Jesus or Barabbas

At(A) the festival(B) it was Pilate’s(C) custom to release for the people a prisoner they requested. There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder(D) during the rebellion.(E) The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them as was his custom. So Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the King(F) of the Jews(G) for you?” 10 For he knew it was because of envy(H) that the chief priests had handed Him over. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead.

12 Pilate asked them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”

13 Again they shouted, “Crucify Him!”

14 Then Pilate said to them, “Why? What has He done wrong?”

But they shouted, “Crucify Him!” all the more.

15 Then, willing to gratify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. And after having Jesus flogged,[a] he handed Him over to be crucified.

Mocked by the Military

16 Then(I) the soldiers led Him away into the courtyard (that is, headquarters(J)) and called the whole company together. 17 They dressed Him in a purple(K) robe, twisted together a crown(L) of thorns, and put it on Him. 18 And they began to salute Him, “Hail,(M) King(N) of the Jews!” 19 They kept hitting Him on the head with a reed and spitting on Him. Getting down on their knees,(O) they were paying Him homage. 20 When they had mocked(P) Him, they stripped Him of the purple robe, put His clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

Crucified between Two Criminals

21 They(Q) forced a man coming in from the country, who was passing by, to carry Jesus’ cross.(R) He was Simon, a Cyrenian,(S) the father of Alexander and Rufus.(T) 22 And(U) they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means Skull Place(V)). 23 They tried to give Him wine(W) mixed with myrrh,(X) but He did not take it. 24 Then they crucified Him and divided His clothes, casting lots(Y) for them to decide what each would get. 25 Now it was nine in the morning[b] when they crucified Him. 26 The inscription of the charge written against Him was:

THE KING(Z) OF THE JEWS.(AA)

27 They(AB) crucified two criminals[c](AC) with Him, one on His right and one on His left. [28 So the Scripture was fulfilled that says: And He was counted among outlaws.][d](AD)[e] 29 Those(AE) who passed by were yelling insults(AF) at[f] Him, shaking their heads,(AG) and saying, “Ha! The One who would demolish the sanctuary and build it in three days,(AH) 30 save Yourself by coming down from the cross!”(AI) 31 In the same way, the chief priests with the scribes(AJ) were mocking Him to one another and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself! 32 Let the Messiah,(AK) the King(AL) of Israel,(AM) come down now from the cross,(AN) so that we may see and believe.”(AO) Even those who were crucified with Him were taunting Him.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 15:15 Roman flogging was done with a whip made of leather strips embedded with pieces of bone or metal that brutally tore the flesh.
  2. Mark 15:25 Lit was the third hour
  3. Mark 15:27 Or revolutionaries
  4. Mark 15:28 Other mss omit bracketed text
  5. Mark 15:28 Is 53:12
  6. Mark 15:29 Lit passed by blasphemed

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