Mark 15:20 kjv
And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
Mark 15:20 nkjv
And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.
Mark 15:20 niv
And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
Mark 15:20 esv
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.
Mark 15:20 nlt
When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.
Mark 15 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mockery & Humiliation of Christ | ||
| Ps 22:6-7 | But I am a worm... scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me... | Prophecy of Messiah's public scorn. |
| Isa 50:6 | I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. | Prophecy of physical abuse and humiliation. |
| Matt 27:27-31 | Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him... | Parallel account of the mockery by soldiers. |
| Lk 22:63-65 | Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him and beating him... | Jesus mocked by guards of the high priest. |
| Lk 23:11 | And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him... and sent him back to Pilate. | Jesus mocked by Herod and his soldiers. |
| Phil 2:7-8 | but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant... And being found in human form, he humbled himself... | Christ's self-abasement and ultimate humiliation. |
| Stripping & Clothing | ||
| Matt 27:28-31 | And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns... And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him... | Direct parallel description of the action. |
| Jn 19:23-24 | When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and made four parts... But his tunic was seamless... They said... "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." | Connects to the common practice of claiming the clothes of the crucified. |
| Led Out to Execution | ||
| Lev 24:14 | “Bring out of the camp the one who cursed... | Old Testament law: execution outside the camp. |
| Num 15:35-36 | "The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him outside the camp." And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death... | Example of Old Testament execution practice outside camp. |
| 1 Ki 21:13 | "...then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died." | Execution example: taken outside the city. |
| Heb 13:11-13 | For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp... So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. | Theological significance of Jesus suffering outside the gate. |
| Jn 19:16-17 | So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. | John's account of Jesus being led out. |
| Acts 7:58 | Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. | Stephen's execution outside the city. |
| Prophetic Fulfillment & Suffering Servant | ||
| Ps 22:16 | For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— | Prophecy directly pointing to crucifixion method. |
| Isa 53:5-7 | But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities... He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth... | Detailed prophecy of Messiah's suffering for sin. |
| Zech 12:10 | "...They will look on me, whom they have pierced; they will mourn for him, as one mourns for an only son..." | Prophecy of piercing, implying the manner of death. |
| Lk 24:26 | Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? | Necessity of Christ's suffering for His glory. |
| 1 Pet 2:21-24 | For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example... He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree... | Jesus' suffering as an example and for atonement. |
| Kingship (Mocked & True) | ||
| Ps 2:2 | The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed... | Foreshadows earthly rulers opposing God's King. |
| Zech 9:9 | Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!... behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey... | Prophecy of humble, righteous King's arrival. |
| Matt 2:2 | "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." | Magi's search for the newborn King of the Jews. |
| Jn 18:36-37 | Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world... "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world..." | Jesus affirms His kingship to Pilate. |
| Rev 19:16 | On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. | Ultimate affirmation of Jesus' divine kingship. |
Mark 15 verses
Mark 15 20 Meaning
Mark 15:20 records the moment immediately preceding Jesus' crucifixion, when the Roman soldiers ceased their theatrical mockery of His kingship. Having dressed Him in a purple robe and a crown of thorns to ridicule His royal claims, they then stripped these mocking symbols from Him. Following this, they put His own regular clothes back on Him and led Him out of the Praetorium to Golgotha, the place designated for His execution by crucifixion. This verse signifies the abrupt end of the psychological torment and the initiation of the physical journey to the cross, marking the ultimate culmination of His redemptive suffering.
Mark 15 20 Context
Mark chapter 15 records Jesus' trial before Pontius Pilate, His condemnation, and the initial stages of His crucifixion. Verses 1-15 detail Pilate's reluctant yet eventual concession to the crowd's demand for Barabbas's release and Jesus' execution. Following Pilate's judgment, Mark 15:16-20 focuses specifically on the Roman soldiers' actions within the Praetorium, where they subject Jesus to a brutal mockery, recognizing His purported claim to kingship with derisive ceremony. Verse 20 serves as the culmination of this intense period of physical and psychological abuse, transitioning the narrative from the inside of the governor's headquarters to the public procession towards the place of crucifixion. Historically, Roman executions were public spectacles, often beginning with scourging and followed by the condemned being led out in their own clothing to enhance public shame and deter rebellion, emphasizing Jesus' transition from a "mock king" to a common condemned criminal.
Mark 15 20 Word analysis
- And when they had mocked Him (Καὶ ὅτε ἐνέπαιξαν αὐτῷ - Kai hote enepaixan autō):
- ἐνέπαιξαν (enepaixan): Aorist active indicative of empaizō. Means to mock, ridicule, treat as a plaything, or make sport of. The prefix en intensifies the verb paizō (to play), implying deep-seated contempt and a cruel, derisive game.
- Significance: This marks the conclusion of their sport, highlighting the deliberate, dehumanizing nature of the soldiers' actions. It fulfills prophecies of the Messiah being despised and rejected.
