Mark 15

Mc 15.1Et cōnfestim māne cōnsilium facientēs summī sacerdōtēs cum seniōribus, et scrībīs, et ūniversō conciliō, vincientēs Iēsum, dūxērunt, et trādidērunt Pīlātō.

And straightway in the morning the highest priests, making a plan with the elders and scribes and the entire council, binding Jesus, led him off and delivered him to Pilate.

Note. summī sacerdōtēs: 'the chief priests' (literally 'highest priests'), the leaders of the Temple priesthood. vincientēs: present participle of vinciō 'bind'. Pīlātō: dative of the indirect object with trādidērunt. Pontius Pilate was the Roman prefect of Judaea (c. AD 26-36); only he could order an execution.

Mc 15.2Et interrogāvit eum Pīlātus: Tū es rēx Iūdaeōrum? At ille respondēns, ait illī: Tū dīcis.

And Pilate questioned him: "You are the king of the Jews?" But he, answering, says to him: "You are saying it."

Note. Tū es rēx Iūdaeōrum?: a question with no question word, marked only by the tone of voice (and here by the question mark). Tū dīcis: 'you say (so)', a reply that neither denies nor fully accepts the title.

Mc 15.3Et accūsābant eum summī sacerdōtēs in multīs.

And the highest priests kept accusing him in many things.

Mc 15.4Pīlātus autem rūrsum interrogāvit eum, dīcēns: Nōn respondēs quidquam? vidē in quantīs tē accūsant.

But Pilate questioned him once more, saying: "You answer nothing? Look in how many things they accuse you."

Note. Nōn respondēs quidquam?: quisquam/quidquam is used in negative sentences, 'anything at all'. in quantīs: 'in how many things', an indirect question; Biblical Latin often uses the indicative (accūsant) where classical Latin would put a subjunctive.

Mc 15.5Iēsus autem amplius nihil respondit, ita ut mīrārētur Pīlātus.

But Jesus answered nothing further, so that Pilate was wondering.

Note. ita ut mīrārētur: result clause, 'so that Pilate was amazed'. mīror is deponent: passive form, active meaning.

Mc 15.6Per diem autem fēstum solēbat dīmittere illīs ūnum ex vīnctīs, quemcumque petīssent.

But on the feast day he was accustomed to release to them one out of those in chains, whichever one they had requested.

Note. diem fēstum: 'the feast day', here Passover. quemcumque petīssent: petīssent is a contracted pluperfect subjunctive (= petīvissent), subjunctive because it describes what used to happen whenever they asked.

Mc 15.7Erat autem quī dīcēbātur Barrabās, quī cum sēditiōsīs erat vīnctus, quī in sēditiōne fēcerat homicīdium.

Now there was one who was called Barabbas, who had been bound with the rioters, who in the riot had done a killing.

Note. erat ... quī dīcēbātur Barabbās: 'there was (a man) who was called Barabbas'. The edition prints Barrabās here and Barabbās later. sēditiōsīs, sēditiōne: the 'uprising' was presumably one of the outbreaks against Roman rule.

Mc 15.8Et cum ascendisset turba, coepit rogāre, sīcut semper faciēbat illīs.

And when the crowd had come up, it began to ask, just as he was always doing for them.

Mc 15.9Pīlātus autem respondit eīs, et dīxit: Vultis dīmittam vōbīs rēgem Iūdaeōrum?

But Pilate answered them and said: "Do you wish that I release to you the king of the Jews?"

Note. Vultis dīmittam vōbīs ...?: volō followed directly by a subjunctive without ut, 'do you want me to release ...?' The same construction comes again in verse 12 (vultis faciam).

Mc 15.10Sciēbat enim quod per invidiam trādidissent eum summī sacerdōtēs.

For he knew that through envy the highest priests had delivered him.

Note. Sciēbat quod ... trādidissent: in Biblical Latin, quod (or quia) + a finite verb often replaces the classical accusative and infinitive after verbs of knowing and saying: 'he knew that they had handed him over'.

Mc 15.11Pontificēs autem concitāvērunt turbam, ut magis Barabbam dīmitteret eīs.

But the high priests roused the crowd, that he might rather release Barabbas to them.

Note. ut magis Barabbam dīmitteret: purpose clause; magis here means 'rather, instead'.

Mc 15.12Pīlātus autem iterum respondēns, ait illīs: Quid ergō vultis faciam rēgī Iūdaeōrum?

But Pilate, answering again, says to them: "What then do you wish that I do to the king of the Jews?"

Note. Quid ... faciam rēgī Iūdaeōrum?: facere + dative, 'what am I to do to/with'.

