Archives for March 27, 2015

Mark 14:1-15:47 (NRSV)

Read Mark 14:1-15:47 on biblegateway.com

Chapter 14It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; Verse ²for they said, "Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people."

Verse ³While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. Verse ⁴But some were there who said to one another in anger, "Why was the ointment wasted in this way? Verse ⁵For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they scolded her. Verse ⁶But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. Verse ⁷For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. Verse ⁸She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Verse ⁹Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her."

Verse ¹⁰Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. Verse ¹¹When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

Verse ¹²On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?" Verse ¹³So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, Verse ¹⁴and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' Verse ¹⁵He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there." Verse ¹⁶So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

Verse ¹⁷When it was evening, he came with the twelve. Verse ¹⁸And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me." Verse ¹⁹They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, "Surely, not I?" Verse ²⁰He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. Verse ²¹For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born."

Verse ²²While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." Verse ²³Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. Verse ²⁴He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Verse ²⁵Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

Verse ²⁶When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Verse ²⁷And Jesus said to them, "You will all become deserters; for it is written,

'I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.'

Verse ²⁸But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." Verse ²⁹Peter said to him, "Even though all become deserters, I will not." Verse ³⁰Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times." Verse ³¹But he said vehemently, "Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you." And all of them said the same.

Verse ³²They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." Verse ³³He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. Verse ³⁴And he said to them, "I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake." Verse ³⁵And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. Verse ³⁶He said, "Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want." Verse ³⁷He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Verse ³⁸Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Verse ³⁹And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. Verse ⁴⁰And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. Verse ⁴¹He came a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Verse ⁴²Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand."

Verse ⁴³Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Verse ⁴⁴Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard." Verse ⁴⁵So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him. Verse ⁴⁶Then they laid hands on him and arrested him. Verse ⁴⁷But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Verse ⁴⁸Then Jesus said to them, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Verse ⁴⁹Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled." Verse ⁵⁰All of them deserted him and fled.

Verse ⁵¹A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, Verse ⁵²but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked.

Verse ⁵³They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled. Verse ⁵⁴Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, warming himself at the fire. Verse ⁵⁵Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. Verse ⁵⁶For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. Verse ⁵⁷Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, Verse ⁵⁸"We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'" Verse ⁵⁹But even on this point their testimony did not agree. Verse ⁶⁰Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?" Verse ⁶¹But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" Verse ⁶²Jesus said, "I am; and

'you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power,'
and 'coming with the clouds of heaven.'"

Verse ⁶³Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "Why do we still need witnesses? Verse ⁶⁴You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?" All of them condemned him as deserving death. Verse ⁶⁵Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, "Prophesy!" The guards also took him over and beat him.

Verse ⁶⁶While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. Verse ⁶⁷When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, "You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth." Verse ⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, "I do not know or understand what you are talking about." And he went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. Verse ⁶⁹And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders, "This man is one of them." Verse ⁷⁰But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, "Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean." Verse ⁷¹But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, "I do not know this man you are talking about." Verse ⁷²At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and wept.

Chapter 15As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Verse ²Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered him, "You say so." Verse ³Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Verse ⁴Pilate asked him again, "Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you." Verse ⁵But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

Verse ⁶Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. Verse ⁷Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. Verse ⁸So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Verse ⁹Then he answered them, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" Verse ¹⁰For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. Verse ¹¹But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Verse ¹²Pilate spoke to them again, "Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?" Verse ¹³They shouted back, "Crucify him!" Verse ¹⁴Pilate asked them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him!" Verse ¹⁵So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

Verse ¹⁶Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. Verse ¹⁷And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. Verse ¹⁸And they began saluting him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Verse ¹⁹They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. Verse ²⁰After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

Verse ²¹They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Verse ²²Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). Verse ²³And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. Verse ²⁴And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take.

Verse ²⁵It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. Verse ²⁶The inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." Verse ²⁷And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. Verse ²⁹Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, Verse ³⁰save yourself, and come down from the cross!" Verse ³¹In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Verse ³²Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.

Verse ³³When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. Verse ³⁴At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Verse ³⁵When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." Verse ³⁶And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." Verse ³⁷Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. Verse ³⁸And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Verse ³⁹Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"

Verse ⁴⁰There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. Verse ⁴¹These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

Verse ⁴²When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Verse ⁴³Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Verse ⁴⁴Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time. Verse ⁴⁵When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. Verse ⁴⁶Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Verse ⁴⁷Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid.