Read the Gospels in 40 Days
The passion of Christ. Of his death and burial.
15 And early in the dawning, the high priests consulted with the elders and the scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus and led him away, and delivered him to Pilate.
2 And Pilate asked him, Are you the king of the Jews? And he answered and said to him, It is as you say. 3 And the high priests accused him of many things. 4 So Pilate asked him again, saying, Do you answer nothing? Look how many things they lay to your charge. 5 But Jesus still answered never a word, so that Pilate marvelled.
6 At that feast it was Pilate’s custom to release to the people, at their pleasure, a prisoner – whomever they desired. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, who lay bound with those who had made insurrection, and in the insurrection had committed murder. 8 And the people called to Pilate and began to ask that he do as usual for them. 9 Pilate answered them and said, Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the high priests had delivered him out of envy. 11 But the high priests had moved the people to have Barabbas released to them instead.
12 And Pilate answered again and said to them, What will you have me do then with him whom you call the king of the Jews? 13 And they cried again, Crucify him! 14 Pilate said to them, What evil has he done? And they cried the more fervently, Crucify him!
15 And so Pilate, choosing to appease the people, released Barabbas to them, and delivered Jesus, when had scourged him, to be crucified.
16 And the soldiers led him away into the common hall, and called together the whole company. 17 And they clothed him with purple, and they plaited a crown of thorns and crowned him with it, 18 and began to pay mock homage to him: Hail, King of the Jews! 19 And they struck him on the head with a reed, and spat upon him, and kneeled down and worshipped him.
20 And when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. 21 And they compelled a man who was passing by, called Simon of Cyrene (who was coming out of the field, and was the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear his cross. 22 And they brought him to a place named Golgotha (which translated is, the place of dead men’s skulls). 23 And they offered him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but he would not receive it.
24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots for them, what every man should have. 25 And it was about the third hour, and they crucified him. 26 And the notice of his accusation was written: the king of the jews. 27 And they crucified with him two thieves, one on the right hand and the other on his left. 28 And the scripture was fulfilled which says, He was counted among the wicked.
29 And people who were going by railed on him, wagging their heads and saying, Ah, wretch, who destroys the temple and builds it in three days! 30 Save yourself, and come down from the cross!
31 Likewise also the high priests mocked him among themselves with the scribes, and said, He saved other men; himself he cannot save. 32 Let Christ the King of Israel now descend from the cross, so that we may see and believe.
And those who were crucified with him reviled him also.
33 And when the sixth hour was come, darkness arose over all the earth until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, if it be translated, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
35 And some of the people who were standing by, when they heard that, said, Look, he is calling for Elijah. 36 And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed and gave him to drink, saying, Let him alone. Let’s see if Elijah will come and take him down.
37 But Jesus cried out with a loud voice and gave up the spirit. 38 And the veil of the temple did tear in two pieces, from the top to the bottom. 39 And when the centurion who stood before Jesus saw that he so cried out and gave up the spirit, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
40 There were also women a good way off beholding him, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Little and of Joses, and Mary Salome, 41 who also, when he was in Galilee, had followed him and ministered to him, and many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
42 And now when night was come (because it was the Preparation, the day before the Sabbath), 43 Joseph of Arimathea came, a noble councillor, who also looked for the kingdom of God. He went in bravely to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus. 44 And Pilate marvelled that he was already dead, and called for the centurion, and asked him if Jesus was already dead. 45 And when he knew the truth from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
46 And Joseph bought a linen cloth, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone to the opening of the sepulchre. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary Joses saw where he was laid.
Christ is risen up again. He appears to the apostles, to whom he commits the preaching of the gospel.
16 And when the Sabbath day was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary Jacobi, and Salome bought sweet spices so that they could come and anoint him. 2 And early in the morning of the day after the Sabbath day, they came to the sepulchre when the sun was risen. 3 And they said to one another, Who will roll the stone away from the opening of the sepulchre for us? 4 But when they looked, they saw that the stone had been rolled away; for it was a very great one.
5 And they went into the sepulchre, and saw a young man clothed in a long white garment sitting on the right side, and they were afraid. 6 But he said to them, Do not be afraid. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen; he is not here. Behold the place where they put him. 7 But go your way and tell his disciples, and especially Peter. He will go before you into Galilee; there you will see him, as he said to you.
8 And they went out quickly and fled from the sepulchre. For they trembled and were amazed. And they did not say anything to anyone, because they were afraid.
9 After Jesus had risen on the day after the Sabbath day, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. 10 And she went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And though they heard that he was alive and he had appeared to her, yet they did not believe it.
12 After that, he appeared to two of them as a stranger when they were walking and going into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
14 After that, he appeared to the eleven as they sat at food, and cast in their teeth their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they would not believe those who had seen him after his resurrection. 15 And he said to them, Go into all the world, and preach the glad tidings to all creatures. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be damned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: in my name they will cast out devils, and will speak with new tongues, 18 and will kill serpents. And if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them. They will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover.
19 So then, when the Lord had spoken to them, he was received into heaven and sat down on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth and preached everywhere. And the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word with miracles that followed.
The end of the gospel
of St Mark.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.