Mc 15.13At illī iterum clāmāvērunt: Crucifīge eum.

But they again cried out: "Crucify him."

Note. Crucifīge: imperative of crucifīgō (crux + fīgō, 'fix to a cross').

Mc 15.14Pīlātus vērō dīcēbat illīs: Quid enim malī fēcit? At illī magis clāmābant: Crucifīge eum.

But Pilate kept saying to them: "For what of evil has he done?" But they cried out more: "Crucify him."

Note. Quid enim malī fēcit?: malī is a partitive genitive with quid, 'what (of) wrong'. enim in a question adds indignation: 'why, what ...?'

Mc 15.15Pīlātus autem volēns populō satisfacere, dīmīsit illīs Barabbam, et trādidit Iēsum flagellīs caesum, ut crucifīgerētur.

But Pilate, wishing to satisfy the people, released Barabbas to them, and delivered Jesus, beaten with whips, so that he might be crucified.

Note. flagellīs caesum: 'beaten with whips'; caesum is the perfect passive participle of caedō. Flogging before crucifixion was normal Roman practice. ut crucifīgerētur: purpose, 'to be crucified'.

Mc 15.16Mīlitēs autem dūxērunt eum in ātrium praetōriī, et convocant tōtam cohortem,

But the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the praetorium, and they call together the entire cohort,

Note. praetōriī: the praetorium, the governor's headquarters. cohortem: a cohort, a unit of several hundred soldiers. Note the switch to the present tense (convocant) in vivid narrative.

Mc 15.17et induunt eum purpurā, et impōnunt eī plectentēs spīneam corōnam.

and they clothe him with purple, and, plaiting a thorny crown, they set it on him.

Note. induunt eum purpurā: induō takes the person in the accusative and the garment in the ablative, 'they clothe him with purple'. Purple was the colour of royalty: the soldiers are mocking the claim to be king.

Mc 15.18Et coepērunt salūtāre eum: Avē rēx Iūdaeōrum.

And they began to greet him: "Hail, king of the Jews."

Note. Avē: 'hail', a greeting formula (imperative of a defective verb). rēx: vocative.

Mc 15.19Et percutiēbant caput eius arundine: et cōnspuēbant eum, et pōnentēs genua, adōrābant eum.

And they kept striking his head with a reed, and kept spitting on him, and, setting down their knees, they kept doing reverence to him.

Note. harundine: 'with a reed'; the edition spells it arundine. pōnentēs genua: literally 'placing their knees', i.e. kneeling.

Mc 15.20Et postquam illūsērunt eī, exuērunt illum purpurā, et induērunt eum vestīmentīs suīs: et ēdūcunt illum ut crucifīgerent eum.

And after they had made sport of him, they stripped him of the purple and clothed him with his own garments; and they lead him out to crucify him.

Note. illūsērunt: illūdō + dative, 'make fun of'. exuērunt illum purpurā: exuō, like induō, takes the person in the accusative and the garment in the ablative.

Mc 15.21Et angariāvērunt praetereuntem quempiam, Simōnem Cȳrēnaeum venientem dē vīllā, patrem Alexandrī et Rūfī, ut tolleret crucem eius.

And they pressed into service a certain man passing by, Simon, a Cyrenean, coming from the farm, father of Alexander and of Rufus, that he might lift his cross.

Note. angariāvērunt: 'they forced into service', from a Persian word for royal couriers who could commandeer help; Roman soldiers could likewise compel civilians to carry loads. Cȳrēnaeum: from Cyrene in North Africa.

Mc 15.22Et perdūcunt illum in Golgotha locum: quod est interpretātum Calvāriae locus.

And they bring him into Golgotha, a place, which is interpreted 'place of a skull'.

Note. Golgotha: an Aramaic name; quod est interpretātum introduces its translation, Calvāriae locus 'place of a skull'. calvāria 'skull' is the source of the English 'Calvary'.

Mc 15.23Et dabant eī bibere myrrhātum vīnum: et nōn accēpit.

And they were giving him wine mixed with myrrh to drink; and he did not accept.

Note. dabant ei bibere: dō + infinitive, 'they gave him to drink'. The imperfect suggests an attempt: 'they tried to give him'. myrrhātum vīnum: wine flavoured with myrrh, perhaps meant to dull pain.

Mc 15.24Et crucifīgentēs eum, dīvīsērunt vestīmenta eius, mittentēs sortem super eīs, quis quid tolleret.

And crucifying him, they divided his garments, throwing a lot over them, who might take what.

Note. mittentēs sortem: 'casting lots'. quis quid tolleret: a double indirect question, 'who should take what'.

