Mark 15:42-47
New English Translation
Jesus’ Burial
42 Now[a] when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath),[b] 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council,[c] who was himself looking forward to[d] the kingdom of God,[e] went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.[f] 44 Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He[g] called the centurion[h] and asked him if he had been dead for some time. 45 When Pilate[i] was informed by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 After Joseph[j] bought a linen cloth[k] and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock.[l] Then[m] he rolled a stone across the entrance[n] of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body[o] was placed.
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- Mark 15:42 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic and introduction of a new character.
- Mark 15:42 sn The day of preparation was the day before the Sabbath when everything had to be prepared for it, as no work could be done on the Sabbath.
- Mark 15:43 tn Grk “a councillor” (as a member of the Sanhedrin, see L&N 11.85). This indicates that some individuals among the leaders did respond to Jesus.
- Mark 15:43 tn Or “waiting for.”sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, this remark that he was looking forward to the kingdom of God and his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.
- Mark 15:43 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus’ teaching. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself.
- Mark 15:43 sn Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.
- Mark 15:44 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- Mark 15:44 sn See the note on the word centurion in 15:39.
- Mark 15:45 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Mark 15:46 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Joseph of Arimathea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Mark 15:46 tn The term σινδών (sindōn) can refer to a linen cloth used either for clothing or for burial.
- Mark 15:46 tn That is, cut or carved into an outcropping of natural rock, resulting in a cave-like structure (see L&N 19.25).
- Mark 15:46 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Mark 15:46 tn Or “to the door,” “against the door.”
- Mark 15:47 tn Grk “it”; the referent (Jesus’ body) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
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