Prologue (1–8)
Baptism (9–11)
Wilderness (12–13)
Kingdom announced (14–15)
Call of the four (16–20)
Capernaum Sabbath (21–28)
Peter's mother-in-law (29–31)
Evening healings (32–34)
Departure / wider mission (35–39)
Leper (40–45)
Prologue · the good news begins (1:1–8)
1:1 Beginning of the good news of Jesus Messiah, [Son of God].
1:2 As is written in Isaiah the prophet:
"Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way—
1:3 a voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths"—
1:4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness
and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.
1:5 And all the Judean country was going out to him,
and all the people of Jerusalem,
and they were being baptized by him in the river Jordan,
confessing their sins.
1:6 And John was clothed with camel's hair
and a leather belt around his waist,
and eating locusts and wild honey.
1:7 And he was preaching, saying:
"After me comes one stronger than I,
whose sandal-strap I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
1:8 I baptized you with water,
but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Baptism of Jesus · theophany (1:9–11)
1:9 And it happened in those days
that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized into the Jordan by John.
1:10 And immediately, coming up out of the water,
he saw the heavens torn open
and the Spirit, as a dove, descending into him.
1:11 And a voice came out of the heavens:
You are my Son, the beloved—
in you I am well pleased.
Wilderness testing (1:12–13)
1:12 And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness,
1:13 and he was in the wilderness forty days
being tested by Satan,
and he was with the wild beasts,
and the angels were ministering to him.
Programmatic announcement (1:14–15)
1:14 And after John was handed over,
Jesus came into Galilee
proclaiming the good news of God,
1:15 and saying:
The time has been fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God has drawn near.
Repent,
and believe in the good news.
Call of the four fishermen (1:16–20)
1:16 And passing along the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon
casting a net in the sea—
for they were fishermen.
1:17 And Jesus said to them:
"Come after me,
and I will make you to become fishers of people."
1:18 And immediately, leaving the nets,
they followed him.
1:19 And going on a little further
he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother,
also in the boat mending the nets,
1:20 and immediately he called them.
And leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men,
they went away after him.
Capernaum synagogue · the unclean spirit (1:21–28)
1:21 And they went into Capernaum.
And immediately on the Sabbath, entering the synagogue,
he was teaching.
1:22 And they were astounded at his teaching,
for he was teaching them as one having authority,
and not as the scribes.
1:23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit,
and he cried out,
1:24 saying:
"What to us and to you, Jesus the Nazarene?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know you, who you are—
the Holy One of God."
1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying:
"Be silenced and come out of him!"
1:26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a great voice,
came out of him.
1:27 And all were amazed,
so that they were debating among themselves, saying:
"What is this?
A new teaching with authority!
He even commands the unclean spirits,
and they obey him."
1:28 And the report of him went out immediately
everywhere into all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Simon's mother-in-law (1:29–31)
1:29 And immediately, coming out of the synagogue,
they went into the house of Simon and Andrew,
with James and John.
1:30 And Simon's mother-in-law was lying down with a fever,
and immediately they speak to him about her.
1:31 And coming to her, he raised her up, taking her by the hand,
and the fever left her,
and she was serving them.
Evening at the door (1:32–34)
1:32 And when evening came, when the sun had set,
they were bringing to him all those who were ill
and those possessed by demons.
1:33 And the whole city was gathered at the door.
1:34 And he healed many who were ill with various diseases,
and he cast out many demons,
and he did not allow the demons to speak,
because they knew him.
Solitary prayer · the wider mission (1:35–39)
1:35 And rising very early, while it was still night,
he went out and departed into a desolate place,
and there he was praying.
1:36 And Simon and those with him went searching for him,
1:37 and they found him and say to him:
"Everyone is looking for you."
1:38 And he says to them:
"Let us go elsewhere into the neighboring towns,
so that I may proclaim there also—
for it is for this that I came out."
1:39 And he came preaching in their synagogues
in the whole of Galilee
and casting out the demons.
The leper cleansed (1:40–45)
1:40 And there comes to him a leper, begging him,
and falling on his knees, saying to him:
"If you are willing, you can cleanse me."
1:41 And being moved with compassion, stretching out his hand he touched him,
and says to him:
"I am willing—be cleansed."
1:42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
1:43 And sternly warning him, immediately he sent him away,
1:44 and says to him:
"See that you say nothing to anyone,
but go, show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded,
as a witness to them."
1:45 But going out he began to proclaim widely
and to spread the word,
so that he could no longer openly enter into a city,
but was outside in desolate places,
and they were coming to him from every direction.
