The Holy Gospel according to Mark

Chapter 15, verses 15 through 47

When Pilate saw that he could not persuade the crowd to change its mind, he released Barabbas to them and had Jesus publicly whipped, which was the normal prelude to crucifixion. Then he had Jesus led away to be crucified. The soldiers took Him into the headquarters of the governor; and the rest of the soldiers in the detachment gathered there, hundreds of them. They put a purple robe on Him and made a crown of thorns that they forced onto His head, and they began to cry out in mock salute.

Soldiers: Hail to the King of the Jews!

For a long while they beat Him on the head with a reed, spat upon Him, and knelt down as if to honor Him. When they had finished mocking Him, they stripped off His purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they took Him away to be executed.

Along the way, they met a man from Cyrene, Simon (the father of Rufus and Alexander), who was coming in from the fields; and they ordered him to carry the heavy crossbar of the cross. And so they came at last to the execution site, a hill called Golgotha, which means the “Place of a Skull.”

The soldiers offered Jesus wine mixed with myrrh to dull His pain, but He refused it. And so they crucified Him, divided up His clothes, and cast lots (an ancient equivalent of rolling dice) to see who would keep the clothes they had stripped from Him.

His crucifixion began about nine o’clock in the morning. Over His head hung a sign that indicated the charge for which He was being crucified. It read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” On either side of Him were two insurgents who also had received the death penalty. [And the Hebrew Scripture was completed that said, “He was considered just another criminal.”]

Those passing by on their way into or out of Jerusalem insulted and ridiculed Him.

Some in the Crowd: So You’re the One who was going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days? Well, if You’re so powerful, then why don’t You rescue Yourself? Come on down from the cross!

Chief Priests and Scribes (mocking Jesus among themselves): He rescued others, but He can’t rescue Himself. Let the Anointed—the King of Israel—come down from the cross now, and we will see it and believe.

Even the insurgents who were being crucified next to Him taunted Him and reviled Him.

At noon, the day suddenly darkened for three hours across the entire land. Sometime around three o’clock Jesus called out in a loud voice.

Jesus: Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?

Jesus was speaking, as in the psalms, “My God, My God, why have You turned Your back on Me?”

Some of those standing nearby misunderstood Him.

Bystanders: Hey, He’s calling for Elijah.

One of them filled a sponge with wine that had turned to vinegar and lifted it to Jesus’ lips on a stick so He could drink.

Bystander: Let’s see if Elijah will come to take Him down.

Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and He took His last breath.

At that moment, the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

[The tearing of the temple veil is a picture of what Jesus’ death has accomplished. The temple sanctuary is divided into two sections: the holy place and the most holy place. The most holy place is a chamber so sanctified that only the high priest can enter—and then only once a year. There God’s presence is manifest on earth.

A long curtain divides the two areas, and at the moment of Jesus’ death it is torn in two. The veil that serves as a means to protect everyone but the high priest from the power of God’s presence is no longer needed because Jesus, on account of His sacrificial death, gives everyone access to God. Only God Himself can rip the curtain in two “from top to bottom,” opening the way for people to come into His presence.]

The Roman Centurion, the soldier in charge of the executions, stood in front of Jesus, [heard His words,] and saw the manner of His death.

Centurion: Surely this man was the Son of God!

Off in the distance, away from the crowds, stood some women who knew and had followed Jesus, including Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of the younger James, Joses, and Salome. These were women who used to care for Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who had followed Jesus to Jerusalem joined them.

Evening came. The crucifixion had taken place on preparation day, Friday, before the Jewish Sabbath began at sundown. Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the ruling council who was also a believer anxiously waiting for the kingdom of God, went to Pilate and boldly asked for the body of Jesus.

Pilate could not believe Jesus was already dead, so he sent for the Centurion, who confirmed it. Then Pilate gave Joseph permission to take the body.

Joseph had the body wrapped in a linen burial cloth he had purchased and laid Him in a tomb that had been carved out of rock. Then he had a stone rolled over the opening to seal it. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were watching as the body was interred.

The VOICE Translation