TCNT MARK Chapter 15

Jesus Handed Over to Pontius Pilate

15 As soon as it was morning, the chief priests took counsel with the elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 2 So Pilate asked him, “Are yoʋ the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered him, “Yoʋ have said it yoʋrself.” 3 Then the chief priests accused him of many [fn]things. 4 So Pilate asked him again, “Do yoʋ make no answer? See how many things they are [fn]testifying against yoʋ!” 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so Pilate was amazed.

The Crowd Calls For Jesus' Crucifixion

6 Now at the feast Pilate would release one prisoner for the people, whomever they requested. 7 And there was a man named Barabbas who was in prison with [fn]his fellow insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 So the crowd [fn]cried out and began to ask Pilate to do what he [fn]had always done for them. 9 Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?” 10 (For he knew that the chief priests had handed Jesus over out of envy.) 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release for them Barabbas instead. 12 In response Pilate said to them again, “What then [fn]do you want me to do with the man you call King of the Jews?” 13 They cried out again, “Crucify him!” 14 Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out all the more, “Crucify him!” 15 Then Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas. But he scourged Jesus and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

16 So the soldiers led him away into the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters) and called together the entire cohort of soldiers. 17 They clothed him with a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and put it on him. 18 Then they began to salute [fn]him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They kept beating him on the head with a reed, spitting on him, and bending down on their knees to pay homage to him. 20 When they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple robe and put his own garments back on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

The Crucifixion

21 Now a certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the countryside. The soldiers pressed him into service, forcing him to carry Jesus' cross, 22 and they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means, “Place of the Skull”). 23 Then they gave him wine [fn]to drink, mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Then they divided his garments, casting lots for them to see who would take what. 25 It was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 The inscription of the charge against him was written as follows: “The King of the Jews.” 27 With him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 28 [fn]So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “He was numbered with the lawless.” 29 Those who passed by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “Ha! Yoʋ who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save yoʋrself and come down from the cross!” 31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking him among themselves, saying, “He saved others, but he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see it and believe [fn]him.” The men who were crucified with him were also insulting him.

The Death of Jesus

33 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, there was darkness over the whole land. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, [fn]lima sabachthani?” which means, “[fn]My God, my God, why have yoʋ forsaken me?” 35 When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, he is calling for Elijah.” 36 Then [fn]a man ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Leave him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.” 37 But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed his last breath. 38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 Now when the centurion who was standing in front of Jesus saw how he [fn]cried out and breathed his last breath, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”

40 There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 These women had followed Jesus and provided for him when he was in Galilee. There were also many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

The Burial of Jesus

42 When evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected council member, who was himself also waiting for the kingdom of God, came and boldly went in before Pilate to ask for Jesus' body. 44 Pilate was surprised that Jesus was already dead, so he called the centurion over and asked him if Jesus [fn]had been dead for some time. 45 When he found out from the centurion that it was so, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 After buying a linen cloth and taking him down, Joseph wrapped him in the linen cloth and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.