Mark 15
Common English Bible
Trial before Pilate
15 At daybreak, the chief priests—with the elders, legal experts, and the whole Sanhedrin—formed a plan. They bound Jesus, led him away, and turned him over to Pilate. 2 Pilate questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus replied, “That’s what you say.” 3 The chief priests were accusing him of many things.
4 Pilate asked him again, “Aren’t you going to answer? What about all these accusations?” 5 But Jesus gave no more answers, so that Pilate marveled.
6 During the festival, Pilate released one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. 7 A man named Barabbas was locked up with the rebels who had committed murder during an uprising. 8 The crowd pushed forward and asked Pilate to release someone, as he regularly did. 9 Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” 10 He knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of jealousy. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead. 12 Pilate replied, “Then what do you want me to do with the one you call king of the Jews?”
13 They shouted back, “Crucify him!”
14 Pilate said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done?”
They shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”
15 Pilate wanted to satisfy the crowd, so he released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus whipped, then handed him over to be crucified.
Jesus is tortured and killed
16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the courtyard of the palace known as the governor’s headquarters,[a] and they called together the whole company of soldiers.[b] 17 They dressed him up in a purple robe and twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on him. 18 They saluted him, “Hey! King of the Jews!” 19 Again and again, they struck his head with a stick. They spit on him and knelt before him to honor him. 20 When they finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
21 Simon, a man from Cyrene, Alexander and Rufus’ father, was coming in from the countryside. They forced him to carry his cross.
22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means Skull Place. 23 They tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh, but he didn’t take it. 24 They crucified him. They divided up his clothes, drawing lots for them to determine who would take what. 25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The notice of the formal charge against him was written, “The king of the Jews.” 27 They crucified two outlaws with him, one on his right and one on his left.[c]
29 People walking by insulted him, shaking their heads and saying, “Ha! So you were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, were you? 30 Save yourself and come down from that cross!”
31 In the same way, the chief priests were making fun of him among themselves, together with the legal experts. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross. Then we’ll see and believe.” Even those who had been crucified with Jesus insulted him.
33 From noon until three in the afternoon the whole earth was dark. 34 At three, Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my God, why have you left me?”
35 After hearing him, some standing there said, “Look! He’s calling Elijah!” 36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, and put it on a pole. He offered it to Jesus to drink, saying, “Let’s see if Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 But Jesus let out a loud cry and died.
38 The curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion, who stood facing Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “This man was certainly God’s Son.”
40 Some women were watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James (the younger one) and Joses, and Salome. 41 When Jesus was in Galilee, these women had followed and supported him, along with many other women who had come to Jerusalem with him.
Jesus’ burial
42 Since it was late in the afternoon on Preparation Day, just before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph from Arimathea dared to approach Pilate and ask for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was a prominent council member who also eagerly anticipated the coming of God’s kingdom.) 44 Pilate wondered if Jesus was already dead. He called the centurion and asked him whether Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that Jesus was dead, Pilate gave the dead body to Joseph. 46 He bought a linen cloth, took Jesus down from the cross, wrapped him in the cloth, and laid him in a tomb that had been carved out of rock. He rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was buried.
Footnotes
- Mark 15:16 Or praetorium
- Mark 15:16 Or cohort (approximately six hundred soldiers)
- Mark 15:27 15:28 is omitted in most critical editions of the Gk New Testament The scripture was fulfilled, which says, He was numbered among criminals.
Mark 15
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jesus Faces Pilate
15 As(A) soon as it was morning, the chief priests had a meeting with the elders,(B) scribes,(C) and the whole Sanhedrin.(D) After tying Jesus up, they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate.(E)
2 So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King(F) of the Jews?”(G)
He answered him, “You have said it.”[a]
3 And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things. 4 Then Pilate(H) questioned Him again, “Are You not answering anything? Look how many things they are accusing You of!” 5 But Jesus still did not answer anything, so Pilate was amazed.
