Mark 15
EasyEnglish Bible
Pilate asks Jesus questions
15 Very early the next morning, all the Jewish leaders met together. The leaders of the priests met with the leaders, the teachers of God's Law, and the other important Jews. They decided what they would do. They tied Jesus' hands and feet and they took him to Pilate's house. They put him under Pilate's authority.[a]
2 Pilate asked Jesus, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’
Jesus replied, ‘You have said it.’
3 Then the leaders of the priests told Pilate that Jesus had done many bad things. 4 So Pilate asked him again, ‘What is your answer? You should say something! Listen! They are saying that you have done many bad things.’
5 But Jesus still did not reply to what the men were saying against him. Pilate was very surprised about that.
6 During the Passover festival each year, Pilate let one person go free out of the prison. The people had to ask him for the person that they wanted. 7 A man called Barabbas was in the prison at that time. He and some other men had fought against the Roman rulers. And they had killed someone when they were fighting. 8 The crowd came to Pilate. They asked him to do what he usually did at this time.
9 Pilate asked the people, ‘Do you want me to let the king of the Jews go free?’ 10 Pilate knew why the leaders of the priests had brought Jesus to him. They were jealous because people liked Jesus so much. 11 But the leaders of the priests talked strongly to the people. They said, ‘Ask Pilate to let Barabbas go free instead of Jesus.’
12 Pilate asked the crowd again, ‘So what should I do to Jesus? He is the man that you call “the king of the Jews”.’
13 The people shouted back to Pilate: ‘Kill him on a cross!’
14 ‘Why should I kill him?’ Pilate asked. ‘What bad things has he done?’
But the people shouted even louder, ‘Kill him on a cross!’
15 Pilate decided to do what the crowd wanted.[b] So he let Barabbas go free. He said to his soldiers, ‘Hit Jesus many times with a whip.[c] Then take him and fix him on a cross to die.’
16 So the soldiers took Jesus to the yard at the ruler's house. They told all the soldiers in their group to come there. 17 Then they put a dark red coat on Jesus. They used some branches with thorns to make a crown for him.[d] They put it on his head.
18 Then the soldiers began to laugh at Jesus. They said, ‘Hello, King of the Jews, you are great!’ 19 They took a stick and they hit him on the head with it many times. They spat on him. Then they went down on their knees in front of him. They told him how great he was. 20 When they had stopped laughing at him, they took the dark red coat off him. They put his own clothes back on him. Then they took him away to the place where they would kill him on a cross.
The soldiers put Jesus on a cross
21 When the soldiers were taking Jesus out to that place, a man called Simon was there. He was coming in from outside the city. He was from the city of Cyrene, and he was the father of Alexander and Rufus. The soldiers told Simon that he must carry Jesus' cross. 22 The soldiers took Jesus to a place that is called Golgotha. (Golgotha means ‘the place of a skull’.)[e]
23 They tried to give Jesus some wine to drink. They had mixed some medicine called myrrh into the wine. But Jesus would not drink it. 24 Then the soldiers fixed Jesus onto the cross. They took his clothes for themselves. They played a game to decide which soldier would receive each of his clothes.
25 It was about nine o'clock in the morning when the soldiers fixed Jesus to the cross. 26 They put a notice there to show the reason why they were killing him. It said, ‘The King of the Jews’. 27 They also put two robbers on crosses near to Jesus. One robber was on Jesus' right side. The other robber was on his left side. 28 [The Bible says that this would happen.[f] It says, ‘People thought of him as someone who did not obey God's Law.’][g]
29 The people who walked near there insulted Jesus. They laughed at him and they said, ‘Oh! You said that you would destroy the temple. And you said that in three days you would build it again. 30 If you can really do that, save yourself. Come down from the cross!’
31 The leaders of the priests and the teachers of God's Law laughed at him. They said to each other, ‘This man saved other people, did he? But he cannot save his own life! 32 If he is the Messiah, the king of Israel, he should come down from the cross now. Then we would see it and we would believe in him.’ The two men who were on the crosses next to Jesus also insulted him.
Jesus dies
33 At midday, the whole country became dark for three hours. 34 At three o'clock in the afternoon, Jesus shouted loudly, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ That means, ‘My God, my God, why have you left me alone?’
35 Some people who were standing near there heard him. They said to each other, ‘Look! He is shouting to Elijah.’
36 One man ran to get a piece of cloth. He poured cheap wine on it, and he put it on the end of a stick. Then he lifted it up to Jesus so that he could drink the wine from it. The man said, ‘Wait! Now we will see if Elijah comes to take him down from the cross.’
37 Then Jesus shouted loudly, and after that he died.
38 And the curtain inside the temple completely tore into two parts from the top down to the bottom.[h]
39 The captain of the soldiers was standing there in front of Jesus.[i] He saw how Jesus died. ‘It must be true!’ he said. ‘This man really was the Son of God.’
40 Some women were also there. They were watching these events from a long way away. Mary from Magdala was one of the women. Mary the mother of the younger James and Joses was also there. Salome was there too. 41 These women had travelled with Jesus when he was in Galilee and they had helped him. Many other women were also there near the cross. They had come to Jerusalem with Jesus.
