Mark 15:1–21

Pilate Tries Jesus

Matt. 27:1, 2, 11–23; Luke 23:1–5, 13–23; John 18:28–19:15

15Immediately, ^ain the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and ^bdelivered Him to Pilate. ^2cThen Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.”

³And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He ^danswered nothing. ^4eThen Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things ¹they testify against You!” ^5fBut Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.

⁶Now ^gat the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. ⁷And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. ⁸Then the multitude, ²crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. ⁹But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” ¹⁰For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.

¹¹But ^hthe chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. ¹²Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the ⁱKing of the Jews?”

¹³So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”

¹⁴Then Pilate said to them, “Why, ^jwhat evil has He done?”

But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”

Jesus is Beaten

Matt. 27:26–34; Luke 23:24–32; John 19:16–22

^15kSo Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be ^lcrucified.

^16mThen the soldiers led Him away into the hall called ³Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. ¹⁷And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, ¹⁸and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ¹⁹Then they ⁿstruck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. ²⁰And when they had ^omocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

^21pThen they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.