A · Paralytic forgiven (1–12)
B · Levi & sinners (13–17)
C · Fasting / new wine (18–22)
B′ · Grain on the Sabbath (23–28)
A · The paralytic and the forgiveness of sins (2:1–12)
A 2:1 And entering again into Capernaum after some days,
it was heard that he was at home.
2:2 And many were gathered together,
so that there was no longer room, not even at the door,
and he was speaking the word to them.
2:3 And they come bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four.
2:4 And not being able to bring him to him because of the crowd,
they unroofed the roof where he was,
and digging through, they let down the pallet
on which the paralytic was lying.
2:5 And seeing their faith, Jesus says to the paralytic:
"Child, your sins are forgiven."
2:6 But there were some of the scribes sitting there,
and reasoning in their hearts:
2:7 "Why does this man speak thus? He blasphemes!
Who can forgive sins except God alone?"
2:8 And immediately Jesus, knowing in his spirit
that they were reasoning thus within themselves,
says to them:
"Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts?
2:9 Which is easier:
to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise and take up your pallet and walk'?
2:10 But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins"—
he says to the paralytic:
2:11 "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet,
and go to your house."
2:12 And he rose, and immediately taking up the pallet,
he went out before them all,
so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying:
"We have never seen anything like this!"
B · The call of Levi · "I came not to call the righteous" (2:13–17)
B 2:13 And he went out again beside the sea,
and all the crowd was coming to him,
and he was teaching them.
2:14 And passing by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus
sitting at the tax-booth,
and he says to him:
"Follow me."
And rising, he followed him.
2:15 And it happens that he is reclining at table in his house,
and many tax-collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples—
for they were many and they were following him.
2:16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, seeing that he was eating with sinners and tax-collectors,
said to his disciples:
"Why does he eat with tax-collectors and sinners?"
2:17 And hearing it, Jesus says to them:
Those who are strong have no need of a physician,
but those who are ill;
I came not to call righteous
but sinners.
▼ Center · Pivot · 2:18–22 ▼
C · CENTER — Fasting · the bridegroom · new wine in new skins (2:18–22)
C 2:18 And the disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting,
and they come and say to him:
"Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,
but your disciples do not fast?"
2:19 And Jesus said to them:
"Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?
As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
2:20 But days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast in that day.
2:21 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment;
if he does, the new piece pulls away from the old,
and a worse tear results.
2:22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins;
if he does, the wine will burst the wineskins—
and the wine is lost, and the wineskins too.
But new wine into fresh wineskins."
▲ End center ▲
B′ · Grain on the Sabbath · "the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath" (2:23–28)
B′ 2:23 And it happened that he was passing through the grain fields on the Sabbath,
and his disciples began to make their way plucking the heads of grain.
2:24 And the Pharisees were saying to him:
"Look, why are they doing on the Sabbath what is not lawful?"
2:25 And he says to them:
"Have you never read what David did when he was in need
and he and those with him were hungry—
2:26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest
and ate the bread of the Presence,
which is not lawful to eat except for the priests,
and gave also to those who were with him?"
2:27 And he was saying to them:
The Sabbath was made for man,
and not man for the Sabbath;
2:28 so the Son of Man is lord
even of the Sabbath.
→ The chiasm's A′ arm continues at 3:1–6 (Chapter 3) — the man with the withered hand and the plot against Jesus' life.
A′ · Withered hand · the plot (1–6)
Crowds by the sea (7–12)
Twelve appointed (13–19)
Family · "out of his mind" (20–21)
Beelzebul controversy (22–30)
Family · "who is my mother?" (31–35)
A′ · Healing on the Sabbath · the plot against Jesus (3:1–6) — completes the controversy chiasm begun at 2:1
A′ 3:1 And he entered again into the synagogue,
and there was there a man having a withered hand.
3:2 And they were watching him closely
whether he would heal him on the Sabbath,
so that they might accuse him.
3:3 And he says to the man having the withered hand:
"Rise into the middle."
3:4 And he says to them:
"Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm,
to save a life or to kill?"
But they were silent.
3:5 And looking around at them with anger,
grieved at the hardness of their hearts,
he says to the man:
"Stretch out your hand."
And he stretched it out,
and his hand was restored.
3:6 And going out, the Pharisees immediately
with the Herodians took counsel against him,
how they might destroy him.
