The Judge on Trial
Mark 15:1-20
15 cAnd as soon as it was morning, the chief priests dheld a consultation with theelders and scribes and the whole council. And ethey bound Jesus and fled himaway and gdelivered him over to hPilate. 2 iAnd Pilate asked him, j“Are you the King ofthe Jews?” And he answered him, k“You have said so.” 3 And the chief priests accused himof many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, l“Have you no answer to make? See howmany charges they bring against you.” 5 But Jesus lmade no further answer, so that Pilatewas amazed.
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
6 mNow at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked.7 And among the rebels in prison, who had ncommitted murder oin the insurrection, therewas a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as heusually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for youthe King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that pit was out of envy that the chief priestshad delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release forthem Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with qtheman you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 AndPilate said to them, “Why? rWhat evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more,“Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, andhaving sscourged1 Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Jesus Is Mocked
16 tAnd the soldiers led him away inside uthe palace (that is, vthe governor’sheadquarters),2 and they called together the whole wbattalion.3 17 And they clothed himin xa purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18 And theybegan to salute him, y“Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 And they were striking his head with areed and zspitting on him and akneeling down in homage to him. 20 And when they hadbmocked him, they stripped him of xthe purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Andthey cled him out to crucify him.