Mark 15:36

Verse

And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”

American Standard Version (1901)

And one ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to take him down.

Bible in Basic English

And one of them went quickly and, getting a sponge full of bitter wine, put it on a rod, and gave it to him for drink, saying, Let be; let us see if Elijah will come to take him down.

Free Bible Version

One man ran and filled a sponge with vinegar, put it on a stick, and tried to give it to Jesus to drink. “Leave him alone,” he said. “Let's see if Elijah will come to take him down.”

Geneva Bible 1599

And one ranne, and filled a spondge full of vineger, and put it on a reede, and gaue him to drinke, saying, Let him alone: let vs see if Elias will come, and take him downe.

King James (Authorized) Version

And 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.

One Unity Resource Bible

One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah [My God Yah] comes to take him down.”

Plain English Version

One man got up quickly and got a sponge, and he filled it with sour wine, and he put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus’s mouth, so he could suck a bit of it. And that man said, “All right, just leave him. Let us wait and see if Elijah will come and get him down.”

Translation for Translators

One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He placed it on the tip of a reed, and then he held it up for Jesus to suck out the wine that was in it. While he was doing that, someone said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah will come to take him down from the cross!”

Unlocked Literal Bible

Someone ran, put sour wine on a sponge, put it on a reed staff, and gave it to him to drink. The man said, “Let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

Noah Webster Bible

And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.

World English Bible

One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down.”

Young's Literal Translation

and one having run, and having filled a spunge with vinegar, having put [it] also on a reed, was giving him to drink, saying, 'Let alone, let us see if Elijah doth come to take him down.'

Context

The Death of Jesus

³⁵When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, He is calling Elijah.” ³⁶And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”

Summary

In Mark 15:36, as Jesus hangs on the cross, one of the bystanders offers Him sour wine on a sponge, saying, 'Let Him be, let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.' This moment reflects the fulfillment of prophecy, as Jesus, the Messiah, is rejected and misunderstood even in His suffering. The bystander's words reveal a lack of understanding of Jesus' true identity and purpose, highlighting the spiritual blindness of those who witnessed His crucifixion. Despite the ignorance and mockery of the crowd, Jesus endures the cross with grace and fulfills His mission of redemption for all humanity.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

There were also women looking on afar off,.... At some distance from the cross, observing what was said and done; among whom was Mary Magdalene; who had received great favours from Christ: and Mary the mother of James the less; or "little", so called to distinguish him from James the son of Zebedee, and because he might be little of stature: nor was it unusual with the Jews to distinguish persons after this manner: so we read (z) of R. Jesa, "the little", and of Samuel, "the little" (a), which some have thought to be the Apostle Paul, so called from the littleness of his stature: and of Joses; or "Joseph", as the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read; and Salome; the mother of Zebedee's children, James and John; See Gill on Mat 27:56. This was a common name among the Jews; Herod had a sister and a daughter of this name; and the daughter of Herodias, who demanded the head of John, the Baptist, was of this name; and it is the same with Shalom: we read (b) of one Imme Shalom, or mother Shalom, wife of R. Eliezer, and sister to Rabban Gamaliel. Salome, with the Ethiopians (c), is said to be Mary's midwife, and to accompany Christ, with Mary, and Joseph, when they fled into Egypt. (z) Zohar in Exod. fol. 63. 2. & passim. (a) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 28. 2. & 29. 1. (b) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 116. 1. (c) Ludolph. Lex. Ethiop. p. 525, & Castell. Lex. Polyglot, col. 3767.