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Mark 15
New Catholic Bible
Mark 15
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 15
Jesus before Pilate.[a] 1 As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a council with the elders and the scribes and the whole Sanhedrin. They bound Jesus and led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.
2 Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said so.” 3 Then the chief priests brought many charges against him. 4 Again, Pilate questioned him, “Have you no answer to offer? Just consider how many charges they are leveling against you.” 5 But Jesus offered no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.
Jesus Is Sentenced to Death. 6 Now on the occasion of the feast, he released a prisoner to them, anyone for whom they asked.[b] 7 At the time, a man named Barabbas was in prison along with some rebels who had committed murder during an uprising. 8 When the crowd came forward and began to ask him to do the customary favor for them, 9 Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?”[c] 10 For he realized that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over.
11 However, the chief priests incited the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. 12 Pilate then asked, “And what shall I do with the man you call the king of the Jews?” 13 They shouted back, “Crucify him!” 14 Pilate asked them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they only screamed all the louder, “Crucify him!” 15 And so Pilate, anxious to appease the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and after ordering Jesus to be scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.
16 Jesus Is Crowned with Thorns.[d] Then the soldiers led Jesus away inside the palace, that is, the Praetorium, and they called the whole cohort together. 17 They dressed him in a purple robe and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they placed it on him. 18 Then they began to salute him with the words, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They repeatedly struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down before him in homage. 20 And when they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of his purple robe and dressed him in his own clothes. Then they led him out to crucify him.
21 The Way of the Cross.[e] They compelled a passer-by who was returning from the country to carry his cross. The man was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus.
22 Jesus Is Crucified. They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull. 23 They offered him some wine that had been mixed with myrrh, but he refused to take it. 24 Then they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them to see what each should take.[f]
25 It was around nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.[g] 26 The inscription giving the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 Along with him they crucified two thieves, one on his right and the other on his left. [ 28 Thus was the Scripture fulfilled that says, “And he was counted among the wicked.”][h]
29 Those people who passed by jeered at him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who claimed you could destroy the temple and rebuild it within three days, 30 save yourself and come down from the cross.”
31 In much the same way, the chief priests and the scribes joined in the mockery among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down from the cross right now so that we may see it and come to believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.
33 Jesus Dies on the Cross.[i] Beginning at midday, there was darkness over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 At three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
35 On hearing this, some of the bystanders said, “Listen! He is calling Elijah.” 36 Someone ran off, soaked a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait! Let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.”
37 Then Jesus cried out in a loud voice and breathed his last. 38 And the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion who was standing facing him saw how Jesus had breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”
40 A number of women were also present, looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger[j] and of Joses, and Salome. 41 These women used to follow Jesus when he was in Galilee and minister to his needs. And there were many other women there who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
42 Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb.[k] It was the Day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath. So when evening came, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also awaiting the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead, and he summoned the centurion to ascertain that Jesus had indeed died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that such was the case, he turned over the body to Joseph.
46 Having purchased a linen shroud, he lowered Jesus from the cross, wrapped him in the shroud, and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of rock. He then rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was buried.
Footnotes
- Mark 15:1 See notes on Mt 27:11-26 and 27:11.
- Mark 15:6 Outside the Gospels no such Passover privilege is explicitly found in other sources. However, this does not mean it didn’t exist.
- Mark 15:9 According to Mark, Barabbas had been arrested in a rebellion, possibly in a political rebellion against the Romans. Thus, he was a hero with the people and fed their national pride. When Herod brings forth Jesus as the King of the Jews, the same people will have none of it—a Messiah reduced to a pitiful state, chained, and despised!
- Mark 15:16 See note on Mt 27:27-31.
- Mark 15:21 Those condemned to death were usually forced to carry the crossbeam of the cross, often 30 to 40 pounds, to the place of crucifixion. Jesus starts out by doing the same (see Jn 19:7), but he is so weak as a result of his scourging and overall ill-treatment that the soldiers decide to have someone else take over that task. The man chosen is Simon, a man from Cyrene, an important city of Libya, North Africa, with a large Jewish population, who is probably in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. Alexander and Rufus: the sons are named probably because they were known to the early Christians to whom Mark’s Gospel is addressed.
- Mark 15:24 See note on Mt 27:35.
- Mark 15:25 Mark sketches the Passion in a quasi-liturgical fashion and as it were in thirds: the coming together of the Sanhedrin at the first hour (6 A.M.); crucifixion at the third hour (9 A.M.); darkness at the sixth hour (12 P.M.); and death at the ninth hour (3 P.M.). The “third hour,” however, must be taken in a wide sense, between 9 A.M. and 12 P.M., for Jesus was crucified at 12 P.M. (see Jn 19:14). See also note on Mt 27:35.
- Mark 15:28 This verse is omitted by the best manuscripts.
- Mark 15:33 After hours on the cross, there comes a final humiliation (v. 36). While God remains silent, the crucified Jesus cries out his aloneness in the words of Ps 22:2, and breathes his last. But the work of Jesus has been completed. The end of Judaism has come, signified by the tearing of the curtain of the temple. Even now a pagan recognizes Jesus as the Son of God; this is the first time in Mark’s Gospel that a human being is allowed to give him this title.
- Mark 15:40 James the younger: this James is known as “the Lesser,” to distinguish him from the other apostle of the same name, the son of Zebedee and brother of John. From Mt 27:56 we know that Salome was the wife of Zebedee.
- Mark 15:42 The burial of Jesus is arranged by Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Sanhedrin who had not consented to the decision of that body concerning Jesus (see Lk 23:51). Matthew calls Joseph a “rich man” (Mt 27:57), which recalls the text of Isaiah’s prophecy about the Suffering Servant (53:9: “They assigned him a grave with the wicked and a burial place with evildoers”).
