Mark 15

1 Early [at dawn] in the morning, the chief priests [high-priests, Jewish leaders], elders [respected community leaders], scribes [scholars, law teachers], and the whole [entire, complete] Sanhedrin [Jewish council, governing body] devised [made, formed] a plan [counsel, decision]. They bound [tied, fastened] Jesus, led [carried, brought] Him away, and handed [delivered, surrendered] Him over to [into the authority of] Pilate [the Roman governor]. word study 2 So Pilate [the Roman governor] questioned Him, “Are You [as Messiah] the King [ruler, sovereign] of the Jews [the Jewish people, Israelites]?” “You have said so [it is as you say],” Jesus replied. word study 3 And [also, in addition] the chief priests [high-priest, top Jewish leaders] began to accuse [charge, blame] Him [Jesus, the Messiah] of many [numerous, several] things [actions, sins]. word study 4 Then [at that moment, next] Pilate [the Roman governor] questioned Him again [once more, a second time], “Have You [as the Messiah, the Savior] no answer [nothing to say, no response]? Look [behold, see] how many [numerous, abundant] charges [accusations, testimonies] they are bringing [witnessing, testifying] against You [to Your detriment, in opposition to You]!” word study 5 But to Pilate’s [great, utter] amazement [marvel, wonder], Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] made [gave, provided] no [none, not any] further [additional, more] reply [answer, response]. word study 6 Now it was Pilate’s custom [annual tradition, at every feast] at the feast [festival, a special celebration] to release [to set free] to the people a prisoner [one held captive] of their choosing [whom they desired]. word study 7 And a man named [known as] Barabbas [a son of the father, a Jewish insurrectionist] was imprisoned [bound, detained] with the rebels [insurrectionists, those who rose up against the government] who had committed [perpetrated, carried out] murder [intentional killing, homicide] during the insurrection [uprising, rebellion]. word study 8 So the crowd [a large group of people, a multitude] went up and began asking [to request, to desire] Pilate to keep [to maintain, to fulfill] his custom [usual practice, tradition]. word study 9 “Do you want [desire, will] me to release [set free, let go, forgive] to you the [specific, messianic] King [ruler, sovereign] of the Jews [Jewish people, Israelites]?” Pilate [the Roman governor, leader] asked [inquired, questioned]. word study 10 For [since, because] he knew [was aware, perceived] it was out of [due to, motivated by] envy [jealousy, spite] that the [these, specific] chief priests [high-priestly leaders, Jewish authorities] had handed [delivered, surrendered] Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] over [to the authorities, into their power]. word study 11 But the chief priests [high-priest, top Jewish leaders] stirred up [incited, provoked] the crowd [a large group of people, a multitude] to have him release [set free, liberate] Barabbas [an Israelite prisoner] to them instead [rather, as a substitute]. word study 12 So Pilate [the Roman governor, judging with authority] asked them again [for the second time, to confirm their desire], “What then [at this point, in this situation] do you want [desire, wish, or intend] me to do [to act, to decide, or to command] with the One [Jesus, the Messiah] you call [acknowledge, or recognize as] the King [ruler, sovereign, or monarch] of the Jews [the Jewish people, or the nation of Israel]?” word study 13 And they shouted [cried out again, loudly] back [in response], “Crucify [to impale on a cross, to execute] Him [Jesus, the Messiah]!” word study 14 “Why [for what reason, what cause]?” asked Pilate [the Roman governor]. “What evil [harm, wrongdoing] has He done [committed, perpetrated]?” But they shouted [cried out, exclaimed] all the louder [excessively, vehemently], “Crucify [impale on a cross, put to death] Him [Jesus, the Messiah]!” word study 15 And wishing [desiring, intending] to satisfy [please, content] the crowd [multitude, people], Pilate [the Roman governor] released [set free, loosed] Barabbas [a prisoner, an Israelite] to them. But he had Jesus [the Messiah, the Christ] flogged [whipped, scourged], and handed Him over [delivered, surrendered] to be crucified [put to death on a cross, impaled]. word study 16 Then [at that time, next] the soldiers [Roman warriors, men of the army] led Jesus away [took him by force, guided him] into the palace [courtyard, Praetorium] (that is, the [Roman governor’s official