- they took off (ἐξέδυσαν - exedysan):
- ἐξέδυσαν (exedysan): Aorist active indicative of ekdyō. To strip off, disrobe. This is a swift, decisive action, reversing their earlier clothing of Him in purple.
- Significance: It marks the end of their satirical ceremony. The removal of the purple robe meant they were finished with their 'game' and were transitioning to the actual, deadly business of execution.
- the purple robe (τὴν πορφύραν - tēn porphuran):
- πορφύραν (porphuran): Refers to a fabric or garment dyed with purple, traditionally associated with royalty, nobility, and power due to its rarity and expense. Here, it was a symbol of their scornful acknowledgment of His alleged claim to kingship.
- Significance: It was not a true royal robe, but a symbol used in mockery, yet ironically, it highlighted Jesus' true, albeit unrecognized, kingship. Its removal was part of bringing Him back to the status of an ordinary condemned man.
- from Him, and put His own clothes on Him (αὐτὸν τὰ ἴδια ἱμάτια - auton ta idia himatia):
- ἐνέδυσαν (enedysan): Aorist active indicative of endyo. To clothe, put on clothes. The inverse action of stripping.
- τὰ ἴδια ἱμάτια (ta idia himatia): His own clothes/garments. These would be His everyday attire.
- Significance: Dressing Jesus back in His own clothes restored Him to the appearance of a common person awaiting execution, ensuring the maximum public shame and facilitating the soldiers' later claim to His garments.
- and led Him out (καὶ ἐξήγαγον αὐτόν - kai exēgagon auton):
- ἐξήγαγον (exēgagon): Aorist active indicative of exagō. To lead out, bring forth. A formal term for escorting a prisoner to their place of execution.
- Significance: This indicates the physical journey from the Roman Praetorium towards Golgotha. It resonates with Old Testament practices of casting out those condemned to death (e.g., outside the camp/city), symbolizing His being rejected and cast out by humanity.
- to crucify Him (ἵνα σταυρώσωσιν αὐτόν - hina staurōsōsin auton):
- ἵνα (hina): A conjunctive particle expressing purpose or intent: "in order that," "so that." Clearly states the reason for leading Him out.
- σταυρώσωσιν (staurōsōsin): Aorist active subjunctive of stauroō. To crucify, fasten to a cross. This was the specific form of capital punishment reserved for non-Roman citizens, particularly for treason or rebellion.
- Significance: This final phrase states the horrific, ultimate purpose of their actions, signifying the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan through the most brutal form of death.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "And when they had mocked Him, they took off the purple robe from Him, and put His own clothes on Him": This sequence illustrates the Roman soldiers' complete control over Jesus. Their actions demonstrate a transition from playful, albeit cruel, parody of His kingship to the serious business of executing a condemned criminal. It shows a profound shift in intent – from mocking a pretend king to dealing with a condemned man, stripped of all dignities. This precise narration emphasizes the extent of Jesus' humiliation, a prelude to His physical suffering.
- "and led Him out to crucify Him": This phrase encapsulates the final, grim inevitability of Jesus' journey to the cross. It signifies the public nature of the execution, the solemn procession towards Golgotha, and the fulfillment of Pilate's sentence. The simplicity and directness of the phrasing convey the irreversible progression towards the crucifixion, highlighting both the deliberate cruelty of men and the divine purpose unfolding.
Mark 15 20 Bonus section
The act of replacing the purple robe with Jesus' own clothes prior to crucifixion had multiple purposes for the Roman soldiers. First, it completed their 'play-acting' and shifted focus to the official execution. Second, it visually returned Jesus to the status of a common, low-status condemned criminal for public display. Third, it allowed them to retain the valuable, mockingly "royal" robe, or possibly other objects, from the mockery, ensuring that only Jesus' less valuable personal clothes were on Him to be divided later, as was customary for the executioners' spoils. This systematic humiliation served to break the condemned, deter others, and uphold Roman authority. Jesus' meek acceptance of this profound reversal of status, from mock-king to common criminal led to slaughter, vividly underscores His humility and His purposeful fulfillment of His mission as the Suffering Servant.
Mark 15 20 Commentary
Mark 15:20 succinctly encapsulates the transition from Jesus' mental and symbolic torment to His physical journey towards death. The soldiers, having concluded their sadistic game of 'king,' methodically removed the instruments of their mockery—the purple robe and presumably the crown of thorns. Replacing these with His own humble garments returned Him to the status of a common condemned man, amplifying His public shame before execution. Leading Him out of the Praetorium marked the public commencement of His final journey, the "way of sorrows," towards Golgotha. This deliberate stripping and re-clothing before the public procession underscored both the Roman practice of humiliating prisoners and Jesus' ultimate condescension for humanity. This verse starkly portrays Christ's utter submission to the will of God, enduring extreme degradation at the hands of those who did not understand His true identity, even as He walked towards the pinnacle of redemptive history.