Mark 15:9-47

New International Version

⁹ “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”^(A) asked Pilate, ¹⁰ knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas^(B) instead.

¹² “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.

¹³ “Crucify him!” they shouted.

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

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

¹⁵ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged,^(C) and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(D)

¹⁶ The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace^(E) (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. ¹⁷ They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. ¹⁸ And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!”^{(F) 19} Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. ²⁰ And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out^(G) to crucify him.

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(H)

²¹ A certain man from Cyrene,^(I) Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus,^(J) was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.^{(K) 22} They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ²³ Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh,^(L) but he did not take it. ²⁴ And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots^(M) to see what each would get.

²⁵ It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. ²⁶ The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.^(N)

²⁷ They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. ^{[28] [a] 29} Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads^(O) and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,^{(P) 30} come down from the cross and save yourself!” ³¹ In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him^(Q) among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! ³² Let this Messiah,^(R) this king of Israel,^(S) come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus^(T)

³³ At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.^{(U) 34} And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).^[b](V)

³⁵ When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

³⁶ Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar,^(W) put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

³⁷ With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.^(X)

³⁸ The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.^{(Y) 39} And when the centurion,^(Z) who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,^[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”^(AA)

⁴⁰ Some women were watching from a distance.^(AB) Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,^[d] and Salome.^{(AC) 41} In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.^(AD)

The Burial of Jesus^(AE)

⁴² It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath).^(AF) So as evening approached, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council,^(AG) who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God,^(AH) went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. ⁴⁵ When he learned from the centurion^(AI) that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶ So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.^{(AJ) 47} Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph^(AK) saw where he was laid.