residence] Praetorium) and called [gathered, summoned] the whole [entire, complete] company [band, cohort] together. word study 17 They dressed Him in a purple [royal, valuable] robe, twisted together [weaving, plaiting] a crown [wreath, garland] of thorns [thorny, sharp], and set [put, placed] it on His head [as a symbol of mockery, ridicule]. word study 18 And they began [to rule, commenced] to salute [pay respects to, greet] Him: “Hail [rejoice, be glad], King [sovereign ruler] of the Jews [people of Judah, Jewish descent]!” word study 19 They kept striking [repeatedly hitting, smiting] His head [the upper part of the body, the source of thoughts and feelings] with a staff [reed, stick, rod] and spitting [showing contempt, disrespect] on Him. And they knelt down [bowed their knees, worshiped in humility] and bowed [paid homage, showed respect] before Him [in reverence, with worship]. word study 20 After they had [finished, completed] mocked Him, they removed the [valuable, royal] purple robe and put His own [personal, private] clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out [to a place of execution] to crucify [to impale on a cross, to put to death] Him. word study 21 Now Simon [a passerby, coming from the countryside] of Cyrene, the father [male parent, ancestor] of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by [going along, proceeding] on his way in from the country [field, rural area], and the soldiers forced [compelled, impressed] him to carry [bear, take up] the cross [instrument of capital punishment] of Jesus. word study 22 They brought Jesus [to lead or carry] to a place [location or area] called Golgotha [a place like a skull, Dead Man’s Head], which means [to translate or interpret] The Place [specific spot] of the Skull [cranium, Calvary]. word study 23 There they offered Him wine [mixed with a bitter substance, having medicinal properties] mixed with myrrh [a fragrant resin, used for pain relief], but He did not [refused to, would not] take it [receive or accept, to swallow or drink]. word study 24 And they [then, at that moment] crucified [nailed to a cross, impaled] Him [Jesus, the Messiah]. They also [in addition, furthermore] divided [shared, distributed] His garments [clothing, robes] by casting [throwing, tossing] lots [chance, fate] to decide [determine, choose] what [which, whichever] each of them would [should, might] take [receive, possess]. word study 25 It was the third [nine in the morning] hour [a specific time] when they crucified [put on the cross, to impale] Him [referring to Jesus]. word study 26 And the charge [superscription, written accusation] inscribed [to write on, epigegrammene] against Him read: THE KING [sovereign ruler] OF THE JEWS [a person from Judah]. word study 27 Along with Jesus [and also, in close association], they crucified [impaled on a cross, nailed to a stake] two robbers [rebels, thieves, lawless men] [those who take by force], one on His right [the side of honor, the direction of strength] and one on His left [the side of lesser honor, the direction of weakness]. word study 29 And those who passed by [railing on Him, speaking evil] heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads [in mockery, wagging them] and saying, “Aha [an expression of irony, wow]! You who are going to destroy [tear down, demolish] the temple [a sacred place of worship, the inner sanctuary] and rebuild [construct, restore] it in three [a specific number of] days [a 24-hour period, a time of completion], word study 30 come down [away from, from the top of] from the cross [the instrument of crucifixion] and save [rescue, deliver from harm] Yourself [your own life, your own soul]!” word study 31 In the same way [similarly, in a like manner], the chief priests [high-priest, top Jewish leaders] and scribes [scholars, teachers of the law] mocked [to jeer at, ridiculed] Him among themselves, saying, “He saved [delivered, rescued] others [different people], but He cannot [is not able, lacks the power] save [rescue, deliver] Himself [His own life]! word study 32 Let the Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], the King [sovereign ruler] of Israel [God’s chosen people], come down [descend, fall down] now [at this present time] from the cross [instrument of capital punishment], so that we may see [perceive, experience] and believe [trust, have faith]!” And even those who were crucified [suffered, died] with Him [Jesus, the Savior] berated [reviled, spoke badly of] Him. word study 33 From the [noon] sixth hour [a specific time, a sea of