馬可福音 15
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
耶穌在彼拉多面前受審
15 清早，祭司長、長老、律法教師和全公會的人商定後，便把耶穌綁起來押送到彼拉多那裡。
2 彼拉多問耶穌：「你是猶太人的王嗎？」
耶穌回答說：「如你所言。」
3 祭司長控告耶穌許多罪。
4 彼拉多又問道：「你看，他們控告你這麼多，你都不回答嗎？」
5 耶穌仍舊一言不發，彼拉多感到驚奇。
6 每年逾越節的時候，彼拉多都會照慣例按猶太人的要求釋放一個囚犯。 7 那時，有一個囚犯名叫巴拉巴，與其他作亂時殺過人的囚犯關在一起。 8 百姓聚來，要求彼拉多照慣例釋放囚犯。
9 彼拉多問：「你們要我為你們釋放猶太人的王嗎？」 10 因為他知道祭司長把耶穌押來是出於妒忌。 11 但祭司長卻煽動百姓，叫他們要求彼拉多釋放巴拉巴。
12 彼拉多只好問：「那麼，這位你們稱之為猶太人之王的，我如何處置呢？」
13 他們喊著說：「把祂釘在十字架上！」
14 彼拉多問：「為什麼？祂犯了什麼罪？」
他們卻更大聲地喊：「把祂釘在十字架上！」
15 為了取悅眾人，彼拉多釋放了巴拉巴，命人將耶穌鞭打後帶出去釘十字架。
耶穌受辱
16 於是，衛兵把耶穌帶進總督府的院子，集合了全營的兵。 17 他們給祂穿上紫袍，用荊棘編成王冠戴在祂頭上， 18 向祂行禮，並喊著說：「猶太人的王萬歲！」 19 他們用葦稈打祂的頭，向祂吐唾沫，跪拜祂。 20 戲弄完了，就脫去祂的紫袍，給祂穿上原來的衣服，押祂出去釘十字架。
釘十字架
21 亞歷山大和魯孚的父親古利奈人西門從鄉下來，途經那地方，衛兵就強迫他背耶穌的十字架。 22 他們把耶穌帶到各各他——意思是「髑髏地」， 23 拿沒藥調和的酒給祂喝，但祂不肯喝。 24 他們把耶穌釘在十字架上，還抽籤分祂的衣服。 25 他們釘祂十字架的時間是在上午九點鐘。 26 祂的罪狀牌上寫著「猶太人的王」。
27 他們還把兩個強盜釘在十字架上，一個在祂右邊，一個在祂左邊， 28 這應驗了聖經的話：「祂被列在罪犯中。」 29 過路的人都嘲笑祂，搖著頭說：「哈，你這要把聖殿拆毀又在三天內重建的人啊， 30 救救你自己，從十字架上下來吧！」
31 祭司長和律法教師也嘲諷說：「祂救了別人，卻救不了自己！ 32 以色列的王基督，現在從十字架上下來吧！讓我們看看，我們就信了！」與祂同釘十字架的強盜也對祂出言不遜。
耶穌之死
33 正午時分，黑暗籠罩著整個大地，一直到下午三點。 34 大約在三點，耶穌大聲呼喊：「以羅伊，以羅伊，拉馬撒巴各大尼？」意思是：「我的上帝，我的上帝，你為什麼離棄我？」
35 有些站在旁邊的人聽見了，就說：「聽，祂在呼叫以利亞。」
36 有人跑去把一塊海綿蘸滿酸酒，綁在葦稈上送給祂喝，說：「等等，讓我們看看以利亞會不會救祂下來。」
37 耶穌大叫一聲，就斷了氣。 38 聖殿的幔子從上到下裂成兩半。 39 站在對面的百夫長看見耶穌喊叫[a]斷氣的情形，便說：「這人真是上帝的兒子！」
40 有些婦女在遠處觀看，其中有抹大拉的瑪麗亞、小雅各和約西的母親瑪麗亞並撒羅米。 41 耶穌在加利利時，她們已經跟隨祂、服侍祂了。此外還有好些跟著祂上耶路撒冷的婦女。
安葬耶穌
42 那天是猶太人的預備日，也就是安息日的前一天。傍晚， 43 亞利馬太人約瑟鼓起勇氣去見彼拉多，要求領取耶穌的遺體。他是一位德高望重的公會議員，一位等候上帝國降臨的人。 44 彼拉多聽見耶穌已經死了，十分驚訝，便把百夫長召來問個明白， 45 得知耶穌確實已死，便將耶穌的遺體交給約瑟。
46 約瑟把耶穌的遺體取下來，用買來的細麻布裹好，安放在一個在岩壁上鑿出的墓穴裡，又滾來一塊大石頭堵住洞口。 47 抹大拉的瑪麗亞和約西的母親瑪麗亞都親眼看到了安葬耶穌的地方。
Footnotes
- 15·39 有些古卷無「喊叫」二字。
马可福音 15
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
耶稣在彼拉多面前受审
15 清早，祭司长、长老、律法教师和全公会的人商定后，便把耶稣绑起来押送到彼拉多那里。
