Mark 15
Modern English Version
Jesus Before Pilate(A)
15 Early in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole Sanhedrin. And they bound Jesus and took Him away and handed Him over to Pilate.
2 Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
He answered him, “You have said so.”
3 The chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. 4 So Pilate asked Him again, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You.”
5 But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate was astonished.
Jesus Sentenced to Die(B)
6 Now at the feast he always released to them one prisoner, whomever they requested. 7 There was one named Barabbas, who had committed murder in the insurrection and was bound with the rebels. 8 The crowd began crying aloud, asking Pilate to do as he had always done for them.
9 He answered them, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over out of envy. 11 But the chief priests stirred the people, so that he should instead release Barabbas to them.
12 Pilate answered them again, “What then would you have me do to Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
13 They again cried out, “Crucify Him!”
14 Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out even more, “Crucify Him!”
15 So Pilate, resolving to satisfy the people, released Barabbas to them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he handed Him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus(C)
16 The soldiers led Him away to Praetorium Hall, and they called together the entire battalion. 17 They clothed Him with a purple robe. And they wove a crown of thorns and put it on His head, 18 and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They struck His head with a staff and spit on Him. And bowing their knees, they worshipped Him. 20 When they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off of Him and put His own garments on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.
The Crucifixion(D)
21 They compelled a man named Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was passing through from the country, to bear Jesus’ cross. 22 They brought Him to the place called Golgotha, which means, “Place of a Skull.” 23 They gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. 24 When they had crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them, to decide what each man should take.
25 Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. 26 The inscription of His accusation was written above:
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
27 With Him they crucified two thieves, one on His right and the other on His left. 28 And the Scripture was fulfilled, which says, “He was numbered with the lawless ones.”[a] 29 Those who passed by blasphemed Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Ah, You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 Likewise the chief priests mocked Him among themselves with the scribes and said, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with Him also reviled Him.
The Death of Jesus(E)
33 When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”[b]
35 Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, “Listen, He is calling Elijah!”
36 One man ran and filled a sponge with vinegar, put it on a stick, and gave it to Him to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”
37 But Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up the spirit.
38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion[c] who stood facing Him saw that He cried out and gave up the spirit, he said, “Truly, this Man was the Son of God.”
40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joseph, and Salome. 41 They also had followed Him and had ministered to Him when He was in Galilee. And many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem were there.
The Burial of Jesus(F)
42 When the evening had come, because it was the Day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, an honorable member of the Council, who also waited for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and requested the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate wondered if He were already dead. And calling for the centurion, he asked him whether He had been dead for a while. 45 When he learned about it from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 So he bought fine linen, and taking Him down, wrapped Him in the linen and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where He was laid.
Footnotes
- Mark 15:28 Isa 53:12.
- Mark 15:34 Ps 22:1.
- Mark 15:39 Commander with the rank of captain over 100 soldiers.
Mark 15
Worldwide English (New Testament)
15 As soon as it was morning, the chief priests, leaders, and the scribes talked together. They tied Jesus and took him before Pilate to be judged.
2 Pilate asked him, `Are you the King of the Jews?' Jesus answered, `Yes, I am.'
3 The chief priests brought many complaints against Jesus.
4 Then Pilate asked him, `Have you nothing to say? These people are bringing many complaints against you!'
5 But Jesus said nothing. Pilate was very much surprised about this.
6 At the feast Pilate used to let one prisoner free. He let the people choose the man they wanted to go free.
7 In the prison was a man named Barabbas. He had led some people who had been fighting in the city. He had killed a man.
8 The people started shouting. They asked Pilate to let one prisoner free, as he used to do.
9 Then Pilate asked, `Do you want me to let the King of the Jews go free?'
10 He knew that the chief priests did not like Jesus. He knew that was why they brought Jesus to him.
11 But the chief priests talked to the people. They told them to ask Pilate to let Barabbas go free.
12 Pilate asked them, `Then what shall I do with the man whom you call King of the Jews?'
13 They shouted back, `Nail him to a cross!'
14 Pilate then asked, `Why, what wrong thing has he done?' But they shouted even more, `Nail him to a cross!'
15 Pilate wanted to please the people, so he let Barabbas go free. He told the soldiers to beat Jesus and nail him to a cross.
16 The soldiers took Jesus to a room. They called all the soldiers together.
17 They put a red gown on Jesus. They made a big ring of thorns like a crown and put it on his head.
18 Then they began to speak to him as if he were a king. They shouted, `Greetings, King of the Jews!'
19 They hit him on the head with a stick and spat on him. They kneeled down before him as if to give him great respect.
20 When they had made fun of him, they took off the red gown and put his own clothes on him again. Then they took Jesus out of the city to nail him to a cross.
21 man was coming in from the farms. His name was Simon. He was born in the country of Cyrene. Alexander and Rufus were his sons. The soldiers caught Simon and made him carry Jesus' cross.
22 They took Jesus to Golgotha. That means the place of a head bone.
23 They wanted Jesus to drink wine mixed with something bitter. But Jesus would not drink it.
24 Then they nailed him to a cross. They gambled to see how they should divide Jesus' clothes.
25 It was nine o'clock in the morning when they nailed him on the cross.
26 They put the complaint they had against him above Jesus' head. It was, `The King of the Jews.'
27 They also nailed two bad men on crosses there. One was put on the right side of Jesus and one was put on the left side of Jesus.
28 The holy writings say, `He was counted as one of the bad people.' It came true.
29 The people who passed by said wrong things about him. They shook their heads and said, `Ha, ha! You are the man who said you could break down the temple and build it again in three days.
30 Save yourself and come down from the cross.'
31 The chief priests and the scribes also made fun of him. `He saved other people, but he cannot save himself!
32 If he is the Christ, the king of the people of Israel, he should come down from the cross now. We want to see it and believe!' The bad men who were also nailed to crosses said the same things to him.
33 About midday the whole land became dark and stayed dark for three hours.
34 About three o'clock, Jesus called out loud, `Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' That means, `My God, my God, why have you left me alone?'
35 Some of the people standing there heard what Jesus said. They said, `Listen, he is calling for Elijah!'
36 One man ran to get something called a sponge. He made it wet with sour wine and put it on the end of a stick. With it he gave Jesus a drink. He said, `We will see if Elijah will come and take him down!'
37 Then Jesus called out loud. Then he died.
38 The big cloth that hung in the temple was torn into two pieces. It was torn from the top down to the bottom.
39 The captain who stood in front of Jesus saw that he died. He said, `Surely, this man was God's Son.'
40 Some women were watching from far away. Among these women were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and Joses, and Salome.
41 When Jesus was in Galilee, they came with him and helped him. Some other women who had come to Jerusalem with Jesus were also watching.
42 It was now evening of the day before the Sabbath.
43 Joseph of Arimathaea was a member of the court. He was a good man. He also was looking for the kingdom of God. He was not afraid, but went to Pilate and asked him for Jesus' body.
44 Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was dead already. He called the captain and asked him if Jesus was dead.
45 The captain told him that he was. Then Pilate let Joseph take the body.
46 Joseph went to buy some cloth. Then he took Jesus down and wrapped him in the cloth. He laid him in a grave that had been cut in a rock. Then he rolled a very big stone to close the grave.
47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where they laid Jesus.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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