Joseph buries Jesus' dead body
42 It was Friday and the Jews were preparing for their day of rest on the Sabbath. 43 That evening, a man called Joseph went to see Pilate. Joseph was from a town called Arimathea. He was a good man and he was one of the group of important Jewish leaders. He was waiting for the time when God would start to rule his people in his kingdom. Joseph bravely asked Pilate for the dead body of Jesus to bury it. 44 Pilate was surprised that Jesus had already died. He asked the captain of the soldiers to come to him. He asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 The captain told Pilate that Jesus was already dead. So then Pilate let Joseph go and take Jesus' dead body. 46 Joseph bought a piece of linen cloth. He took Jesus' body down from the cross and he put the cloth around it. Then he put the body in a large hole in a rock. People had made that hole to put dead bodies in. After this, Joseph rolled a big stone across the front of the hole to shut it.
47 Mary from Magdala and Mary the mother of Joses were watching. They saw where Joseph had put Jesus' dead body.
Footnotes
- 15:1 Pilate ruled Jerusalem on behalf of the Roman government.
- 15:15 Pilate was afraid that the crowd would start to fight. So he did what they had asked him to do. He wanted them to be happy.
- 15:15 People with authority used a whip to punish someone who had done something wrong. It had long narrow pieces of leather. And there were pieces of metal on the ends of them.
- 15:17 A crown is usually a special hat that a king wears. But this crown had sharp bits and it was painful for Jesus to wear it. The dark red coat was also like the coat that a king wore. The soldiers did not believe that Jesus was really a king.
- 15:22 The skull is the bone inside the head. Golgotha was the place where the Roman soldiers killed robbers.
- 15:28 See Isaiah 53:12.
- 15:28 Verse 28 is not in many old copies of Mark's book.
- 15:38 The curtain was in front of the special room inside the temple. God caused it to tear from the top down. The curtain was too thick for a man to tear it.
- 15:39 The captain was an important soldier. He had authority over 100 other soldiers.
Mark 15
King James Version
15 And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.
2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto them, Thou sayest it.
3 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.
4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.
5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.
6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.
7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.
8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.
9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.
12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
13 And they cried out again, Crucify him.
14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.
15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.
17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,
18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!
19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.
20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.
22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull.
23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.
24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.
25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, The King Of The Jews.
27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.
31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.
37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
41 (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.
42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.
45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
46 And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.
47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.
Mark 15
English Standard Version
Jesus Delivered to Pilate
15 (A)And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests (B)held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And (C)they bound Jesus and (D)led him away and (E)delivered him over to (F)Pilate. 2 (G)And Pilate asked him, (H)“Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, (I)“You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, (J)“Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus (K)made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
6 (L)Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had (M)committed murder (N)in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that (O)it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with (P)the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? (Q)What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having (R)scourged[a] Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Jesus Is Mocked
16 (S)And the soldiers led him away inside (T)the palace (that is, (U)the governor's headquarters),[b] and they called together the whole (V)battalion.[c] 17 And they clothed him in (W)a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18 And they began to salute him, (X)“Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 And they were striking his head with a reed and (Y)spitting on him and (Z)kneeling down in homage to him. 20 And when they had (AA)mocked him, they stripped him of (AB)the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they (AC)led him out to crucify him.
The Crucifixion
21 (AD)And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22 (AE)And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with (AF)myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and (AG)divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And (AH)it was the third hour[d] when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, (AI)“The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two (AJ)robbers, (AK)one on his right and one on his left.[e] 29 And (AL)those who passed by derided him, (AM)wagging their heads and saying, (AN)“Aha! (AO)You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, (AP)“He saved others; (AQ)he cannot save himself. 32 Let (AR)the Christ, (AS)the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may (AT)see and believe.” (AU)Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.
The Death of Jesus
33 And when the sixth hour[f] had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.[g] 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus (AV)cried with a loud voice, (AW)“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with (AX)sour wine, put it on a reed (AY)and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus (AZ)uttered a loud cry and (BA)breathed his last. 38 And (BB)the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 (BC)And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he[h] breathed his last, he said, (BD)“Truly this man was the Son[i] of God!”
40 There were also (BE)women looking on (BF)from a distance, among whom were (BG)Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and (BH)Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and (BI)ministered to him, and there were also many other women who (BJ)came up with him to Jerusalem.
Jesus Is Buried
42 (BK)And when evening had come, since it was (BL)the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, (BM)a respected member of the council, who (BN)was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died.[j] And summoning (BO)the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45 And when he learned from (BP)the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And Joseph[k] bought (BQ)a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and (BR)laid him in a tomb (BS)that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled (BT)a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 (BU)Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
Footnotes
- Mark 15:15 A Roman judicial penalty, consisting of a severe beating with a multi-lashed whip containing embedded pieces of bone and metal
- Mark 15:16 Greek the praetorium
- Mark 15:16 Greek cohort; a tenth of a Roman legion, usually about 600 men
- Mark 15:25 That is, 9 a.m.
- Mark 15:27 Some manuscripts insert verse 28: And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “He was numbered with the transgressors”
- Mark 15:33 That is, noon
- Mark 15:33 That is, 3 p.m.
- Mark 15:39 Some manuscripts insert cried out and
- Mark 15:39 Or a son
- Mark 15:44 Or Pilate wondered whether he had already died
- Mark 15:46 Greek he
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