Crowds gather from every direction (3:7–12)
3:7 And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea,
and a great multitude from Galilee followed,
and from Judea,
3:8 and from Jerusalem,
and from Idumea,
and from beyond the Jordan,
and around Tyre and Sidon—
a great multitude, hearing what things he was doing, came to him.
3:9 And he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him because of the crowd,
so that they would not press in upon him.
3:10 For he healed many,
so that they were falling upon him to touch him—
as many as had afflictions.
3:11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw him,
fell down before him and were crying out, saying:
"You are the Son of God!"
3:12 And he sternly charged them
that they should not make him known.
The Twelve appointed (3:13–19)
3:13 And he goes up into the mountain,
and he calls to him those whom he himself desired,
and they came to him.
3:14 And he appointed twelve, [whom he also named apostles,]
that they might be with him,
and that he might send them out to preach
3:15 and to have authority to cast out the demons.
3:16 [And he appointed the twelve:]
to Simon he gave the name Peter,
3:17 and James the son of Zebedee
and John the brother of James,
and he gave them the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder,
3:18 and Andrew,
and Philip,
and Bartholomew,
and Matthew,
and Thomas,
and James the son of Alphaeus,
and Thaddaeus,
and Simon the Cananaean,
3:19 and Judas Iscariot—
who also handed him over.
A · Family arrives to seize him · "he is out of his mind" (3:20–21) — outer bread
A 3:20 And he comes home,
and the crowd comes together again,
so that they were not able even to eat bread.
3:21 And hearing it, his own people went out to seize him—
for they were saying, "He is out of his mind."
B · Beelzebul controversy · binding the strong man (3:22–30) — sandwich filling
B 3:22 And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying:
"He has Beelzebul,
and by the prince of the demons he casts out the demons."
3:23 And calling them to him,
in parables he said to them:
"How can Satan cast out Satan?
3:24 And if a kingdom is divided against itself,
that kingdom cannot stand;
3:25 and if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
3:26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand, but is finished.
3:27 But no one can enter the strong man's house and plunder his goods
unless he first binds the strong man—
and then he will plunder his house.
3:28 Amen I say to you,
all things will be forgiven the sons of men—
the sins and the blasphemies, however much they may blaspheme;
3:29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
has no forgiveness forever,
but is guilty of an eternal sin"—
3:30 because they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit."
A′ · Family stands outside · "who is my mother?" (3:31–35) — outer bread closes
A′ 3:31 And his mother and his brothers come,
and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.
3:32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they say to him:
"Look, your mother and your brothers [and your sisters] are outside asking for you."
3:33 And answering them he says:
"Who is my mother and my brothers?"
3:34 And looking around at those sitting around him in a circle, he says:
"Look—my mother and my brothers!
3:35 For whoever does the will of God—
this one is my brother and sister and mother."
Parable of the sower (1–9)
Purpose of parables · Isa 6 (10–12)
Interpretation of the sower (13–20)
Lamp · measure (21–25)
Seed growing secretly (26–29)
Mustard seed (30–32)
Summary (33–34)
The great calm (35–41)
Parable of the sower (4:1–9)
4:1 And again he began to teach beside the sea,
and a very great crowd gathers around him,
so that he, entering into a boat, was sitting in the sea—
and all the crowd was on the land facing the sea.
4:2 And he was teaching them many things in parables,
and he was saying to them in his teaching:
4:3 "Listen!
Look—the sower went out to sow.
4:4 And it happened, as he sowed,
that some fell beside the path,
and the birds came and devoured it.
4:5 And other fell on the rocky ground,
where it did not have much earth,
and immediately it sprang up
because it had no depth of earth;
4:6 and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and because it had no root it withered.
4:7 And other fell into the thorns,
and the thorns came up and choked it,
and it yielded no fruit.
4:8 And others fell into the good earth—
and it was yielding fruit, coming up and increasing,
and it bore thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."
4:9 And he was saying:
He who has ears to hear—let him hear.
The purpose of parables · Isaiah 6 citation (4:10–12)
4:10 And when he was alone, those around him with the Twelve
asked him about the parables.
4:11 And he was saying to them:
"To you the mystery of the kingdom of God has been given;
but to those outside, everything comes in parables,
4:12 so that—
'seeing they may see and not perceive,
and hearing they may hear and not understand,
lest they should turn back
and it should be forgiven them.'"
Interpretation of the sower (4:13–20)
4:13 And he says to them:
"Do you not understand this parable?
Then how will you understand all the parables?
4:14 The sower sows the word.
4:15 And these are the ones beside the path where the word is sown:
when they hear,
immediately Satan comes
and takes away the word that has been sown in them.
