At dawn’s first light, the high priests, with the religious leaders and scholars, arranged a conference with the entire Jewish Council. After tying Jesus securely, they took him out and presented him to Pilate. Pilate asked him, “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?” He answered, “If you say so.” The high priests let loose a barrage of accusations. Pilate asked again, “Aren’t you going to answer anything? That’s quite a list of accusations.” Still, he said nothing. Pilate was impressed, really impressed. It was a custom at the Feast to release a prisoner, anyone the people asked for. There was one prisoner called Barabbas, locked up with the insurrectionists who had committed murder during the uprising against Rome. As the crowd came up and began to present its petition for him to release a prisoner, Pilate anticipated them: “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?” Pilate knew by this time that it was through sheer spite that the high priests had turned Jesus over to him. But the high priests by then had worked up the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas. Pilate came back, “So what do I do with this man you call King of the Jews?” They yelled, “Nail him to a cross!” Pilate objected, “But for what crime?” But they yelled all the louder, “Nail him to a cross!”
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The soldiers took Jesus into the palace (called Praetorium) and called together the entire brigade. They dressed him up in purple and put a crown plaited from a thornbush on his head. Then they began their mockery: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” They banged on his head with a club, spit on him, and knelt down in mock worship. After they had had their fun, they took off the purple cape and put his own clothes back on him. Then they marched out to nail him to the cross. There was a man walking by, coming from work, Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. They made him carry Jesus’ cross. The soldiers brought Jesus to Golgotha, meaning “Skull Hill.” They offered him a mild painkiller (wine mixed with myrrh), but he wouldn’t take it. And they nailed him to the cross. They divided up his clothes and threw dice to see who would get them. They nailed him up at nine o’clock in the morning. The charge against him—THE KING OF THE JEWS—was scrawled across a sign. Along with him, they crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: “You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days—so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you’re really God’s Son, come down from that cross!” The high priests, along with the religion scholars, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—but he can’t save himself! Messiah, is he? King of Israel? Then let him climb down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then!” Even the men crucified alongside him joined in the mockery.
Compare All Versions: Mark 15:1-14, 16-32
6 Days
What happened as Jesus walked through the final days of His time on earth? This six-day plan looks at the events of Holy Week as recorded in the gospel of Mark. Prepare your heart for Easter as we study together and reflect on THE LIFE that changed all our lives for eternity!
Easter is a time to reflect on the immense sacrifice that Jesus made for us in His death on the cross and celebrate the phenomenal gift we’ve been given through His defeat of death on that cross. This is week one of three weeks that will journey through the Easter season, reflecting on the final hours of Christ. It will consider the betrayal and suffering He endured and reflect on the character of our Saviour King, who laid down His life for us.
7 Days
This Holy Week reading plan invites readers into the action of Jesus’ last week of ministry. Starting with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Mark gives a first-hand account of the week’s events, culminating in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. See Christ’s final week on earth come to life in this video-based, 7-day reading plan and allow it to revolutionize the way you engage with God’s Word.
This 7-day reading plan invites readers to go the way of the Cross with Jesus as chronicled by Mark, a close disciple of the Apostle Peter. Starting with a call to follow Jesus and carrying through to His death, the reader will be visually transported into these important moments in Jesus’ history. Join with God on the way of the cross in this video-based, 7-day reading plan and allow it to revolutionize the way you engage with God’s Word.
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