Matthew 27:54

⁵² The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.

⁵³ After Jesus’ resurrection, when they had come out of the tombs, they entered the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”

⁵⁵ And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.

⁵⁶ Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
KJV: 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.
WEB: Now the centurion and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were done, were terrified, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
ASV: Now the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
DARBY: But the centurion, and they who were with him on guard over Jesus, seeing the earthquake and the things that took place, feared greatly, saying, Truly this [man] was Son of God.
BLB: And the centurion and those with him guarding Jesus, having seen the earthquake and the things taking place, feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was God’s Son.”

ÅB: Men da høvedsmannen og de som holdt vakt med ham over Jesus, så jordskjelvet og det som skjedde, ble de såre forferdet og sa: «Sannelig, denne var Guds Sønn!»
OTB: Da høvedsmannen og de som var med ham og voktet Jesus så jordskjelvet og alt som hadde skjedd, ble de svært redde og sa: "Sannelig, Han var Guds Sønn!"
B1930: Men da høvedsmannen og de som holdt vakt med ham over Jesus, så jordskjelvet og det som skjedde, blev de såre forferdet og sa: Sannelig, denne var Guds Sønn!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Matthew 27:36
And sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.
Read in context
Mark 15:39
When the centurion standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
Read in context
Matthew 27:43
He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
Read in context
Romans 1:4
and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
Read in context
Luke 23:47–49
When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
Read in context
Matthew 8:5
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came and pleaded with Him,
Read in context
Acts 23:23
Then he called two of his centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea in the third hour of the night.
Read in context
Revelation 11:13
And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Read in context