2 彼拉多问耶稣：“你是犹太人的王吗？”
耶稣回答说：“如你所言。”
3 祭司长控告耶稣许多罪。
4 彼拉多又问道：“你看，他们控告你这么多，你都不回答吗？”
5 耶稣仍旧一言不发，彼拉多感到惊奇。
6 每年逾越节的时候，彼拉多都会照惯例按犹太人的要求释放一个囚犯。 7 那时，有一个囚犯名叫巴拉巴，与其他作乱时杀过人的囚犯关在一起。 8 百姓聚来，要求彼拉多照惯例释放囚犯。
9 彼拉多问：“你们要我为你们释放犹太人的王吗？” 10 因为他知道祭司长把耶稣押来是出于妒忌。 11 但祭司长却煽动百姓，叫他们要求彼拉多释放巴拉巴。
12 彼拉多只好问：“那么，这位你们称之为犹太人之王的，我如何处置呢？”
13 他们喊着说：“把祂钉在十字架上！”
14 彼拉多问：“为什么？祂犯了什么罪？”
他们却更大声地喊：“把祂钉在十字架上！”
15 为了取悦众人，彼拉多释放了巴拉巴，命人将耶稣鞭打后带出去钉十字架。
耶稣受辱
16 于是，卫兵把耶稣带进总督府的院子，集合了全营的兵。 17 他们给祂穿上紫袍，用荆棘编成王冠戴在祂头上， 18 向祂行礼，并喊着说：“犹太人的王万岁！” 19 他们用苇秆打祂的头，向祂吐唾沫，跪拜祂。 20 戏弄完了，就脱去祂的紫袍，给祂穿上原来的衣服，押祂出去钉十字架。
钉十字架
21 亚历山大和鲁孚的父亲古利奈人西门从乡下来，途经那地方，卫兵就强迫他背耶稣的十字架。 22 他们把耶稣带到各各他——意思是“髑髅地”， 23 拿没药调和的酒给祂喝，但祂不肯喝。 24 他们把耶稣钉在十字架上，还抽签分祂的衣服。 25 他们钉祂十字架的时间是在上午九点钟。 26 祂的罪状牌上写着“犹太人的王”。
27 他们还把两个强盗钉在十字架上，一个在祂右边，一个在祂左边， 28 这应验了圣经的话：“祂被列在罪犯中。” 29 过路的人都嘲笑祂，摇着头说：“哈，你这要把圣殿拆毁又在三天内重建的人啊， 30 救救你自己，从十字架上下来吧！”
31 祭司长和律法教师也嘲讽说：“祂救了别人，却救不了自己！ 32 以色列的王基督，现在从十字架上下来吧！让我们看看，我们就信了！”与祂同钉十字架的强盗也对祂出言不逊。
耶稣之死
33 正午时分，黑暗笼罩着整个大地，一直到下午三点。 34 大约在三点，耶稣大声呼喊：“以罗伊，以罗伊，拉马撒巴各大尼？”意思是：“我的上帝，我的上帝，你为什么离弃我？”
35 有些站在旁边的人听见了，就说：“听，祂在呼叫以利亚。”
36 有人跑去把一块海绵蘸满酸酒，绑在苇秆上送给祂喝，说：“等等，让我们看看以利亚会不会救祂下来。”
37 耶稣大叫一声，就断了气。 38 圣殿的幔子从上到下裂成两半。 39 站在对面的百夫长看见耶稣喊叫[a]断气的情形，便说：“这人真是上帝的儿子！”
40 有些妇女在远处观看，其中有抹大拉的玛丽亚、小雅各和约西的母亲玛丽亚并撒罗米。 41 耶稣在加利利时，她们已经跟随祂、服侍祂了。此外还有好些跟着祂上耶路撒冷的妇女。
安葬耶稣
42 那天是犹太人的预备日，也就是安息日的前一天。傍晚， 43 亚利马太人约瑟鼓起勇气去见彼拉多，要求领取耶稣的遗体。他是一位德高望重的公会议员，一位等候上帝国降临的人。 44 彼拉多听见耶稣已经死了，十分惊讶，便把百夫长召来问个明白， 45 得知耶稣确实已死，便将耶稣的遗体交给约瑟。
46 约瑟把耶稣的遗体取下来，用买来的细麻布裹好，安放在一个在岩壁上凿出的墓穴里，又滚来一块大石头堵住洞口。 47 抹大拉的玛丽亚和约西的母亲玛丽亚都亲眼看到了安葬耶稣的地方。
Footnotes
- 15:39 有些古卷无“喊叫”二字。
馬 可 福 音 15
Chinese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version
彼拉多审问耶稣
15 第二天一大早，祭司长、年长的犹太首领和律法师们以及全议会的人们定好了对付耶稣的计划。他们叫人把耶稣绑起来，押到彼拉多那里去。
2 彼拉多审问耶稣。他问∶“你是犹太人的王吗？”
耶稣回答说∶“你说的对。”