4:16 And these in like manner are the ones sown on the rocky ground:
when they hear the word,
immediately they receive it with joy,
4:17 and they have no root in themselves
but are temporary;
then when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word,
immediately they stumble.
4:18 And others are those sown into the thorns;
these are the ones who hear the word,
4:19 and the cares of the age,
and the deceit of riches,
and the desires for other things, entering in,
choke the word,
and it becomes fruitless.
4:20 And those are the ones sown on the good earth—
who hear the word and receive it,
and bear fruit thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."
Lamp on the stand · measure for measure (4:21–25)
4:21 And he was saying to them:
"Does the lamp come to be placed under the basket
or under the bed,
and not to be placed on the lampstand?
4:22 For nothing is hidden except that it may be revealed,
nor has anything become secret except that it should come to light.
4:23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
4:24 And he was saying to them:
"Take heed what you hear.
By the measure with which you measure
it will be measured to you,
and more will be added to you.
4:25 For whoever has, to him will be given;
and whoever has not, even what he has will be taken from him."
Seed growing secretly (4:26–29)
4:26 And he was saying:
"Thus is the kingdom of God,
as if a man should cast seed on the earth,
4:27 and he sleep and rise night and day,
and the seed sprout and lengthen—
he himself knows not how.
4:28 Of itself the earth bears fruit:
first the blade,
then the head,
then the full grain in the head.
4:29 But when the fruit is ready,
immediately he sends forth the sickle,
because the harvest has come."
Mustard seed (4:30–32)
4:30 And he was saying:
"To what shall we liken the kingdom of God,
or in what parable shall we set it?
4:31 As a grain of mustard,
which when sown upon the earth
is smaller than all the seeds upon the earth—
4:32 yet when sown, it comes up
and becomes greater than all the garden plants,
and makes great branches,
so that the birds of the heaven can nest in its shade."
Summary statement (4:33–34)
4:33 And with many such parables he was speaking the word to them,
as they were able to hear;
4:34 but without a parable he did not speak to them—
but privately to his own disciples he was explaining all things.
The great calm — stilling of the storm (4:35–41)
4:35 And he says to them on that day, when evening came:
"Let us cross to the other side."
4:36 And leaving the crowd, they take him along, as he was, in the boat;
and other boats were with him.
4:37 And there arises a great windstorm,
and the waves were beating into the boat,
so that the boat was already filling.
4:38 And he himself was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion;
and they wake him and say to him:
"Teacher, does it not matter to you that we are perishing?"
4:39 And being awakened, he rebuked the wind
and said to the sea:
"Silence! Be muzzled!"
And the wind ceased,
and there was a great calm.
4:40 And he said to them:
"Why are you cowardly?
Have you not yet faith?"
4:41 And they feared with a great fear ,fear inclusio
and were saying to one another:
"Who then is this,
that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
Gerasene demoniac (1–20)
A · Jairus' daughter dying (21–24)
B · Woman healed (25–34)
A′ · Daughter raised (35–43)
The Gerasene demoniac · Legion (5:1–20)
5:1 And they came to the other side of the sea,
into the country of the Gerasenes.
5:2 And as he came out of the boat, immediately
there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
5:3 who had his dwelling among the tombs;
and no one was able to bind him any longer—
not even with a chain,
5:4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains,
and the chains were torn apart by him
and the shackles broken in pieces,
and no one had the strength to subdue him.
5:5 And night and day, among the tombs and in the mountains,
he was crying out and cutting himself with stones.
5:6 And seeing Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him,
5:7 and crying out with a great voice he says:
"What to me and to you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
I adjure you by God—do not torment me!"
5:8 For he had said to him:
"Come out of the man, unclean spirit!"
5:9 And he was asking him:
"What is your name?"
And he says to him:
"Legion is my name, for we are many."
5:10 And he was begging him much
that he would not send them out of the country.
5:11 Now there was there at the mountain a great herd of pigs feeding,
5:12 and they begged him, saying:
"Send us into the pigs, that we may enter them."
5:13 And he gave them leave.
And the unclean spirits, coming out, entered the pigs,
and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea—
about two thousand—
and were drowned in the sea.
5:14 And those feeding them fled and reported in the city and in the fields;
and they came to see what it was that had happened.
5:15 And they come to Jesus and see the demoniac sitting,
clothed and in his right mind—
the one who had had the Legion—
and they were afraid.
5:16 And those who had seen it described to them
how it had happened to the one who had been demon-possessed,
and concerning the pigs.