Jesus or Barabbas
6 At(I) the festival(J) it was Pilate’s(K) custom to release for the people a prisoner they requested. 7 There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder(L) during the rebellion.(M) 8 The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them as was his custom. 9 So Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the King(N) of the Jews(O) for you?” 10 For he knew it was because of envy(P) 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,[b] he handed Him over to be crucified.
Mocked by the Military
16 Then(Q) the soldiers led Him away into the courtyard (that is, headquarters(R)) and called the whole company together. 17 They dressed Him in a purple(S) robe, twisted together a crown(T) of thorns, and put it on Him. 18 And they began to salute Him, “Hail,(U) King(V) of the Jews!” 19 They kept hitting Him on the head with a reed and spitting on Him. Getting down on their knees,(W) they were paying Him homage. 20 When they had mocked(X) 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(Y) forced a man coming in from the country, who was passing by, to carry Jesus’ cross.(Z) He was Simon, a Cyrenian,(AA) the father of Alexander and Rufus.(AB) 22 And(AC) they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means Skull Place(AD)). 23 They tried to give Him wine(AE) mixed with myrrh,(AF) but He did not take it. 24 Then they crucified Him and divided His clothes, casting lots(AG) for them to decide what each would get. 25 Now it was nine in the morning[c] when they crucified Him. 26 The inscription of the charge written against Him was:
27 They(AJ) crucified two criminals[d](AK) 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.][e](AL)[f] 29 Those(AM) who passed by were yelling insults(AN) at[g] Him, shaking their heads,(AO) and saying, “Ha! The One who would demolish the sanctuary and build it in three days,(AP) 30 save Yourself by coming down from the cross!”(AQ) 31 In the same way, the chief priests with the scribes(AR) were mocking Him to one another and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself! 32 Let the Messiah,(AS) the King(AT) of Israel,(AU) come down now from the cross,(AV) so that we may see and believe.”(AW) Even those who were crucified with Him were taunting Him.
The Death of Jesus
33 When(AX) it was noon,[h] darkness came over the whole land[i] until three in the afternoon.[j](AY) 34 And at three[k] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemá[l] sabachtháni?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”(AZ)[m]
35 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “Look, He’s calling for Elijah!” 36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, offered Him a drink,(BA) and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down!”
37 But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last. 38 Then the curtain(BB) of the sanctuary[n] was split in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion, who was standing opposite Him, saw the way He[o] breathed His last, he said, “This man really was God’s Son!”[p](BC)
40 There(BD) were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene,(BE) Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When He was in Galilee,(BF) they would follow Him and help Him. Many other women had come up with Him to Jerusalem.(BG)
The Burial of Jesus
42 When(BH) it was already evening, because it was preparation day (that is, the day before the Sabbath), 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Sanhedrin who was himself looking forward(BI) to the kingdom of God,(BJ) came and boldly went in to Pilate(BK) and asked for Jesus’ body.(BL) 44 Pilate was surprised that He was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him whether He had already died. 45 When he found out from the centurion, he gave the corpse to Joseph. 46 After he bought some fine linen, he took Him down and wrapped Him in the linen. Then he placed Him in a tomb(BM) cut out of the rock, and rolled a stone(BN) against the entrance to the tomb. 47 Now(BO) Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were watching where He was placed.
Footnotes
- Mark 15:2 Or That is true, an affirmative oath; Mt 26:64; 27:11
- 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.
- Mark 15:25 Lit was the third hour
- Mark 15:27 Or revolutionaries
- Mark 15:28 Other mss omit bracketed text
- Mark 15:28 Is 53:12
- Mark 15:29 Lit passed by blasphemed
- Mark 15:33 Lit the sixth hour
- Mark 15:33 Or whole earth
- Mark 15:33 Lit the ninth hour
- Mark 15:34 Lit the ninth hour
- Mark 15:34 Some mss read lama; other mss read lima
- Mark 15:34 Ps 22:1
- Mark 15:38 A heavy curtain separated the inner room of the temple from the outer.
- Mark 15:39 Other mss read saw that He cried out like this and
- Mark 15:39 Or the Son of God; Mk 1:1
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