3 祭司长们列举了耶稣的许多罪状。 4 彼拉多又问道∶“难道你什么也不说吗？你看，他们控告你这么多事情！”
5 但是耶稣仍旧沉默，这让彼拉多感到十分惊讶。
彼拉多想放却放不了耶稣
6 每逢逾越节期间，按照惯例，总督都会按众人的要求，释放一名囚犯。 7 有个叫巴拉巴的人正和叛乱的同伙们一起关在牢里，这些人在叛乱中杀过人。 8 人们来请求彼拉多，请他像以往一样释放囚犯。
9 彼拉多问他们∶“你们是要我释放犹太人之王吗？” 10 他这样问，是因为他知道祭司长们把耶稣交给他是出于嫉妒。 11 可是祭司长们煽动人们，让他们请求释放巴拉巴。
12 彼拉多又问道∶“但是，我该怎样处置你们称为犹太王的那个人呢？”
13 人们大声喊道∶“把他钉死在十字架上。”
14 彼拉多说∶“为什么呢？他犯了什么罪？”
可是人们叫喊得更响了∶“把他钉死在十字架上！”
15 彼拉多为了取悦众人，释放了巴拉巴。他下令鞭打耶稣，然后叫士兵把他钉死在十字架上。
16 士兵们把耶稣带到总督的府邸，然后集合起全营的士兵。 17 他们给耶稣披了件紫袍子，又用荆棘编了个王冠戴在他头上。 18 然后向耶稣敬礼，嘴里喊着∶“我们向您敬礼，犹太王！” 19 他们不停地用棍子打耶稣的头，朝他吐唾沫，还跪在地上给他磕头，假装把他当王来荣耀他。 20 他们戏弄完了耶稣，就把紫袍子从他身上剥下来，给他穿上他自己的衣服，然后他们才把耶稣带出来，准备将他钉在十字架上。
耶稣被钉在十字架上
21 这些士兵带着耶稣走到半路时，遇见了一个刚从乡下来的古利奈人，他名叫西门，是亚力山大和鲁孚的父亲，士兵们强迫他背着耶稣的十字架。 22 他们把耶稣带到一个叫各各他 [a]的地方。 23 士兵们把掺了没药 [b]的酒拿给耶稣，可耶稣不肯喝。 24 他们把耶稣钉在了十字架上，又用掷骰子的方式瓜分了耶稣的衣服。
25 上午九点钟时，耶稣被钉在十字架上。 26 一个牌子上写着耶稣的罪名，上面有“犹太人之王”几个字。 27 他们还把两个强盗也钉在耶稣旁边的十字架上，一个在左边，另一个在右边。
28 [c] 29 过路的人也辱骂耶稣，摇着头说∶“哈，你就是那个要毁大殿并在三天之内重建的人。 30 救救你自己吧，从十字架上下来吧！”
31 祭司长和律法师们也在那里同样地戏弄耶稣。他们彼此说∶“他拯救了别人，却救不了自己！ 32 如果他真正是基督、以色列王，他就该从十字架上下来救救他自己，让我们亲眼看看，也好相信他呀。”和耶稣一起被钉在十字架上的强盗也侮辱他。
耶稣之死
33 从中午一直到下午三点，遍地都陷入了黑暗之中。 34 三点钟时，耶稣大声呼喊∶“以罗伊、以罗伊 [d]、拉马撒巴各大尼。”意思是“我的上帝！我的上帝！您为什么抛弃了我？” [e]
35 站在那里的一些人听见了，便说∶“听啊，他在呼喊以利亚 [f]呢！”
36 在场的一个人跑去找来一块海绵，蘸了些酸酒，然后把它绑在棍子上，伸到耶稣嘴边，让他喝。他说∶“等一等，让咱们看看以利亚会不会来，把他从十字架上解救下来。”
37 耶稣一声大喊，就死去了。
38 与此同时，大殿里的帘幕从上到下一裂两半。 39 那个罗马军官 [g]站在十字架前目睹了所发生的这一切，就说道∶“这人真的是上帝之子啊！”
40 一些女子站在远处观望，她们当中有马利亚抹大拉，雅各和约西的母亲马利亚（雅各是她的小儿子），还有撒罗米。 41 耶稣在加利利的时候，这几个人就都跟着他并且照顾过他。还有其他许多和他一起到耶路撒冷来的女子也站在远处观望。
埋葬耶稣
42 此时是晚上了，这天是预备日（也就是安息日的前一天）， 43 亚利马太的约瑟来了。他在犹太议会里是一个很受尊敬的人物，同时也在等待着上帝的王国的降临。约瑟大胆地去找彼拉多，向他要耶稣的尸体。 44 彼拉多听说耶稣这么快就死了，不禁吃了一惊。他把那军官叫来，问他耶稣是不是已死了。 45 彼拉多听了军官的报告，就把耶稣的尸体交给约瑟。 46 约瑟买了些亚麻布，把耶稣从十字架上取下，用亚麻布裹好，放进用岩石凿成的墓穴里，然后滚过一块石头挡住墓门。 47 抹大拉的马利亚和约瑟的母亲马利亚都看清了安放耶稣的地方。
Footnotes