Mc 15.25Erat autem hōra tertia: et crucifīxērunt eum.

Now it was the third hour; and they crucified him.

Note. hōra tertia: the Roman day was divided into twelve hours from sunrise, so the third hour is about nine in the morning.

Mc 15.26Et erat titulus causae eius īnscrīptus: Rēx Iūdaeōrum.

And the label of his charge was written on: King of the Jews.

Note. titulus causae: a notice stating the charge, displayed with the condemned man.

Mc 15.27Et cum eō crucifīgunt duōs latrōnēs: ūnum ā dextrīs, et alium ā sinistrīs eius.

And with him they crucify two bandits: one on the right, and the other on his left.

Mc 15.28Et implēta est Scrīptūra, quae dīcit: Et cum inīquīs reputātus est.

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says: And with the unjust he was reckoned.

Note. The scripture quoted is Isaiah 53:12. This verse is missing from the oldest Greek manuscripts and is often printed as a later addition. reputātus est: 'he was counted'.

Mc 15.29Et praetereuntēs blasphēmābant eum, moventēs capita sua, et dīcentēs: Vāh! quī dēstruis templum Deī, et in tribus diēbus reaedificās,

And those passing by kept reviling him, moving their heads and saying: "Vah! you who pull down the temple of God and in three days build it again,

Note. Vāh: an exclamation of mockery. dēstruis ... reaedificās: present tenses used of what someone claims to do, 'you who (would) destroy ...'.

Mc 15.30salvum fac tēmetipsum dēscendēns dē cruce.

make yourself safe, coming down from the cross."

Note. salvum fac tēmetipsum: 'make yourself safe', i.e. 'save yourself'. tēmetipsum is tē strengthened by -met and ipsum.

Mc 15.31Similiter et summī sacerdōtēs illūdentēs, ad alterutrum cum scrībīs dīcēbant: Aliōs salvōs fēcit; sēipsum nōn potest salvum facere.

Likewise the highest priests too, making sport, were saying to one another with the scribes: "Others he made safe; himself he is not able to make safe.

Note. ad alterutrum: 'to one another', a late Latin phrase. Aliōs salvōs fēcit; sēipsum nōn potest salvum facere: the irony rests on the chiasmus others/saved ... himself/save.

Mc 15.32Chrīstus rēx Isrāël dēscendat nunc dē cruce, ut videāmus, et crēdāmus. Et quī cum eō crucifīxī erant, convītiābantur eī.

Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." And those who had been crucified with him were abusing him.

Note. dēscendat: jussive subjunctive, 'let him come down'. ut videāmus et crēdāmus: purpose. convītiābantur: deponent, 'they were abusing'.

Mc 15.33Et factā hōrā sextā, tenebrae factae sunt per tōtam terram usque in hōram nōnam.

And the sixth hour having come, darkness came over the whole land up to the ninth hour.

Note. factā hōrā sextā: ablative absolute, 'the sixth hour having come', i.e. at noon. usque in hōram nōnam: 'right up to the ninth hour' (about three in the afternoon).

Mc 15.34Et hōrā nōnā exclāmāvit Iēsus vōce magnā, dīcēns: Elōī, elōī, lamma sabacthanī? quod est interpretātum: Deus meus, Deus meus, ut quid dērelīquistī mē?

And at the ninth hour Jesus called out with a great voice, saying: "Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani?", which is interpreted: "My God, my God, to what end have you abandoned me?"

Note. Ēloī, Ēloī, lamma sabacthanī: Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, quoting Psalm 22:1. ut quid: 'to what end, why', a phrase common in Biblical Latin. Deus meus: vocative (deus has no separate vocative form in classical use).

Mc 15.35Et quīdam dē circumstantibus audientēs, dīcēbant: Ecce Ēliam vocat.

And certain of those standing around, hearing, were saying: "Look, he is calling Elias."

Note. Ēliam vocat: the bystanders hear Ēloī as the name of the prophet Elijah (Latin Ēlias), who was expected to come to the help of the righteous.

Mc 15.36Currēns autem ūnus, et implēns spongiam acētō, circumpōnēnsque calamō, pōtum dabat eī, dīcēns: Sinite, videāmus sī veniat Ēliās ad dēpōnendum eum.

But one man running, and filling a sponge with sour wine and putting it round a reed, was giving him a drink, saying: "Allow it; let us see whether Elias comes to take him down."

Note. acētō: 'sour wine', the cheap wine soldiers drank. circumpōnēns ... calamō: 'putting (it) round a reed'. Sinite, videāmus: 'let (him) be, let us see'. ad dēpōnendum eum: gerund with ad expressing purpose.

