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Mark 15
New Living Translation

Jesus’ Trial before Pilate

15 Very early in the morning the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law—the entire high council[a]—met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

2 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

3 Then the leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, 4 and Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer them? What about all these charges they are bringing against you?” 5 But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.

6 Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner—anyone the people requested. 7 One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising. 8 The crowd went to Pilate and asked him to release a prisoner as usual.

9 “Would you like me to release to you this ‘King of the Jews’?” Pilate asked. 10 (For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.) 11 But at this point the leading priests stirred up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. 12 Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?”

13 They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

14 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

15 So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

16 The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. 17 They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. 18 Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 19 And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. 20 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

The Crucifixion

21 A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene,[b] was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.) 22 And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 23 They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it.

24 Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. They divided his clothes and threw dice[c] to decide who would get each piece. 25 It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26 A sign announced the charge against him. It read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 Two revolutionaries[d] were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.[e]

29 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. 30 Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

31 The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.

The Death of Jesus

33 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 34 Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”[f]

35 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 36 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. “Wait!” he said. “Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down!”

37 Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

39 When the Roman officer[g] who stood facing him[h] saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

40 Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph[i]), and Salome. 41 They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem were also there.

The Burial of Jesus

42 This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation,[j] the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.) 44 Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet. 45 The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. 46 Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.

Footnotes

  1. 15:1 Greek the Sanhedrin; also in 15:43.
  2. 15:21 Cyrene was a city in northern Africa.
  3. 15:24 Greek cast lots. See Ps 22:18.
  4. 15:27a Or Two criminals.
  5. 15:27b Some manuscripts add verse 28, And the Scripture was fulfilled that said, “He was counted among those who were rebels.” See Isa 53:12; also compare Luke 22:37.
  6. 15:34 Ps 22:1.
  7. 15:39a Greek the centurion; similarly in 15:44, 45.
  8. 15:39b Some manuscripts add heard his cry and.
  9. 15:40 Greek Joses; also in 15:47. See Matt 27:56.
  10. 15:42 Greek It was the day of preparation.
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Mark 15
Legacy Standard Bible

Jesus Before Pilate

15 (A)And early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole (B)Sanhedrin, immediately held council; and binding Jesus, led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. 2 (C)And Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and *said, “You yourself say it.” 3 And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things. 4 Then Pilate was questioning Him again, saying, “You answer nothing? See how many accusations they bring against You!” 5 But Jesus (D)made no further answer; so Pilate marveled.

6 (E)Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. 7 And the man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 And the crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. 9 And Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he was aware that the chief priests had delivered Him over because of envy. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd (F)to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. 12 And answering again, Pilate was saying to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they shouted again, “Crucify Him!” 14 But Pilate was saying to them, “Why? What evil did He do?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” 15 And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus (G)scourged, he delivered Him over to be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

16 (H)So the soldiers took Him away into (I)the [a]palace (that is, the [b]Praetorium), and they *called together the whole Roman [c](J)cohort. 17 And they *dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they *put it on Him; 18 and they began to greet Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 And they kept beating His head with a [d]reed, and spitting on Him; and kneeling, they were bowing down before Him. 20 And after they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him.

21 (K)And they *pressed into service a passer-by coming from the countryside, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and (L)Rufus), to [e]carry His cross.

The Crucifixion

22 (M)Then they *brought Him to the place (N)Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23 And they tried to give Him (O)wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. 24 And they *crucified Him, and *(P)divided up His garments among themselves, casting [f]lots for them to decide who should take what. 25 Now it was the [g](Q)third hour, and they crucified Him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against Him [h]read, “(R)THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

27 And they *crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. 28 [i][And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”] 29 And those passing by were blaspheming Him, (S)shaking their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to (T)destroy the [j]sanctuary and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself by coming down from the cross!” 31 In the same way, mocking Him to one another, the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were saying, “(U)He saved others; [k]He cannot save Himself. 32 Let this [l]Christ, (V)the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” (W)Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.

33 (X)And when the [m](Y)sixth hour came, darkness [n]fell over the whole land until the [o](Z)ninth hour. 34 And at the (AA)ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “(AB)Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35 And when some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Look, He is calling for Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “[p]Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.” 37 (AC)And Jesus, uttering a loud cry, breathed His last. 38 (AD)And the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 (AE)And when the centurion, who was standing [q]right in front of Him, saw [r]the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

40 (AF)And there were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James (AG)the [s]Less and Joses, and (AH)Salome, 41 who, when He was in Galilee, were following Him and [t](AI)serving Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

Jesus Is Buried

42 (AJ)And when evening had already come, because it was [u](AK)Preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea came, a (AL)prominent [v]Council member, who himself was (AM)waiting for the kingdom of God; and he (AN)gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 And Pilate wondered if He had died by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He already died. 45 And ascertaining this from (AO)the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 And when Joseph had bought a linen cloth and took Him down, he wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 (AP)And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He had been laid.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 15:16 Or court
  2. Mark 15:16 Governor’s official residence
  3. Mark 15:16 Normally 600 men (the number varied); or battalion
  4. Mark 15:19 Or staff (made of a reed)
  5. Mark 15:21 Or bear, cf. Matt 27:32
  6. Mark 15:24 Lit a lot upon
  7. Mark 15:25 9 a.m.
  8. Mark 15:26 Lit had been inscribed
  9. Mark 15:28 Early mss omit this v
  10. Mark 15:29 The inner part of the temple
  11. Mark 15:31 Or can He not save Himself?
  12. Mark 15:32 Messiah
  13. Mark 15:33 Noon
  14. Mark 15:33 Or occurred
  15. Mark 15:33 3 p.m.
  16. Mark 15:36 Or Hold off, let us see; lit Permit that we see
  17. Mark 15:39 Or opposite Him
  18. Mark 15:39 Lit that He thus
  19. Mark 15:40 Lit little (either in stature or age)
  20. Mark 15:41 Or waiting on
  21. Mark 15:42 Preparation for the Sabbath
  22. Mark 15:43 The Sanhedrin
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

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