5:17 And they began to beg him to depart from their region.
5:18 And as he was entering the boat,
the one who had been demon-possessed begged him
that he might be with him.
5:19 And he did not let him,
but says to him:
"Go to your house, to your own,
and report to them what the Lord has done for you,
and how he had mercy on you."
5:20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis
what Jesus had done for him,
and all were marveling.
A · Jairus comes · daughter at the point of death (5:21–24) — outer bread
A 5:21 And when Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side,
a great crowd gathered around him,
and he was beside the sea.
5:22 And there comes one of the synagogue rulers, by the name of Jairus,
and seeing him, falls at his feet,
5:23 and begs him much, saying:
"My little daughter is at the point of death.
[Come,] lay your hands on her so that she may be saved and live."
5:24 And he went with him;
and a great crowd was following him and pressing on him.
B · The woman with the flow of blood · twelve years (5:25–34) — sandwich filling
B 5:25 And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years,
5:26 and had suffered much under many physicians,
and had spent all that she had,
and had benefited not at all but rather was getting worse—
5:27 hearing about Jesus, came in the crowd from behind
and touched his garment.
5:28 For she was saying:
"If I touch even his garments, I shall be saved."
5:29 And immediately the source of her bleeding was dried up,
and she knew in her body that she had been healed of the affliction.
5:30 And immediately Jesus, knowing in himself
that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and was saying:
"Who touched my garments?"
5:31 And his disciples were saying to him:
"You see the crowd pressing in on you,
and you say, 'Who touched me?'"
5:32 And he was looking around to see who had done this.
5:33 But the woman, in fear and trembling,
knowing what had happened to her,
came and fell down before him,
and told him all the truth.
5:34 And he said to her:
"Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace,
and be whole from your affliction."
A′ · The daughter raised · twelve years old (5:35–43) — outer bread closes
A′ 5:35 While he was still speaking,
they come from the synagogue ruler, saying:
"Your daughter has died. Why still trouble the teacher?"
5:36 But Jesus, overhearing the word that was spoken,
says to the synagogue ruler:
"Do not fear, only believe."
5:37 And he let no one follow with him
except Peter and James and John the brother of James.
5:38 And they come to the house of the synagogue ruler,
and he sees a tumult—
weeping and great wailing.
5:39 And entering, he says to them:
"Why are you in tumult and weeping?
The child has not died, but is sleeping."
5:40 And they were laughing at him.
But he, putting them all out,
takes the child's father and mother and those with him,
and goes in where the child was.
5:41 And taking the child by the hand he says to her:
"Talitha koum "— which means, translated:
"Little girl, I say to you, arise."
5:42 And immediately the little girl rose and was walking—
for she was twelve years old.
And they were immediately amazed with great amazement.
5:43 And he charged them strictly that no one should know this,
and said that something should be given her to eat.
Rejection at Nazareth (1–6a)
A · Sending the Twelve (6b–13)
B · Death of John (14–29)
A′ · Return of the Twelve (30–31)
Feeding the 5000 (32–44)
Walking on the sea (45–52)
Gennesaret (53–56)
Rejection at Nazareth (6:1–6a)
6:1 And he went out from there
and comes into his own country,
and his disciples follow him.
6:2 And when the Sabbath came,
he began to teach in the synagogue.
And many hearing were astounded, saying:
"Where did this man get these things?
And what is this wisdom given to him,
and such mighty works being done through his hands?
6:3 Is this not the carpenter,
the son of Mary
and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?"
And they were taking offense at him.
6:4 And Jesus was saying to them:
A prophet is not without honor
except in his own country
and among his own relatives
and in his own house.
6:5 And he was not able to do there any mighty work,
except that, laying his hands on a few sick people, he healed them.
6:6a And he was marveling because of their unbelief.
A · Sending the Twelve (6:6b–13) — outer bread
A 6:6b And he was going around the villages in a circuit, teaching.
6:7 And he calls the Twelve
and began to send them out two by two,
and was giving them authority over the unclean spirits.
6:8 And he charged them
that they take nothing for the way
except a staff only—
no bread,
no bag,
no money in the belt,
6:9 but bound with sandals,
and not to put on two tunics.
6:10 And he was saying to them:
"Wherever you enter a house,
stay there until you go out from there.
6:11 And whatever place does not receive you and they do not hear you,
going out from there,
shake off the dust under your feet
as a testimony to them."
6:12 And going out they proclaimed that people should repent,
6:13 and they were casting out many demons,
and anointing with oil many who were sick,
and healing them.
