Mark 15

Jesus before Pilate

11Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole 23Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. 24Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him, “It is as you say.” 3The chief priests began to accuse Him 5harshly. 4Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!” 5But Jesus 6made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.

67Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. 7The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. 9Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. 11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd 8to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. 12Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13They shouted 9back, “Crucify Him!” 14But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” 15Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus 10scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

1611The soldiers took Him away into 12the 13palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman 1415cohort. 17They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; 18and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19They kept beating His head with a 16reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. 20After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.

2117They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and 18Rufus), to bear His cross.

The Crucifixion

2219Then they brought Him to the place 20Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23They tried to give Him 21wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. 24And they crucified Him, and 22divided up His garments among themselves, casting 23lots for them to decide 24what each man should take. 25It was the 2526third hour 27when they crucified Him. 26The inscription of the charge against Him 28read, “29THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

27They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. 28[30And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”] 29Those passing by were 31hurling abuse at Him, 32wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to 33destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “34He saved others; 35He cannot save Himself. 32Let this Christ, 36the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” 37Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.

3338When the 3940sixth hour came, darkness 41fell over the whole land until the 4243ninth hour. 34At the 44ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “45Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.” 36Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “46Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.” 3747And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. 3848And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 3949When the centurion, who was standing 50right in front of Him, saw 51the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was 52the Son of God!”

4053There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of 54James 55the 56Less and Joses, and 57Salome. 41When He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and 5859minister to Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

Jesus Is Buried

4260When evening had already come, because it was 61the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathea came, a 62prominent member of the Council, who himself was 63waiting for the kingdom of God; and he 64gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 44Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. 45And ascertaining this from 65the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 4766Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid.