Mark 15 15

Mark 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.

Mark 15:15 nkjv

So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.

Mark 15:15 niv

Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Mark 15:15 esv

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Mark 15:15 nlt

So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

Mark 15 verses

Mark 15 15 Meaning

Mark 15:15 describes the pivotal moment in Jesus's trial where Pontius Pilate, yielding to the demands of the incited crowd, releases Barabbas, a known criminal, and condemns Jesus to death by crucifixion after having Him brutally flogged. This verse underscores Pilate's compromise of justice for political expediency and highlights the malicious rejection of the Son of God by the very people He came to save, leading directly to His atoning sacrifice.

Mark 15 15 Context

Mark 15:15 is the dramatic climax of Jesus's trial before Pontius Pilate, following His apprehension in Gethsemane (Mk 14:43-52), an irregular night trial before the Sanhedrin (Mk 14:53-65), and Peter's denial (Mk 14:66-72). The Jewish authorities, seeking to execute Jesus for blasphemy, lacked the authority under Roman rule to carry out capital punishment and thus brought Him before the Roman governor, Pilate, accusing Him of sedition (Mark focuses on Pilate's role).

The scene unfolds during the Passover festival, a time of heightened nationalistic fervor and Roman vigilance. It was customary for the Roman governor to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd (Mk 15:6), a gesture often interpreted as a means to placate the Jewish populace. Pilate attempts to use this custom to free Jesus, perceiving His innocence of Roman crimes, and offering a stark contrast: Barabbas, an insurgent and murderer (Mk 15:7), versus Jesus, called "the King of the Jews." Despite Pilate's reluctance and awareness of Jesus's blamelessness (Mk 15:10), the chief priests stir up the crowd to demand Barabbas's release and Jesus's crucifixion. Verse 15 marks Pilate's fateful decision, succumbing to the pressure of the mob and sacrificing justice to maintain civic order and protect his own political standing with Rome, rather than defending truth. The brutal Roman flogging, a standard prelude to crucifixion, inflicted severe physical torment, a foretaste of the cross. This choice by the crowd, demanding a rebel and denying their Messiah, stands as a stark testament to humanity's rejection of God's perfect plan.

Mark 15 15 Word analysis

• Wanting to satisfy (Βουλόμενος, Boulomenos): This Greek word indicates a strong will or deliberate intention. Pilate's decision was not accidental but a conscious act driven by a desire to appease the multitude (ὄχλος, ochlos). It reveals his moral compromise; his primary motivation was not justice but popular approval and political stability, fearing an uprising during the Passover.
• the crowd (τὸν ὄχλον, ton ochlon): This refers to the agitated mob that had been stirred up by the chief priests (Mk 15:11). The term ochlos often carries a connotation of a tumultuous, easily swayed multitude, rather than a representative gathering. Their fickle nature, shouting "Hosanna" just days before and now "Crucify Him," highlights human volatility and manipulation.
• Pilate (Πιλᾶτος, Pilatos): Pontius Pilate was the Roman prefect of Judea (AD 26–36). Historically, he was known for being a ruthless and insensitive governor. However, in the Gospels, he initially appears hesitant to condemn Jesus, perhaps due to political caution, the unusual nature of the charges, or a partial recognition of Jesus's innocence (Jn 19:4, 6). His ultimate act here exposes his political cowardice overriding justice.
• released (ἀπέλυσεν, apelysen): To let go, set free, discharge. This is the official act of liberation, ironically granted to a murderer while the innocent Messiah is condemned. It signifies the transfer of freedom from one prisoner to another as per the Passover custom, chosen by the crowd.
• Barabbas (Βαραββᾶν, Barabban): Meaning "son of the father" or "son of Abbas/teacher." This is a stark antithesis to Jesus, "Son of the Father (God)." Barabbas was a known rebel and murderer, imprisoned for insurrection (Mk 15:7). The crowd's choice of a violent insurrectionist over the King of Peace is deeply symbolic of humanity's preference for self-determined "freedom" and earthly rebellion over divine redemption.
• to them (αὐτοῖς, autois): Indicates the direct recipient of the release. Pilate hands Barabbas over to the very crowd that demanded him.
• And having flogged (καὶ φραγελλώσας, kai phragellōsas): This refers to Roman scourging (flagellation). It was an extremely brutal punishment inflicted with a whip embedded with metal or bone fragments, designed to tear the flesh. This scourging typically preceded crucifixion and often left victims severely maimed or dead before they even reached the cross. It fulfills Old Testament prophecies of the suffering Messiah (Isa 53:5).
• Jesus (τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ton Iēsoun): The central figure, the innocent Son of God, who willingly endured this suffering.
• he handed Him over (παρέδωκεν, paredōken): This verb means to deliver, to surrender, to betray. It carries a grave legal and theological weight. Pilate officially surrenders Jesus from his jurisdiction to the will of the Roman executioners and the Jewish leaders' desires. This same Greek root describes Judas's act of "betrayal" (Jn 18:2) and, ultimately, God the Father "handing over" His Son (Rom 8:32) as part of His sovereign plan.
• to be crucified (ἵνα σταυρωθῇ, hina staurōthē): The purpose clause indicates the direct intent for this handing over. Crucifixion was the most excruciating and shameful form of Roman capital punishment, reserved for slaves, rebels, and the lowest criminals. It was a public spectacle of humiliation and protracted death by asphyxiation and exhaustion. This method aligns with prophecy and ultimately became the means of atonement for sin.