B · The death of John the Baptist (6:14–29) — sandwich filling
B 6:14 And King Herod heard,
for his name had become known,
and they were saying:
"John the baptizer has been raised from the dead,
and because of this the powers are at work in him."
6:15 But others were saying:
"He is Elijah."
And others were saying:
"A prophet like one of the prophets."
6:16 But Herod hearing said:
"John, whom I beheaded—he has been raised."
6:17 For Herod himself, sending out, had seized John
and bound him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother,
because he had married her.
6:18 For John had said to Herod:
"It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
6:19 And Herodias was nursing a grudge against him
and was wanting to kill him,
but was not able—
6:20 for Herod was fearing John,
knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,
and was protecting him;
and when he heard him, he was greatly perplexed,
yet he was hearing him gladly.
6:21 And an opportune day came
when Herod, on his birthday,
made a banquet for his courtiers and the commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
6:22 And his daughter—that of Herodias—coming in and dancing,
she pleased Herod and those reclining with him.
The king said to the girl:
"Ask me whatever you wish, and I will give it to you."
6:23 And he swore to her:
"Whatever you ask of me I will give you,
up to half of my kingdom."
6:24 And going out, she said to her mother:
"What shall I ask?"
And she said:
"The head of John the baptizer."
6:25 And coming in immediately with haste to the king,
she asked, saying:
"I want you to give me, at once on a platter,
the head of John the Baptist."
6:26 And though the king became deeply grieved,
on account of the oaths and those reclining with him
he did not want to refuse her.
6:27 And immediately the king, sending an executioner,
commanded his head to be brought.
And going off, he beheaded him in the prison,
6:28 and brought his head on a platter
and gave it to the girl,
and the girl gave it to her mother.
6:29 And hearing of it, his disciples came
and took his corpse and placed it in a tomb.
A′ · Return of the Twelve (6:30–31) — outer bread closes
A′ 6:30 And the apostles gather together to Jesus,
and reported to him all things,
whatever they had done and whatever they had taught.
6:31 And he says to them:
"Come, you yourselves, alone, to a desolate place,
and rest a little."
For there were many coming and going,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
Feeding the 5000 — sheep without a shepherd (6:32–44)
6:32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.
6:33 And many saw them going,
and they knew it,
and ran together on foot from all the cities
and got there before them.
6:34 And going ashore he saw a great crowd,
and he had compassion on them,
because they were as sheep not having a shepherd.
And he began to teach them many things.
6:35 And when the hour had grown late,
his disciples came to him and were saying:
"The place is desolate,
and the hour is already late.
6:36 Send them away,
that going into the surrounding farms and villages
they may buy for themselves something to eat."
6:37 But he answering said to them:
"You give them something to eat."
And they say to him:
"Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread
and give them to eat?"
6:38 And he says to them:
"How many loaves do you have? Go see."
And knowing, they say:
"Five—and two fish."
6:39 And he commanded them
to recline all in groups upon the green grass.
6:40 And they reclined in companies, by hundreds and by fifties.
6:41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish,
looking up to heaven,
he blessed and broke the loaves
and was giving them to the disciples
to set before them;
and the two fish he divided among them all.
6:42 And all ate and were filled,
6:43 and they picked up the fragments—twelve baskets full—
and from the fish.
6:44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
Walking on the sea · "I AM" (6:45–52)
6:45 And immediately he compelled his disciples to embark in the boat
and go on ahead to the other side toward Bethsaida,
while he himself dismissed the crowd.
6:46 And taking leave of them, he went off into the mountain to pray.
6:47 And when evening came,
the boat was in the middle of the sea,
and he was alone on the land.
6:48 And seeing them straining at the oars—
for the wind was against them—
about the fourth watch of the night
he comes to them, walking on the sea,
and he was wanting to pass by them.
6:49 But they, seeing him walking on the sea,
thought it was a ghost,
and they cried out;
6:50 for all saw him and were terrified.
But immediately he spoke with them and says to them:
Take heart—I AM. Do not fear . fear inclusio
6:51 And he went up to them into the boat,
and the wind ceased.
And they were exceedingly amazed within themselves,
6:52 for they had not understood about the loaves,
but their hearts had been hardened.
Gennesaret · the fringe of his garment (6:53–56)
6:53 And crossing over to the land they came to Gennesaret
and moored.
6:54 And as they came out of the boat,
immediately they recognized him,
6:55 and ran about the whole region
and began to carry the sick on pallets
to wherever they were hearing he was.
