Mark 15

King James Version

Full text for Mark Chapter 15

1¶ 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.

2And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, ‹Thou sayest [it].›

3And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.

4And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.

5But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

6Now at [that] feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

7And there was [one] named Barabbas, [which lay] bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.

8And the multitude crying aloud began to desire [him to do] as he had ever done unto them.

9But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

10For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

11But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.

12And 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?

13And they cried out again, Crucify him.

14Then 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.

16And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.

17And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his [head],

18And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

19And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing [their] knees worshipped him.

20And 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.

21And 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.

23And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received [it] not.

24And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.

25And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

26And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

27And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.

28And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

29And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest [it] in three days,

30Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

31Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

32Let 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.

34And 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?

35And some of them that stood by, when they heard [it], said, Behold, he calleth Elias.

36And 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.

37And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

38And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

39And 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.

40There 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,

43Joseph 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.

44And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling [unto him] the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

45And when he knew [it] of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.

46And 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.

47And Mary Magdalene and Mary [the mother] of Joses beheld where he was laid.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus is brought before Pilate, who, despite finding no fault in him, yields to the chief priests and the multitude's demand to release Barabbas instead. Jesus is then scourged, mocked by soldiers, and led to Golgotha where he is crucified between two thieves. After a period of darkness, Jesus cries out and gives up the ghost, prompting the temple veil to be rent and a centurion to confess his divine sonship. Joseph of Arimathaea subsequently requests and buries Jesus' body in a rock-hewn sepulchre.

Medium Summary

In the morning, the chief priests, elders, and scribes deliver Jesus to Pilate, who questions him about being the King of the Jews. Pilate, perceiving the chief priests' envy, attempts to release Jesus according to the feast custom, but the incited multitude demands Barabbas' release and Jesus' crucifixion. Pilate, willing to content the people, scourges Jesus and delivers him to be crucified. Soldiers mock Jesus in the Praetorium, dressing him in purple and crowning him with thorns before leading him out. Simon of Cyrene is compelled to carry his cross to Golgotha, where Jesus is crucified at the third hour, with an inscription proclaiming him 'THE KING OF THE JEWS.' He is reviled by passersby, chief priests, and even the crucified thieves. From the sixth to the ninth hour, darkness covers the land, after which Jesus cries out and dies, causing the temple veil to be rent and a centurion to declare him the Son of God. Joseph of Arimathaea then boldly requests Jesus' body from Pilate and lays it in a new sepulchre.

Long Summary

Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, and scribes, after a consultation, bind Jesus and deliver him to Pilate. Pilate questions Jesus, asking if he is the King of the Jews, to which Jesus responds, 'Thou sayest it.' Despite the chief priests accusing him of many things, Jesus answers nothing, causing Pilate to marvel. At the feast, Pilate offers to release a prisoner, knowing the chief priests delivered Jesus for envy. However, the chief priests move the people to demand Barabbas, a murderer, be released instead. Pilate repeatedly questions the multitude about Jesus, but they cry out, 'Crucify him.' Pilate, desiring to content the people, releases Barabbas, scourges Jesus, and delivers him to be crucified. Soldiers lead Jesus into the Praetorium, where they mock him by clothing him in purple, platting a crown of thorns, and saluting him as 'Hail, King of the Jews!' They smite him, spit upon him, and worship him in derision before leading him out. Simon a Cyrenian is compelled to bear Jesus' cross to Golgotha, the place of a skull. Jesus is offered wine mingled with myrrh, which he refuses, and is crucified at the third hour, his garments being parted by lot. The superscription of his accusation reads, 'THE KING OF THE JEWS,' and two thieves are crucified with him. Passersby, chief priests, scribes, and even the crucified thieves rail on him, challenging him to save himself. From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, darkness covers the whole land. At the ninth hour, Jesus cries with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' and then gives up the ghost. The veil of the temple is rent in twain from top to bottom. The centurion witnessing Jesus' death declares, 'Truly this man was the Son of God.' Women, including Mary Magdalene, observe from afar. As evening approaches, Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, boldly requests Jesus' body from Pilate, who, after confirming Jesus' death with the centurion, grants the request. Joseph wraps the body in fine linen and lays it in a sepulchre hewn out of a rock, rolling a stone to its door, with Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observing.

Core Concepts

  • Trial Before PilateJesus is brought before Pilate by the Jewish council, where he largely remains silent despite accusations. Pilate, discerning the chief priests' envy, attempts to release Jesus but ultimately yields to the crowd's demands.
  • Barabbas' ReleasePilate offers to release either Jesus or Barabbas, a murderer and insurrectionist. The chief priests sway the multitude to choose Barabbas, leading to Jesus' condemnation.
  • Mockery of the KingRoman soldiers subject Jesus to cruel mockery in the Praetorium, dressing him in a purple robe, crowning him with thorns, and derisively saluting him as 'King of the Jews' before physically abusing him.
  • The Crucifixion at GolgothaJesus is led to Golgotha, where he is crucified at the third hour between two thieves. His charge, 'THE KING OF THE JEWS,' is inscribed above him, and he endures taunts from onlookers.
  • Jesus' Death and Divine SignsDarkness covers the land from the sixth to the ninth hour, after which Jesus cries out and dies. His death is accompanied by the rending of the temple veil and a centurion's confession of his divine sonship.
  • Burial by Joseph of ArimathaeaJoseph of Arimathaea, an honorable counsellor, boldly requests Jesus' body from Pilate. He then wraps it in linen and lays it in a new sepulchre hewn out of a rock, observed by women.