Mark 15:1-21

Mark 15

Jesus’ Trial in Pilate’s Court

¹ As soon as it was morning, the chief priests, along with the elders, the experts in the law, and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. ² Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

He answered him, “It is as you say.”

³ The chief priests accused him of many things. ⁴ Pilate questioned him again, “Are you not going to answer anything? See how many charges they are bringing against you!”

⁵ But Jesus still did not answer anything, so Pilate was amazed.

Barabbas or Jesus?

⁶ At each Festival, Pilate used to release to the people one prisoner whom they requested. ⁷ There was one named Barabbas, who was imprisoned with the rebels and had committed murder in the rebellion. ⁸ The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

⁹ Pilate replied, “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?” ¹⁰ In fact, he knew that it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed him over.

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

¹² Again, Pilate replied to them, “Then what do you want me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?”

¹³ “Crucify him!” they shouted back.

¹⁴ But Pilate said to them, “Why? What has he done wrong?”

But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”

¹⁵ Since he wanted to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. After he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.

Soldiers Mock Jesus

¹⁶ The soldiers led him away inside the palace, which is the Praetorium, and called together the whole cohort ^[1] of soldiers. ¹⁷ They put a purple robe on him, twisted together a crown of thorns, and put it on him. ¹⁸ The soldiers began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ¹⁹ They kept hitting him on the head with a reed and spitting on him. They also kneeled down to pay homage to him.

The Crucifixion

²⁰ When they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothing on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

²¹ A certain man, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), was passing by on his way in from the country. They forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.