6:56 And wherever he entered—
into villages, into cities, into farms—
they were placing the sick in the marketplaces,
and begging him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment;
and as many as touched him were saved.
Tradition / Corban / Isaiah 29 (1–13)
What defiles a person (14–23)
Syrophoenician woman (24–30)
Deaf-mute · "Ephphatha" (31–37)
Tradition of the elders · Corban · Isaiah 29 (7:1–13)
7:1 And the Pharisees gather to him, and some of the scribes
who had come from Jerusalem.
7:2 And seeing some of his disciples that they were eating bread
with hands defiled—that is, unwashed—
7:3 (for the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat
unless they wash their hands fistwise,
holding the tradition of the elders;
7:4 and from the marketplace, unless they wash, they do not eat;
and there are many other things which they have received to keep—
washings of cups and pots and copper vessels [and beds])—
7:5 And the Pharisees and the scribes ask him:
"Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders,
but eat bread with defiled hands?"
7:6 And he said to them:
"Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites,
as it is written:
'This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
7:7 and in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'
7:8 You leave the commandment of God
and hold the tradition of men."
7:9 And he was saying to them:
"Beautifully you set aside the commandment of God,
that you may keep your tradition!
7:10 For Moses said:
'Honor your father and your mother,'
and: 'The one who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'
7:11 But you say:
'If a man says to his father or mother,
"Whatever you might have gained from me is Corban "
— that is, an offering—
7:12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother,
7:13 nullifying the word of God
by your tradition that you have handed down.
And many such things like this you do."
What defiles a person — vice list (7:14–23)
7:14 And calling the crowd again to him, he was saying to them:
"Hear me, all of you, and understand:
7:15 There is nothing outside of a person, entering into him,
that can defile him;
but the things coming out of the person
are what defile the person.
7:17 And when he had entered the house, away from the crowd,
his disciples were asking him about the parable.
7:18 And he says to them:
"So you also are without understanding?
Do you not perceive that all that enters a person from outside
cannot defile him,
7:19 because it does not enter into his heart,
but into the stomach,
and goes out into the latrine"—
thus he cleansed all foods.
7:20 And he was saying:
"What comes out of the person—that defiles the person.
7:21 For from within, out of the heart of people,
the evil reasonings come:
fornications, thefts, murders,
7:22 adulteries, greeds, wickednesses,
deceit, sensuality, an evil eye,
blasphemy, arrogance, foolishness—
7:23 all these evil things come out from within
and defile the person."
The Syrophoenician woman · crumbs from the children (7:24–30)
7:24 And rising up from there, he went away into the region of Tyre.
And entering a house, he wanted no one to know,
but he could not escape notice.
7:25 But immediately, hearing about him,
a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit,
coming, fell at his feet.
7:26 Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race;
and she was asking him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
7:27 And he was saying to her:
"Let the children first be fed,
for it is not good to take the bread of the children
and to throw it to the dogs."
7:28 But she answered and says to him:
"Lord—even the dogs under the table eat from the crumbs of the children."
7:29 And he said to her:
"Because of this word, go.
The demon has gone out of your daughter."
7:30 And going away into her house,
she found the child laid upon the bed,
and the demon gone out.
The deaf-mute · "Ephphatha" — be opened (7:31–37)
7:31 And again going out from the region of Tyre,
he came through Sidon into the Sea of Galilee,
in the middle of the region of the Decapolis.
7:32 And they bring to him one who was deaf and had a speech impediment,
and they beg him to lay his hand on him.
7:33 And taking him aside from the crowd, privately,
he put his fingers into his ears,
and spitting, touched his tongue.
7:34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed,
and says to him:
"Ephphatha "— which is: "Be opened."
7:35 And immediately his ears were opened,
and the bond of his tongue was loosed,
and he began to speak rightly.
7:36 And he charged them that they tell no one;
but the more he charged them,
the more abundantly they kept proclaiming it.
7:37 And they were astounded beyond measure, saying:
"He has done all things well—
he makes the deaf hear
and the mute speak."
Feeding the 4000 (1–10)
Sign refused (11–13)
Leaven · still not understanding (14–21)
Bethsaida · two-stage healing (22–26)
Peter's confession (27–30)
First passion prediction (31–33)
"Take up your cross" (34–38)
Feeding the 4000 (8:1–10)
8:1 In those days, a great crowd being there again,
and having nothing to eat,
calling the disciples to him, he says to them:
8:2 "I have compassion on the crowd,
for they have remained with me three days now,
and they have nothing to eat;
8:3 and if I send them away to their houses fasting,
they will give out on the way—
and some of them have come from far."