Mark 15
Young's Literal Translation
Mark 15
Young's Literal Translation
15 And immediately, in the morning, the chief priests having made a consultation, with the elders, and scribes, and the whole sanhedrim, having bound Jesus, did lead away, and delivered [him] to Pilate;
2 and Pilate questioned him, `Art thou the king of the Jews?' and he answering said to him, `Thou dost say [it].'
3 And the chief priests were accusing him of many things, [but he answered nothing.]
4 And Pilate again questioned him, saying, `Thou dost not answer anything! lo, how many things they do testify against thee!'
5 and Jesus did no more answer anything, so that Pilate wondered.
6 And at every feast he was releasing to them one prisoner, whomsoever they were asking;
7 and there was [one] named Barabbas, bound with those making insurrection with him, who had in the insurrection committed murder.
8 And the multitude having cried out, began to ask for themselves as he was always doing to them,
9 and Pilate answered them, saying, `Will ye [that] I shall release to you the king of the Jews?'
10 for he knew that because of envy the chief priests had delivered him up;
11 and the chief priests did move the multitude, that he might rather release Barabbas to them.
12 And Pilate answering, again said to them, `What, then, will ye [that] I shall do to him whom ye call king of the Jews?'
13 and they again cried out, `Crucify him.'
14 And Pilate said to them, `Why -- what evil did he?' and they cried out the more vehemently, `Crucify him;'
15 and Pilate, wishing to content the multitude, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus -- having scourged [him] -- that he might be crucified.
16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, which is Praetorium, and call together the whole band,
17 and clothe him with purple, and having plaited a crown of thorns, they put [it] on him,
18 and began to salute him, `Hail, King of the Jews.'
19 And they were smiting him on the head with a reed, and were spitting on him, and having bent the knee, were bowing to him,
20 and when they [had] mocked him, they took the purple from off him, and clothed him in his own garments, and they led him forth, that they may crucify him.
21 And they impress a certain one passing by -- Simon, a Cyrenian, coming from the field, the father of Alexander and Rufus -- that he may bear his cross,
22 and they bring him to the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, `Place of a skull;'
23 and they were giving him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, and he did not receive.
24 And having crucified him, they were dividing his garments, casting a lot upon them, what each may take;
25 and it was the third hour, and they crucified him;
26 and the inscription of his accusation was written above -- `The King of the Jews.'
27 And with him they crucify two robbers, one on the right hand, and one on his left,
28 and the Writing was fulfilled that is saying, `And with lawless ones he was numbered.'
29 And those passing by were speaking evil of him, shaking their heads, and saying, `Ah, the thrower down of the sanctuary, and in three days the builder!
30 save thyself, and come down from the cross!'
31 And in like manner also the chief priests, mocking with one another, with the scribes, said, `Others he saved; himself he is not able to save.
32 The Christ! the king of Israel -- let him come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe;' and those crucified with him were reproaching him.
33 And the sixth hour having come, darkness came over the whole land till the ninth hour,
34 and at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a great voice, saying, `Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabachthani?' which is, being interpreted, `My God, my God, why didst Thou forsake me?'
35 And certain of those standing by, having heard, said, `Lo, Elijah he doth call;'
36 and one having run, and having filled a spunge with vinegar, having put [it] also on a reed, was giving him to drink, saying, `Let alone, let us see if Elijah doth come to take him down.'
37 And Jesus having uttered a loud cry, yielded the spirit,
38 and the veil of the sanctuary was rent in two, from top to bottom,
39 and the centurion who was standing over-against him, having seen that, having so cried out, he yielded the spirit, said, `Truly this man was Son of God.'
40 And there were also women afar off beholding, among whom was also Mary the Magdalene, and Mary of James the less, and of Joses, and Salome,
41 (who also, when he was in Galilee, were following him, and were ministering to him,) and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.
42 And now evening having come, seeing it was the preparation, that is, the fore-sabbath,
43 Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable counsellor, who also himself was waiting for the reign of God, came, boldly entered in unto Pilate, and asked the body of Jesus.
44 And Pilate wondered if he were already dead, and having called near the centurion, did question him if he were long dead,
45 and having known [it] from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
46 And he, having brought fine linen, and having taken him down, wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre that had been hewn out of a rock, and he rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre,
47 and Mary the Magdalene, and Mary of Joses, were beholding where he is laid.
Mark 15
New International Version
Mark 15
New International Version
Jesus Before Pilate(A)
15 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law(B) and the whole Sanhedrin,(C) made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.(D)
2 “Are you the king of the Jews?”(E) asked Pilate.
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”
5 But Jesus still made no reply,(F) and Pilate was amazed.
6 Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”(G) 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(H) 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,(I) and handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus(J)
16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace(K) (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!”(L) 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(M) to crucify him.
The Crucifixion of Jesus(N)
21 A certain man from Cyrene,(O) Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus,(P) was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.(Q) 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,(R) but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots(S) 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.(T)
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(U) and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,(V) 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(W) among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah,(X) this king of Israel,(Y) 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(Z)
33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.(AA) 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](AB)
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,(AC) 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.(AD)
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.(AE) 39 And when the centurion,(AF) who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”(AG)
40 Some women were watching from a distance.(AH) Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,[d] and Salome.(AI) 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.(AJ)
The Burial of Jesus(AK)
42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath).(AL) So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council,(AM) who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God,(AN) 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(AO) 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.(AP) 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph(AQ) saw where he was laid.
Footnotes
- Mark 15:28 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Luke 22:37.
- Mark 15:34 Psalm 22:1
- Mark 15:39 Some manuscripts saw that he died with such a cry
- Mark 15:40 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph; also in verse 47
New International Version (NIV) 
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