Mark 15:37 kjv
And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
Mark 15:37 nkjv
And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.
Mark 15:37 niv
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
Mark 15:37 esv
And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.
Mark 15:37 nlt
Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last.
Mark 15 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 27:50 | And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. | Parallels Mark, highlights the powerful cry. |
| Lk 23:46 | And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last. | Reveals the content of the loud cry and the voluntary giving of spirit. |
| Jn 19:30 | So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. | Another Gospel's account of voluntary death, highlighting completion. |
| Jn 10:17-18 | “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again...” | Crucial for understanding the voluntary nature of Jesus' death. |
| Is 53:12 | Because He poured out His soul unto death... | Prophetic foreshadowing of Messiah's sacrificial death. |
| Heb 2:14 | ...that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. | The purpose of Christ's death – victory over sin and death. |
| Phil 2:8 | And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. | Emphasizes obedience and the humiliating nature of crucifixion. |
| Ps 22:15 | My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. | Foreshadows physical suffering unto death on the cross. |
| Ps 31:5 | Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. | Psalm Jesus quoted on the cross, revealing trust in God in death. |
| 1 Pet 2:24 | who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. | Purpose of His death: atonement for sin. |
| Rom 5:8 | But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. | The foundational reason for His death – God's love. |
| Mk 15:38 | Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. | Immediate, significant consequence of Jesus' death, opening access to God. |
| Matt 27:51 | Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks split... | Parallels Mark's account of the veil tearing and adds more phenomena. |
| Lk 23:45 | Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. | Parallels Mark and highlights the darkening of the sun. |
| Mk 15:39 | So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!” | Immediate impact of Jesus' death on a witness, specifically due to the manner of His death. |
| Matt 27:54 | So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” | Centurion's confession, also triggered by the events surrounding Jesus' death. |
| Lk 23:47 | So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” | Centurion's reaction to Jesus' death, acknowledging His righteousness. |
| Gen 2:7 | And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. | Contrast: God breathes life into man; Jesus voluntarily releases His spirit. |
| Eccl 12:7 | Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. | General human death where the spirit returns to God. Jesus' act is unique in its agency. |
| Heb 9:22 | And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. | Connects Jesus' death to the necessary act of atonement. |
| Col 2:14-15 | having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us... and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. | The triumphant, conquering aspect of Christ's death on the cross. |
| Rom 6:9 | knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. | Christ's death as a unique event leading to resurrection and permanent victory. |
Mark 15 verses
Mark 15 37 Meaning
Mark 15:37 describes the moment of Jesus' death on the cross, emphasizing a profound act of divine control and sacrifice. Jesus utters a loud cry, not a whimper of defeat or exhaustion, but a powerful sound immediately preceding His voluntary surrender of His life. This specific detail highlights His authority and consciousness even in death, setting His passing apart from typical crucifixion deaths where victims slowly faded. It signifies a willed action, rather than a mere succumbing to fatal injuries.
Mark 15 37 Context
Mark 15:37 takes place at the culmination of Jesus' suffering on the cross. He has endured mockery from religious leaders, soldiers, and passersby, and has been agonizing for hours since His crucifixion at the "third hour" (Mark 15:25), now nearing the "ninth hour" (3 PM, Mark 15:33). Immediately before this verse, the land was covered in darkness for three hours, and Jesus uttered His cry of abandonment ("My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" - Mark 15:34). Mark 15:37 describes His final conscious act and His physical death, directly followed by the tearing of the temple veil and the confession of the centurion, signifying the profound spiritual impact of His sacrificial death. Historically, Roman crucifixion was a brutal form of capital punishment, usually prolonged, where death was often due to asphyxiation or shock. The manner of Jesus' death, with a loud cry, indicates a remarkable strength and volition in contrast to the typical gradual weakening unto a quiet surrender.
Mark 15 37 Word analysis
- Jesus: Iēsous (Greek), meaning "Savior" or "Yahweh is salvation." This name highlights His identity and mission as the Messiah sent to redeem humanity.
- uttered: Greek aphēken (from aphiēmi), meaning "to send forth," "to release," "to utter," or "to let go." It implies an active emission, not a passive gasp.
- a loud cry: Greek phōnēn megalēn (from phōnē "voice, sound" and megalēn "great, loud"). This is crucial; it was a powerful, forceful utterance. It was not the weak gasp of one succumbing to suffocation, but a demonstration of control and consciousness, defying the expected pattern of death by crucifixion.
- again: Greek palin. This refers back to His earlier loud cry recorded in Mark 15:34 ("My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?"). It highlights that this final cry was a second, distinct, and intentional utterance, marking the immediate prelude to His death.
- and gave up His spirit: Greek exepneusen. This is a euphemism for "breathed out," or "expired." For Jesus, it is not merely succumbing to death, but a voluntary and deliberate act of surrendering His life. It affirms His agency in His own death, aligning with His prior statements (John 10:18) that He lays down His life of His own accord. This demonstrates sovereignty over death itself. The phrase avoids any suggestion of a struggle or defeat, but rather indicates a conscious decision to relinquish His breath/life.
Word Groups Analysis
- "Jesus uttered... again with a loud cry": This phrase emphasizes the deliberate and powerful nature of Jesus' final moments. His physical strength, even after prolonged torture, allowed for a potent vocal expression, suggesting divine will and purpose rather than simply physical collapse. This confounds the expectations of death for a crucified victim, challenging Roman notions of power and humiliation.
- "and gave up His spirit": This distinct phrase emphasizes the voluntary aspect of Jesus' death. Unlike a natural death or a forced execution where life is taken, Jesus gives up His spirit. This highlights His unique divine agency and sovereign control even in His human death. This also contrasts with general human death (Eccl 12:7), where the spirit merely "returns" to God, affirming Christ's unique identity as the Son of God with authority over His own life and death. It stands against polemics that might diminish His death as merely an unfortunate demise, asserting it as a decisive act of redemption.
Mark 15 37 Bonus section
The detail of Jesus' loud cry and voluntary giving up of His spirit in Mark's Gospel strongly counters both the contemporary Roman view of crucifixions as mere public executions for state control, and certain Jewish expectations of a Messiah who would never suffer such a humiliating death. By portraying Jesus' death as a powerful, intentional act rather than a weakness, Mark redefines power and victory. It is a polemic against the idea that death on a cross was the end of a failed messianic claimant; instead, it becomes the pinnacle of His obedient, saving work. Later Christian theology drew heavily on this intentionality to articulate the full humanity and deity of Christ, where a real death was suffered, yet by divine agency. The immediate effects like the torn temple veil (Mk 15:38) further affirm the cosmic significance of this precise moment, demonstrating that Jesus' loud cry and departure of spirit initiated a monumental shift in humanity's relationship with God.
Mark 15 37 Commentary
Mark 15:37 presents Jesus' death as a climactic moment defined by power and intention. His final "loud cry," coming after hours of torment and just prior to His passing, is profoundly significant. It distinguishes Him from typical crucifixion victims who often die in quiet agony or barely audible gasps. This forceful sound suggests His consciousness, control, and possibly a declaration of victory or an address to His Father, even in ultimate physical suffering. The subsequent phrase, "gave up His spirit," reinforces this volition, conveying that Jesus did not merely succumb to death but actively and deliberately surrendered His life. This was not a passive defeat but a decisive, conscious act of obedience to God’s will and a fulfillment of His mission to lay down His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). This deliberate "giving up" affirms His sovereignty and underscores the efficacy and purposefulness of His sacrifice, immediately followed by the symbolic tearing of the temple veil, signaling new access to God through His atoning work.