Words-group analysis:

• "Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them.": This phrase succinctly captures Pilate's moral cowardice and political opportunism. He prioritizes pleasing the clamoring mob over upholding justice, directly setting the stage for Jesus's condemnation. It underscores the profound spiritual darkness of a populace that prefers a violent criminal to the innocent Son of God.
• "And having flogged Jesus, he handed Him over to be crucified.": This describes the immediate consequence of Pilate's decision. The flogging highlights the intense physical suffering inflicted upon Jesus, a necessary precursor to His crucifixion as part of the atoning sacrifice. "Handed Him over" implies a legal transfer, making Pilate responsible for the judgment, even if he washes his hands symbolically (Mt 27:24). The destination "to be crucified" pinpoints the predetermined and prophesied culmination of Jesus's earthly ministry: His death on the cross as the sacrifice for humanity's sins.

Mark 15 15 Bonus section

The choice of Barabbas over Jesus presents a profound theological and spiritual irony. Barabbas means "son of the father," while Jesus is the true Son of the Father, God. The crowd effectively chooses the "son of the human father," representing fallen humanity and its violent, rebellious nature, over the divine "Son of the Father," who brings true life and peace. This decision underscores the central theme of spiritual discernment: the world often prefers its own chaotic ways to the order and salvation offered by God. This event is a critical moment where humanity's ultimate decision about who Jesus is takes center stage. Furthermore, Pilate's "handing over" Jesus carries an echo of covenant terminology in the Septuagint, where God "hands over" Israel to their enemies as a judgment or "hands over" an offering. In this divine narrative, Pilate unknowingly participates in God's grand plan of "handing over" His Son as the supreme sacrifice.

Mark 15 15 Commentary

Mark 15:15 encapsulates the tragic intersection of human injustice and divine purpose. Pilate, the representative of Roman power and justice, capitulates to political pressure, exchanging an innocent man for a guilty rebel. His act of "satisfying the crowd" reveals a ruler who prioritized his own precarious position over truth, fulfilling the words of those who twist judgment. The decision to release Barabbas, a symbol of human rebellion and sin, while condemning Jesus, the blameless Son of God, powerfully illustrates the depths of humanity's spiritual blindness and fallen state, rejecting light for darkness.

The subsequent "flogging" was not mere corporal punishment but a torturous Roman practice designed to weaken the condemned before crucifixion. It highlights the immense suffering Jesus endured willingly, fulfilling the Suffering Servant prophecies (Isa 53). By handing Jesus over to be crucified, Pilate set in motion the event that, paradoxically, was God's ultimate plan for redemption. Though human agents acted in malice, God sovereignly worked through their wicked hands to achieve His saving will, offering His Son as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. This verse, therefore, is not merely a historical account of injustice but a foundational moment in the divine narrative of salvation, demonstrating humanity's sin, God's love, and the cost of redemption.