12And Pilate again answered and said to them, "Then what do you want me to do with the one you call the King of the Jews?" [15:13] And they cried out again, "Crucify him!" [15:14] And Pilate said to them, "Why — what evil has he done?" But they cried out all the more excessively, "Crucify him!" [15:15] And Pilate, wanting to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and having flogged Jesus severely, he handed him over to be crucified.
MRK 15:12-15
Pilate Delivers Up Jesus
In the world it was spoken into
In the Roman provincial context of Judea, Pilate’s interaction with the crowd reflects the tension between Roman authority and local Jewish expectations. Pilate, as the Roman prefect, held the power of life and death, but his role required balancing imperial interests with local stability. The title 'King of the Jews' would have been politically charged, as it could imply a challenge to Roman rule, yet Pilate’s questioning suggests skepticism about Jesus’ threat. The crowd’s vehement cries for crucifixion reveal a mob mentality, amplified by the Passover festival’s heightened emotions. Pilate’s attempt to placate the crowd by releasing Barabbas, a known insurrectionist, underscores his pragmatic approach to maintaining order. The scourging of Jesus, a brutal Roman punishment, was both a means of humiliation and a prelude to crucifixion, the ultimate Roman deterrent against rebellion. This scene highlights the collision of Roman judicial authority, Jewish religious fervor, and the volatile dynamics of a festival crowd.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
MRK 15:12
- KJV
- And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
- BSB
- So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”
- Koinōnos
- And Pilate again answered and said to them, "Then what do you want me to do with the one you call the King of the Jews?
MRK 15:13
- KJV
- And they cried out again, Crucify him.
- BSB
- And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!”
- Koinōnos
- And they cried out again, "Crucify him!
MRK 15:14
- KJV
- Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.
- BSB
- “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
- Koinōnos
- And Pilate said to them, "Why — what evil has he done?" But they cried out all the more excessively, "Crucify him!
MRK 15:15
- KJV
- And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
- BSB
- And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
- Koinōnos
- And Pilate, wanting to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and having flogged Jesus severely, he handed him over to be crucified.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Where the historical framing draws from
- Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.3.3
›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.3.3
“And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross”
Cited to ground: Pilate, as the Roman prefect, held the power of life and death
Translator's notes
MRK 15:12
- King:The word translated 'King' here refers to a sovereign ruler, often with divine sanction, whose authority was absolute and whose position was inherited or divinely appointed, not elected.
MRK 15:13
- they cried out;:The term translated 'they cried out' suggests a loud, public, and often urgent or desperate shouting, more intense than simply speaking loudly.
MRK 15:14
- excessively:The word translated 'excessively' conveys a sense of going beyond what is necessary or expected, to an extraordinary or even superfluous degree.
MRK 15:15
- having flogged [him]:The phrase 'having flogged him' refers to a severe form of scourging, often with whips that could have bone or metal pieces, intended to inflict extreme pain and injury.