Mc 15.37Iēsus autem ēmissā vōce magnā expīrāvit.

But Jesus, a great voice having been sent out, breathed out his life.

Note. ēmissā vōce magnā: ablative absolute, 'having let out a loud cry'. exspīrāvit: 'breathed out', i.e. died.

Mc 15.38Et vēlum templī scissum est in duo, ā summō usque deorsum.

And the veil of the temple was split in two, from the top all the way down.

Note. vēlum templī: the curtain in the Temple that screened off the innermost sanctuary.

Mc 15.39Vidēns autem centuriō, quī ex adversō stābat, quia sīc clāmāns expīrāsset, ait: Vērē hic homō Fīlius Deī erat.

But the centurion who was standing opposite, seeing that crying out in this way he had breathed out his life, says: "Truly this man was Son of God."

Note. Vidēns ... quia ... exspīrāsset: quia + subjunctive replaces the accusative and infinitive after a verb of seeing. centuriō: a Roman officer commanding a century (about 80 men). Fīlius Deī: without an article in Latin, so it can be 'a son of God' or 'the Son of God'.

Mc 15.40Erant autem et mulierēs dē longē aspicientēs: inter quās erat Marīa Magdalēnē, et Marīa Iacōbī minōris, et Iōsēph māter, et Salōmē:

Now there were also women looking on from far off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the lesser and of Joseph, and Salome,

Note. dē longē: 'from far off', a late Latin combination of preposition and adverb. Iacōbī minōris: 'of James the less' (or 'the younger'). Iōseph here is the genitive of an indeclinable name, 'of Joses'.

Mc 15.41et cum esset in Galilaeā, sequēbantur eum, et ministrābant eī, et aliae multae, quae simul cum eō ascenderant Ierosolymam.

who also, when he was in Galilee, used to follow him and serve him; and many other women, who had gone up together with him to Jerusalem.

Note. ministrābant: 'served, looked after'. ascenderant Ierosolymam: accusative of place to which without a preposition, as with names of towns. One 'goes up' to Jerusalem because it stands in the hills.

Mc 15.42Et cum iam sērō esset factum (quia erat parascevē, quod est ante sabbatum),

And when it had now become late (because it was the Parasceve, which is before the sabbath),

Note. sērō: adverb, 'late'. parascēvē: a Greek word, 'preparation', the day before the sabbath (Friday), when everything for the sabbath had to be got ready.

Mc 15.43vēnit Iōsēph ab Arimathaeā nōbilis decuriō, quī et ipse erat exspectāns regnum Deī, et audācter introīvit ad Pīlātum, et petiit corpus Iēsū.

Joseph from Arimathea, a noble councillor, who also himself was awaiting the kingdom of God, came and boldly went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Note. Arimathaea: a town in Judaea. dēcuriō: a member of a council, here of the Jewish council. exspectāns regnum Deī: 'looking for the kingdom of God'. petiit: shortened perfect of petō (= petīvit).

Mc 15.44Pīlātus autem mīrābātur sī iam obiisset. Et accersītō centuriōne, interrogāvit eum sī iam mortuus esset.

But Pilate was wondering whether he had already died. And, the centurion having been summoned, he questioned him whether he were already dead.

Note. mīrābātur sī iam obiisset: sī introduces an indirect question, 'wondered whether he had already died'. accersītō centuriōne: ablative absolute; accersō is a variant spelling of arcessō 'summon'.

Mc 15.45Et cum cognōvisset ā centuriōne, dōnāvit corpus Iōsēph.

And when he had learned it from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph as a gift.

Note. dōnāvit corpus Iōseph: Iōseph is indeclinable; the sense makes it dative, 'gave the body to Joseph'.

Mc 15.46Iōsēph autem mercātus sindonem, et dēpōnēns eum involvit sindone, et posuit eum in monumentō quod erat excīsum dē petrā, et advolvit lapidem ad ōstium monumentī.

But Joseph, having bought a linen sheet, and taking him down, wrapped him in the sheet, and placed him in a burial place which had been cut out of rock, and he rolled a stone to the doorway of the burial place.

Note. mercātus: perfect participle of the deponent mercor, 'having bought'. sindōn: a fine linen cloth. excīsum dē petrā: 'cut out of the rock', as many tombs around Jerusalem were.

Mc 15.47Marīa autem Magdalēnē et Marīa Iōsēph aspiciēbant ubi pōnerētur.

But Mary Magdalene and Mary of Joseph were watching where he was being placed.

Note. Marīa Iōseph: 'Mary (mother) of Joses', the genitive of relationship with the word 'mother' understood. pōnerētur: subjunctive in an indirect question.