collection of other versions see BibleHub Matthew 27:65-66. Analysis One of the primary debates over this verse is whether the word in , ekete, is imperative or indicative, and therefore whether the guards sent are Roman soldiers or Jewish temple guards. "You have a guard" is ambiguous and can mean either taking some of Pilate's guard, or dispatching some of their own guards. Protestant theologian Heinrich Meyer names Martin Luther, François Vatable (Vatablus), Wolf, Paulus, de Wette, Keim and Steinmeyer as historic commentators favouring the Roman interpretation, noting that on the other hand the Vulgate text, Habetis custodiam, points towards a Jewish guard interpretation. Among modern writers, Craig Keener argues that the priests would have had no need to approach Pilate if they simply wanted to use their own forces for the guarding. The Greek term used in this verse, , koustodia, is a borrowing from the Latin custodia, and thus also implies Roman forces. This is the same wording as is used at Matthew 27:27, where the soldiers are clearly Roman guards. However, R. T. France argues that the guards were probably Jewish temple guards. If