- 馬 可 福 音 15:22 各各它： 即“骷髅之地”。
- 馬 可 福 音 15:23 没药： 曾被用作镇痛药。
- 馬 可 福 音 15:28 有些希腊文版本增有第28节∶“经上写着∶‘他是和犯人们押在一起的！’这话也应验了。”
- 馬 可 福 音 15:34 以罗伊： 为我的上帝，人们听起来像是以利亚的名字。
- 馬 可 福 音 15:34 参见《诗篇》22:1。
- 馬 可 福 音 15:35 以利亚： 公元前850年的一位先知。
- 馬 可 福 音 15:39 罗马军官： 古罗马军队中的百人队长。
Mark 15
New English Translation
Jesus Brought Before Pilate
15 Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law[a] and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.[b] 2 So[c] Pilate asked him, “Are you the king[d] of the Jews?” He replied,[e] “You say so.”[f] 3 Then[g] the chief priests began to accuse him repeatedly. 4 So Pilate asked him again,[h] “Have you nothing to say? See how many charges they are bringing against you!” 5 But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.
Jesus and Barabbas
6 During the feast it was customary to release one prisoner to the people,[i] whomever they requested. 7 A man named Barabbas was imprisoned with rebels who had committed murder during an insurrection. 8 Then the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to release a prisoner for them, as was his custom.[j] 9 So Pilate asked them,[k] “Do you want me to release the king of the Jews for you?” 10 (For he knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy.)[l] 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release[m] Barabbas instead. 12 So Pilate spoke to them again,[n] “Then what do you want me to do[o] with the one you call king of the Jews?” 13 They shouted back, “Crucify[p] him!” 14 Pilate asked them, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!” 15 Because he wanted to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them. Then,[q] after he had Jesus flogged,[r] he handed him over[s] to be crucified.
