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Handed Over to the Romans

15 Right at daybreak, the ruling kohanim held a meeting to consult with the elders and Torah scholars and the whole Sanhedrin. They tied up Yeshua, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate. Pilate interrogated Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

Yeshua answers him, “As you say.”

The ruling kohanim began to accuse Him of many things. Again, Pilate asked Him, “Aren’t you going to answer? Look how many charges they’re bringing against You!” But Yeshua did not answer, so Pilate was amazed.

Now during the feast, he used to release to them one prisoner, anyone they were asking for. Now a man named Bar-Abba[a] had been in jail with the rebels who had committed murder during the rebellion. The crowd came up and began to request what he was accustomed to do for them. But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he knew that out of envy the ruling kohanim had handed Him over. 11 But the ruling kohanim stirred up the crowd, so he would release Bar-Abba to them instead.

12 Then answering again, Pilate said to them, “So what do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”

13 They shouted back, “Execute Him!”

14 Pilate responded, “Why? What evil has He done?”

But they shouted all the more, “Execute Him!”

15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Bar-Abba for them. And after he had Yeshua scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

16 The soldiers took Him away, into the palace, the governor’s mansion called the Praetorium. And they call together the cohort[b] of soldiers. 17 They dress Him up in purple. After braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on Him. 18 And they began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 Over and over, they kept hitting Him on the head with a staff and spitting on Him; and kneeling down, they worshiped Him. 20 When they finished mocking Him, they stripped the purple off Him and put His own clothes back on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.

Crucified as King of the Jews

21 Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was coming in from the countryside. The soldiers force this passerby to carry Yeshua’s cross-beam. [c] 22 They bring Yeshua to the place called Golgotha (which is translated, Place of a Skull). 23 They were offering Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He didn’t take it. 24 Then they crucify Him and divide up His clothing among themselves, casting lots for them[d] to see who should take what.

25 Now it was the third hour[e] when they nailed Him on the stake. 26 And the inscription of the charge against Him was written above: “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 27 And with Him they execute two outlaws, one on His right and one on His left. (28 )[f]

29 Those passing by were jeering at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself by coming down from the stake!”

31 Likewise the ruling kohanim, along with the Torah scholars, were also mocking Him among themselves. “He saved others,” they were saying, “but He can’t save Himself? 32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the stake, so we may see and believe!” Even those executed with Him were ridiculing Him.

Death and Burial

33 When the sixth hour had come, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. [g] 34 At the ninth hour Yeshua cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”[h] which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?”[i]

35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Look, He’s calling for Elijah.” 36 Then someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a stick and was offering it to Yeshua to drink, saying, “Wait, let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down.” 37 But letting out a loud cry, Yeshua breathed His last.

38 Then the curtain[j] of the Temple was split in two, from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion, who was standing in front of Him, saw the way Yeshua breathed His last, he said, “This Man really was the Son of God!”

40 There were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Miriam from Magdala, Miriam the mother of Jacob the younger and of Joses,[k] and Salome. 41 They would follow Him and serve Him when He was in the Galilee. Many other women who had gone up together with Him to Jerusalem were there also.

42 Now evening had already come. Since it was the Day of Preparation, that is, the day before Shabbat, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected council member who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Yeshua’s body.

44 Pilate was surprised that He was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him whether Yeshua had been dead for long. 45 When Pilate learned this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen, and laid Him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 Miriam from Magdala and Miriam the mother of Joses were watching where Yeshua’s body was placed.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 15:7 Son of Abba or Son of the Father (Aram.).
  2. Mark 15:16 Lit. speira, 600 Roman soldiers.
  3. Mark 15:22 Probably the patibulum, the horizontal piece of the execution stake, weighing about 100 lbs.
  4. Mark 15:24 Ps. 22:19(18)
  5. Mark 15:25 About nine in the morning.
  6. Mark 15:28 Later mss. add: So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘He was counted with the sinners.’ See Isa. 53:12.
  7. Mark 15:34 From noon until 3 p.m.
  8. Mark 15:34 Eloi, Eloi, l’ma sh’vaktani? See Aramaic Targum Psalm 22:1f; cf. Mt. 27:46.
  9. Mark 15:34 Ps. 22:2(1); cf. Dt. 32:20.
  10. Mark 15:38 Heb. parokhet, veil or inner curtain; cf. Exod. 26:33; 2 Chr. 3:14; Heb. 9:3.
  11. Mark 15:40 A shortened form of the name Joseph; cf. Mt. 27:56.

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)

“Are you the king of the Jews?”(E) asked Pilate.

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”

But Jesus still made no reply,(F) and Pilate was amazed.

Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

“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

  1. Mark 15:28 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Luke 22:37.
  2. Mark 15:34 Psalm 22:1
  3. Mark 15:39 Some manuscripts saw that he died with such a cry
  4. Mark 15:40 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph; also in verse 47