Mark 15

Jesus before Pilate

11Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders, scribes, and the entire 23Council immediately held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led Him away, and turned Him over to Pilate. 24Pilate questioned Him: “So You are the King of the Jews?” And He answered him, “It is as you say.” 3And the chief priests started accusing Him 5of many things. 4But Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You offer nothing in answer? See how many charges they are bringing against You!” 5But Jesus 6said nothing further in answer, so Pilate was amazed.

67Now at the Passover Feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. 7And the one named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder in the revolt. 8And the crowd went up and began asking Pilate 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. 12And responding 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 10evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” 15Intent on satisfying the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus 11flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

1612Now the soldiers took Him away into 13the 14palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman 1516cohort. 17And they dressed Him in 17purple, and after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; 18and they began saluting Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19And they repeatedly beat His head with a 18reed and spit on Him, and kneeling, they bowed down before Him. 20And after they had mocked Him, they took the 19purple cloak off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.

2120And they compelled a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and 21Rufus), to carry His cross.

The Crucifixion

2222Then they brought Him to the place 23Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23And they tried to give Him 24wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. 24And they crucified Him, and 25divided up His garments among themselves, casting 26lots for them to decide 27what each man would take. 25Now it was the 2829third hour 30when they crucified Him. 26The inscription of the charge against Him 31read, “32THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

27And they crucified two 33rebels with Him, one on His right and one on His left.34 29Those passing by were 35hurling abuse at Him, 36shaking their heads and saying, “Ha! You who are going to 37destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30save Yourself by coming down from the cross!” 31In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “38He saved others; 39He cannot save Himself! 32Let this Christ, 40the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” 41Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.

3342When the 4344sixth hour came, darkness 45fell over the whole land until the 4647ninth hour. 34At the 4849ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “50Eloi, Eloi, lema sabaktanei?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35And when some of the bystanders heard Him, they began saying, “Look! He is calling for Elijah!” 36And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “51Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.” 3752But Jesus let out a loud cry, and 53died. 3854And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 3955And when the centurion, who was standing 56right in front of Him, saw that He 57died in this way, he said, “Truly this Man was 58the Son of God!”

4059Now there were also some women watching from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of 60James 61the 62Less and Joses, and 63Salome. 41When He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and 64serve Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

Jesus Is Buried

4265When evening had already come, since it was 66the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathea came, a 67prominent member of the Council, who was himself also 68waiting for the kingdom of God; and he 69gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 44Now Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. 45And after learning this from 70the 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 cut out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 4771Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were watching to see where He was laid.