Jesus is Mocked
16 So[t] the soldiers led him into the palace (that is, the governor’s residence)[u] and called together the whole cohort.[v] 17 They put a purple cloak[w] on him and after braiding[x] a crown of thorns,[y] they put it on him. 18 They began to salute him: “Hail, king of the Jews!”[z] 19 Again and again[aa] they struck him on the head with a staff[ab] and spit on him. Then they knelt down and paid homage to him. 20 When they had finished mocking[ac] him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then[ad] they led him away to crucify him.[ae]
The Crucifixion
21 The soldiers[af] forced[ag] a passerby to carry his cross,[ah] Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country[ai] (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus). 22 They brought Jesus[aj] to a place called Golgotha[ak] (which is translated, “Place of the Skull”).[al] 23 They offered him wine mixed with myrrh,[am] but he did not take it. 24 Then[an] they crucified[ao] him and divided his clothes, throwing dice[ap] for them, to decide what each would take. 25 It was nine o’clock in the morning[aq] when they crucified him. 26 The inscription[ar] of the charge against him read, “The king of the Jews.” 27 And they crucified two outlaws with him, one on his right and one on his left.[as] 29 Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself and come down from the cross!”[at] 31 In the same way even the chief priests—together with the experts in the law[au]—were mocking him among themselves:[av] “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! 32 Let the Christ,[aw] the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him.[ax]
Jesus’ Death
33 Now[ay] when it was noon,[az] darkness came over the whole land[ba] until three in the afternoon.[bb] 34 Around three o’clock[bc] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”[bd] 35 When some of the bystanders heard it they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah!”[be] 36 Then someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine,[bf] put it on a stick,[bg] and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to take him down!” 37 But Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last. 38 And the temple curtain[bh] was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 Now when the centurion,[bi] who stood in front of him, saw how he died,[bj] he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” 40 There were also women, watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses,[bk] and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they had followed him and given him support.[bl] Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were there too.
Jesus’ Burial
42 Now[bm] when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath),[bn] 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council,[bo] who was himself looking forward to[bp] the kingdom of God,[bq] went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.[br] 44 Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He[bs] called the centurion[bt] and asked him if he had been dead for some time. 45 When Pilate[bu] was informed by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 After Joseph[bv] bought a linen cloth[bw] and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock.[bx] Then[by] he rolled a stone across the entrance[bz] of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body[ca] was placed.
Footnotes
- Mark 15:1 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
- Mark 15:1 sn The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it being used to execute Roman sympathizers.
- Mark 15:2 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action in the narrative.
- Mark 15:2 sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested in this charge because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.
- Mark 15:2 tn Grk “answering, he said to him.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokritheis) is redundant, but the syntax of the phrase has been modified for clarity.
- Mark 15:2 sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership (mentioned in Matt 26:64 and Luke 22:70).
- Mark 15:3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Mark 15:4 tn Grk “Pilate asked him again, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant and has not been translated.
- Mark 15:6 tn Grk “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.sn The custom of Pilate to release one prisoner to them is unknown outside the gospels in Jewish writings, but it was a Roman custom at the time and thus probably used in Palestine as well (cf. Matt 27:15; John 18:39); see W. W. Wessel, “Mark,” EBC 8:773-74.
- Mark 15:8 tn Grk “Coming up the crowd began to ask [him to do] as he was doing for them.”
- Mark 15:9 tn Grk “Pilate answered them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant and has not been translated.
- Mark 15:10 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
- Mark 15:11 tn Grk “to have him release for them.”
- Mark 15:12 tn Grk “answering, Pilate spoke to them again.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokritheis) is redundant and has not been translated.
- Mark 15:12 tc Instead of “what do you want me to do” several witnesses, including the most significant ones (א B C W Δ Ψ ƒ1,13 33 892), lack θέλετε (thelete, “you want”), turning the question into the more abrupt “what should I do?” Although the witnesses for the longer reading are not as significant (A D Θ 0250 M latt sy), the reading without θέλετε conforms to Matt 27:22 and thus is suspected of being a scribal emendation. The known scribal tendency to assimilate one synoptic passage to another parallel, coupled with the lack of such assimilation in mss that are otherwise known to do this most frequently (the Western and Byzantine texts), suggests that θέλετε is authentic. Further, Mark’s known style of being generally more verbose and redundant than Matthew’s argues that θέλετε is authentic here. That this is the longer reading, however, and that a good variety of witnesses omit the word, gives one pause. Perhaps the wording without θέλετε would have been perceived as having greater homiletical value, motivating scribes to move in this direction. A decision is difficult, but on the whole internal evidence leads toward regarding θέλετε as authentic.
- Mark 15:13 sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.
