Mark 15:21–47

²¹A man named Simon from the city of Cyrene was coming ⸤into Jerusalem⸥ from his home in the country. He was the father of Alexander and Rufus. As he was about to pass by, the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 

²²They took Jesus to Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ²³They tried to give him wine mixed with a drug called myrrh, but he wouldn’t take it. ²⁴Next they crucified him. Then they divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice to see what each one would get. ²⁵It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. ²⁶There was a written notice of the accusation against him. It read, “The king of the Jews.” 

²⁷They crucified two criminals with him, one on his right and the other on his left.^a

²⁹Those who passed by insulted him. They shook their heads and said, “What a joke! You were going to tear down God’s temple and build it again in three days. ³⁰Come down from the cross, and save yourself!” ³¹The chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings made fun of him among themselves in the same way. They said, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. ³²Let the Messiah, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now so that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with him were insulting him. 

Jesus Dies on the Cross—Matthew 27:45–56; Luke 23:44–49; John 19:28–30

³³At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. ³⁴At three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” 

³⁵When some of the people standing there heard him say that, they said, “Listen! He’s calling Elijah.” ³⁶Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus a drink. The man said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.” 

³⁷Then Jesus cried out in a loud voice and died. ³⁸The curtain in the temple was split in two from top to bottom. 

³⁹When the officer who stood facing Jesus saw how he gave up his spirit, he said, “Certainly, this man was the Son of God!” 

⁴⁰Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary from Magdala, Mary (the mother of young James and Joseph), and Salome. ⁴¹They had followed him and supported him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come to Jerusalem with him were there too. 

Jesus Is Placed in a Tomb—Matthew 27:57–61; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42

⁴²It was Friday evening, before the day of rest—a holy day, ⁴³when Joseph arrived. He was from the city of Arimathea and was an important member of the Jewish council. He, too, was waiting for God’s kingdom. Joseph boldly went to Pilate’s quarters to ask for the body of Jesus. 

⁴⁴Pilate wondered if Jesus had already died. So he summoned the officer to ask him if Jesus was, in fact, dead. ⁴⁵When the officer had assured him that Jesus was dead, Pilate let Joseph have the corpse. 

⁴⁶Joseph had purchased some linen cloth. He took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in the cloth. Then he laid the body in a tomb, which had been cut out of rock, and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. ⁴⁷Mary from Magdala and Mary (the mother of Joses) watched where Jesus was laid.