moments] until the [three in the afternoon] ninth hour darkness [absence of light, spiritual gloom] came over [upon, against] all [complete, entire] the land [earth, soil, a region]. word study 34 At the ninth [three o’clock, late afternoon] hour, Jesus cried out [with a loud voice, shouting] in a loud voice, “Eloi [my God], Eloi, lema [why] sabachthani?” which means, “My God [the supreme Creator], My God, why [for what reason] have You forsaken [abandoned, left behind] Me?” word study 35 When some [certain ones, those nearby] of those standing [to stand by, be at hand] nearby heard [akousantes, to hear and understand] this, they said, “Behold [idou, see and perceive], He is calling [to address by name] Elijah [Elian, the prophet].” word study 36 And someone ran [ran hastily, with urgency] and filled a sponge [a simple household item] with sour wine [vinegar, a type of sour wine]. He put it on a reed [a stick, a plant that grows in the water] and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone [release Him, let Him be]. Let us see [perceive, attend to] if Elijah [a prophet, the expected forerunner] comes to take Him down [to lower Him from the cross, to remove Him].” word study 37 But Jesus [the Son of God, Joshua] let out [uttered, cried with] a loud [great, intense] cry [voice, sound] and [then, afterwards] breathed [yielded, gave up] His last [spirit, ghost, expires]. word study 38 And the veil [curtain, partition] of the temple [sacred place of worship] was torn [rent, split] in two [into two pieces] from top [from above, again] to bottom [under, downwards]. word study 39 When the centurion [a Roman military officer] standing there in front of Jesus saw how He had breathed [given up, expired] His last, he said, “Truly [indeed, surely] this man was the Son [having God’s nature, divine] of God [the supreme deity, Creator]!” word study 40 And there were also women [looking on, watching from afar] watching from a distance [at a far remove, from a remote location]. Among them were Mary Magdalene [from Magdala, a follower of Jesus], Mary [the mother of James the younger and of Joses] the mother of James the younger [the less, the smaller] and of Joses [also known as Joseph], and Salome [a devoted follower, a faithful attendant]. word study 41 These women had followed [accompanied, walked with] Jesus and ministered [served, attended to His needs] to Him while He was in [dwelling among, present in] Galilee, and there were many other [numerous, several] women who had come up [ascended, gone up] to Jerusalem with Him. word study 42 Now [at this point, already] it was [had become] already evening [the time of nightfall]. Since [because, for the reason that] it was [existed as] Preparation Day [the day of preparation, Friday] (that is [which is], the day [Friday] before [preceding] the Sabbath [the day of rest]), word study 43 Joseph [a noble and honorable man] of Arimathea, a prominent [honorable and respected] Council member who himself was waiting [expecting and looking forward to] for the kingdom [reign and dominion] of God, boldly [with confidence and courage] went to Pilate to ask [request and petition] for the body [physical form and person] of Jesus. word study 44 Pilate [the Roman governor] was surprised [marvelled, wondered] to hear that Jesus was already [even now, at this moment] dead [had died, passed away], so he summoned [called to, sent for] the centurion [a Roman military officer, in charge of 100 soldiers] to ask [question, inquire of] if this [whether he had been dead for long, if he had died some time ago] was so. word study 45 When Pilate had confirmed [learned the truth, been informed] it with the centurion [a Roman military officer], he granted [gave, allowed] the body [physical person, corpse] to Joseph [a devout follower, a prominent Israelite]. word study 46 So Joseph bought [purchased, acquired] a linen cloth [fine linen], took down [lowered, removed] the body of Jesus, wrapped [enwrapped, wound] it in the cloth [linen], and placed [laid, deposited] it in a tomb [sepulcher, grave] that had been cut out [hewn, quarried] of the rock [a mass of rock]. Then he rolled [placed, positioned] a stone [large stone] against [upon, to] the entrance [door] to the tomb [sepulcher]. word study 47 Mary [a follower of Jesus, healed of seven demons] Magdalene [from Magdala, a town in Palestine] and Mary [a faithful disciple] the mother of Joseph [also known as Joses] saw [to see, to discern, to behold] where His body [physical form, corpse] was placed [laid, put, laid to rest]. word study