- Mark 15:15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Mark 15:15 tn The Greek term φραγελλόω (phragelloō) refers to flogging. BDAG 1064 s.v. states, “flog, scourge, a punishment inflicted on slaves and provincials after a sentence of death had been pronounced on them. So in the case of Jesus before the crucifixion…Mt 27:26; Mk 15:15.”sn A Roman flogging (traditionally, “scourging”) was an excruciating punishment. The victim was stripped of his clothes and bound to a post with his hands fastened above him (or sometimes he was thrown to the ground). Guards standing on either side of the victim would incessantly beat him with a whip (flagellum) made out of leather with pieces of lead and bone inserted into its ends. While the Jews only allowed 39 lashes, the Romans had no such limit; many people who received such a beating died as a result. See C. Schneider, TDNT, 4:515-19.
- Mark 15:15 tn Or “delivered him up.”
- Mark 15:16 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “So” to indicate that the soldiers’ action is in response to Pilate’s condemnation of the prisoner in v. 15.
- Mark 15:16 tn Grk “(that is, the praetorium).” sn The governor’s residence (Grk “praetorium”) was the Roman governor’s official residence. The one in Jerusalem may have been Herod’s palace in the western part of the city, or the fortress Antonia northwest of the temple area.
- Mark 15:16 sn A Roman cohort was a tenth of a legion, about 500-600 soldiers.
- Mark 15:17 sn The purple cloak probably refers to a military garment which had the color of royal purple, and thus resembled a king’s robe. The soldiers did this to Jesus as a form of mockery in view of the charges that he was a king (cf. 15:2).
- Mark 15:17 tn Or “weaving.”
- Mark 15:17 sn The crown may have been made from palm spines or some other thorny plant common in Israel. In placing the crown of thorns on his head, the soldiers were unwittingly symbolizing God’s curse on humanity (cf. Gen 3:18) being placed on Jesus. Their purpose would have been to mock Jesus’ claim to be a king; the crown of thorns would have represented the “radiant corona” portrayed on the heads of rulers on coins and other artifacts in the 1st century.
- Mark 15:18 tn Or “Long live the King of the Jews!”sn The statement Hail, King of the Jews! is a mockery patterned after the Romans’ cry of Ave, Caesar (“Hail, Caesar!”).
- Mark 15:19 tn The verb here has been translated as an iterative imperfect.
- Mark 15:19 tn Or “a reed.” The Greek term can mean either “staff” or “reed.” See BDAG 502 s.v. κάλαμος 2.
- Mark 15:20 tn The aorist tense is taken consummatively here.
- Mark 15:20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Mark 15:20 sn See the note on Crucify in 15:13.
- Mark 15:21 tn Grk “They”; the referent (the soldiers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Mark 15:21 tn Or “conscripted”; or “pressed into service.”
- Mark 15:21 sn Jesus was beaten severely with a whip before this (the prelude to crucifixion, known to the Romans as verberatio, mentioned in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1), so he would have been weak from trauma and loss of blood. Apparently he was unable to bear the cross himself, so Simon was conscripted to help (in all probability this was only the crossbeam, called in Latin the patibulum, since the upright beam usually remained in the ground at the place of execution). Cyrene was located in North Africa where Tripoli is today. Nothing more is known about this Simon.
- Mark 15:21 tn Or perhaps, “was coming in from his field” outside the city (BDAG 15-16 s.v. ἀγρός 1).
- Mark 15:22 tn Grk “him.”
- Mark 15:22 tn Grk “a place, Golgotha.” This is an Aramaic name; see John 19:17.
- Mark 15:22 sn The place called Golgotha (which is translated “Place of the Skull”). This location is north and just outside of Jerusalem. The hill on which it is located protruded much like a skull, giving the place its name. The Latin word for the Greek term κρανίον (kranion) is calvaria, from which the English word “Calvary” is derived (cf. Luke 23:33 in the KJV).
- Mark 15:23 sn It is difficult to say for certain who gave Jesus this drink of wine mixed with myrrh (e.g., the executioner, or perhaps women from Jerusalem). In any case, whoever gave it to him most likely did so in order to relieve his pain, but Jesus was unwilling to take it.
- Mark 15:24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Mark 15:24 sn See the note on Crucify in 15:13.
- Mark 15:24 tn Grk “by throwing the lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throwing dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling. According to L&N 6.219 a term for “dice” is particularly appropriate.sn An allusion to Ps 22:18.
- Mark 15:25 tn Grk “It was the third hour.” This time would have been approximate, and could refer to the beginning of the process, some time before Jesus was lifted on the cross.
