Mark 15
Truly This Man Was the Son of God
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Jesus Before Pilate
15:1Immediately in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders, the scribes, and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate.
15:2Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.”
15:3The chief priests accused Him of many things.
15:4Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? Look how many accusations they bring against You.”
15:5But Jesus gave no further answer, so that Pilate marveled.
Barabbas Released
15:6At the feast he used to release for them one prisoner whom they requested.
15:7The man called Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder in the uprising.
15:8The crowd came up and began asking him to do as he usually did for them.
15:9Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?”
15:10For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over out of envy.
15:11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead.
15:12Pilate answered them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”
15:13They cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
15:14Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” They cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”
15:15Pilate, wanting to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them. After having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
15:16The soldiers led Him inside the courtyard—that is, the praetorium—and called together the whole cohort.
15:17They clothed Him in purple and, after weaving a crown of thorns, put it on Him.
15:18They began saluting Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
15:19They kept striking His head with a reed and spitting on Him, and knelt down to bow before Him.
15:20After they had mocked Him, they stripped off the purple and put His own garments on Him. They led Him out to crucify Him.
The Crucifixion
15:21They compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry His cross.
15:22They brought Him to the place Golgotha, which translated means Place of a Skull.
15:23They offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it.
15:24They crucified Him and divided His garments, casting a lot over them to determine who would take what.
15:25It was the third hour when they crucified Him.
15:26The inscription of the charge against Him was written: “The King of the Jews.”
15:27They crucified two robbers with Him, one at His right and one at His left.
The Mocking at the Cross
15:29Those passing by reviled Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who tear down the sanctuary and build it in three days,
15:30save Yourself by coming down from the cross!”
15:31Likewise the chief priests, mocking Him among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself.
15:32Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with Him also reproached Him.
The Death of Jesus
15:33When the sixth hour came, darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
15:34At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which translated means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
15:35Some of those standing nearby heard and said, “Look, He is calling Elijah.”
15:36Someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, placed it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Leave Him; let us see whether Elijah comes to take Him down.”
15:37Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last.
The Curtain Torn and the Centurion’s Confession
15:38The curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
15:39When the centurion standing opposite Him saw that He breathed His last in this way, he said, “Truly this Man was God’s Son.”
There Were Also Women Watching from Afar
15:40There were also women watching from a distance, among them Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Little and Joses, and Salome.
15:41When He was in Galilee, they had followed Him and served Him; there were also many other women who had come up with Him to Jerusalem.
The Burial of Jesus
15:42Evening had already come, and since it was Preparation—that is, the day before the Sabbath—
15:43Joseph of Arimathea, a respected council member who himself was also awaiting the kingdom of God, came and dared to enter before Pilate and ask for Jesus’ body.
15:44Pilate marveled that He was already dead. Calling the centurion to him, he asked whether He had died some time ago.
15:45When he learned from the centurion, he granted the corpse to Joseph.
15:46Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut out of rock. He rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
15:47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched where He was laid.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.