Mark 15:1-20

1Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.

2So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.”

3Then the chief priests began to accuse him repeatedly.

4So Pilate asked him again, “Have you nothing to say? See how many charges they are bringing against you!”

5But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

6During the feast it was customary to release one prisoner to the people, whomever they requested.

7A man named Barabbas was imprisoned with rebels who had committed murder during an insurrection.

8Then the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to release a prisoner for them, as was his custom.

9So Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to release the king of the Jews for you?”

10(For he knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy.)

11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas instead.

12So Pilate spoke to them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the one you call king of the Jews?”

13They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

14Pilate asked them, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”

15Because he wanted to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them. Then, after he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.

16So the soldiers led him into the palace (that is, the governor’s residence) and called together the whole cohort.

17They put a purple cloak on him and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on him.

18They began to salute him: “Hail, king of the Jews!”

19Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Then they knelt down and paid homage to him.

20When they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.