- Mark 15:26 sn Mention of the inscription is an important detail, because the inscription would normally give the reason for the execution. It shows that Jesus was executed for claiming to be a king. It was also probably written with irony from the executioners’ point of view.
- Mark 15:27 tc Most later mss add 15:28 “And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘He was counted with the lawless ones.’” Verse 28 is included in L Θ 083 0250 ƒ1,13 33 M lat, but is lacking in significant Alexandrian and Western mss and some others (א A B C D Ψ). The addition of the verse with its quotation from Isa 53:12 probably represents a scribal assimilation from Luke 22:37. It was almost certainly not an original part of Mark’s Gospel. The present translation follows NA28 in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.
- Mark 15:30 sn There is rich irony in the statement of those who were passing by, “Save yourself and come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life. There is a similar kind of irony in the statement made by the chief priests and experts in the law in 15:31.
- Mark 15:31 tn Or “with the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22. Only “chief priests” is in the nominative case; this sentence structure attempts to capture this emphasis.
- Mark 15:31 tn Grk “Mocking him, the chief priests…said among themselves.”
- Mark 15:32 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”sn See the note on Christ in 8:29.
- Mark 15:32 sn Mark’s wording suggests that both of the criminals spoke abusively to him. If so, one of them quickly changed his attitude toward Jesus (see Luke 23:40-43).
- Mark 15:33 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
- Mark 15:33 tn Grk “When the sixth hour had come.”
- Mark 15:33 sn This imagery has parallels to the Day of the Lord: Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15.
- Mark 15:33 tn Grk “until the ninth hour.”
- Mark 15:34 tn The repetition of the phrase “three o’clock” preserves the author’s rougher, less elegant style (cf. Matt 27:45-46; Luke 23:44). Although such stylistic matters are frequently handled differently in the translation, because the issue of synoptic literary dependence is involved here, it was considered important to reflect some of the stylistic differences among the synoptics in the translation, so that the English reader can be aware of them.
- Mark 15:34 sn A quotation from Ps 22:1.
- Mark 15:35 sn Perhaps the crowd thought Jesus was calling for Elijah because the exclamation “my God, my God” (i.e., in Aramaic, Eloi, Eloi) sounds like the name Elijah.
- Mark 15:36 sn Sour wine refers to cheap wine that was called in Latin posca, a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion.
- Mark 15:36 tn Grk “a reed.”
- Mark 15:38 tn The referent of this term, καταπέτασμα (katapetasma), is not entirely clear. It could refer to the curtain separating the holy of holies from the holy place (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.5 [5.219]), or it could refer to one at the entrance of the temple court (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.4 [5.212]). Many argue that the inner curtain is meant because another term, κάλυμμα (kalumma), is also used for the outer curtain. Others see a reference to the outer curtain as more likely because of the public nature of this sign. Either way, the symbolism means that access to God has been opened up. It also pictures a judgment that includes the sacrifices.
- Mark 15:39 sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions throughout the region may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like the apostle Paul did (cf. Acts 22:28).
- Mark 15:39 tn Grk “the way he breathed his last”; or “the way he expired”; or “that he thus breathed no more.”
- Mark 15:40 sn In Matt 27:56 the name Joses is written as Joseph.
- Mark 15:41 tn Grk “and ministered to him.”sn Cf. Luke 8:3.
- Mark 15:42 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic and introduction of a new character.
- Mark 15:42 sn The day of preparation was the day before the Sabbath when everything had to be prepared for it, as no work could be done on the Sabbath.
- Mark 15:43 tn Grk “a councillor” (as a member of the Sanhedrin, see L&N 11.85). This indicates that some individuals among the leaders did respond to Jesus.
- Mark 15:43 tn Or “waiting for.”sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, this remark that he was looking forward to the kingdom of God and his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.
- Mark 15:43 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus’ teaching. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself.
- Mark 15:43 sn Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.
- Mark 15:44 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- Mark 15:44 sn See the note on the word centurion in 15:39.
- Mark 15:45 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Mark 15:46 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Joseph of Arimathea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Mark 15:46 tn The term σινδών (sindōn) can refer to a linen cloth used either for clothing or for burial.
- Mark 15:46 tn That is, cut or carved into an outcropping of natural rock, resulting in a cave-like structure (see L&N 19.25).
- Mark 15:46 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Mark 15:46 tn Or “to the door,” “against the door.”
- Mark 15:47 tn Grk “it”; the referent (Jesus’ body) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
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