8:4 And his disciples answered him:
"From where will anyone be able to feed these with bread,
here in a desolate place?"
8:5 And he was asking them:
"How many loaves do you have?"
And they said: "Seven."
8:6 And he commanded the crowd to recline on the ground.
And taking the seven loaves,
giving thanks, he broke
and was giving them to his disciples to set before them,
and they set them before the crowd.
8:7 And they had a few small fish.
And blessing them, he said to set these also before them.
8:8 And they ate and were filled,
and they picked up the leftover fragments—seven baskets.
8:9 Now there were about four thousand.
And he sent them away;
8:10 and immediately, embarking into the boat with his disciples,
he came into the region of Dalmanutha.
No sign will be given (8:11–13)
8:11 And the Pharisees came out and began to argue with him,
seeking from him a sign from heaven,
testing him.
8:12 And sighing deeply in his spirit, he says:
"Why does this generation seek a sign?
Amen I say to you,
no sign shall be given to this generation."
8:13 And leaving them, embarking again, he went away to the other side.
Leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod · "Do you not yet understand?" (8:14–21)
8:14 And they had forgotten to take bread,
and except for one loaf, they had nothing with them in the boat.
8:15 And he was commanding them, saying:
"Look, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod."
8:16 And they were reasoning with one another
that they had no bread.
8:17 And knowing it, he says to them:
"Why are you reasoning that you have no bread?
Do you not yet perceive or understand?
Have your hearts been hardened?
8:18 Having eyes do you not see,
and having ears do you not hear?
And do you not remember,
8:19 when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many baskets full of fragments did you pick up?"
They say to him:
"Twelve."
8:20 "When the seven for the four thousand,
how many basketfuls of fragments did you pick up?"
And they say:
"Seven."
8:21 And he was saying to them:
"Do you not yet understand?"
Bethsaida · the two-stage healing of the blind man (8:22–26) — opens the central chiasm 8:22–10:52
8:22 And they come into Bethsaida.
And they bring to him a blind man,
and beg him to touch him.
8:23 And taking the blind man by the hand,
he led him outside the village.
And spitting on his eyes, laying his hands on him,
he was asking him:
"Do you see anything?"
8:24 And looking up, he was saying:
"I see people—as trees, I see them walking."
8:25 Then he again laid his hands on his eyes;
and he saw clearly,
and was restored,
and was seeing all things distinctly.
8:26 And he sent him to his house, saying:
"Do not even enter into the village."
Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi (8:27–30)
8:27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples,
into the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
And on the way he was asking his disciples, saying to them:on-the-way · opens
"Who do people say that I am?"
8:28 And they said to him, saying:
"John the Baptist;
and others, Elijah;
and others, that you are one of the prophets."
8:29 And he was asking them:
"But you, who do you say that I am?"
Answering, Peter says to him:
"You are the Messiah."
8:30 And he sternly charged them
that they should tell no one about him.
First passion prediction · "Get behind me, Satan" (8:31–33)
8:31 And he began to teach thempassion · 1 of 3
that the Son of Man must suffer many things
and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes,
and be killed,
and after three days rise again.
8:32 And openly he was speaking the word.
And taking him aside, Peter began to rebuke him.
8:33 But he, turning and seeing his disciples,
rebuked Peter and says:
"Get behind me, Satan!
For you are not setting your mind on the things of God,
but on the things of men."
"If anyone wishes to follow" — take up your cross (8:34–38)
8:34 And calling the crowd to him, with his disciples, he said to them:
If anyone wishes to follow after me,
let him deny himself
and take up his cross
and follow me.
8:35 For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it;
but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the sake of the good news
shall save it.
8:36 For what does it profit a person
to gain the whole world
and to forfeit his life?
8:37 For what could a person give as a ransom for his life?
8:38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words
in this adulterous and sinful generation,
the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him
when he comes in the glory of his Father
with the holy angels."
Kingdom with power (9:1)
Transfiguration (2–8)
"Elijah has come" (9–13)
Failed exorcism (14–29)
Second passion prediction (30–32)
A · Greatness (33–34)
B · Child in midst (35–37)
C · Exorcist (38–41)
C′ · PIVOT · Millstone (42)
B′ · Hand · foot · eye (43–48)
A′ · Salt & peace (49–50)
Kingdom of God having come with power (9:1) — closes the 8:34–9:1 saying
9:1 And he was saying to them:
Amen I say to you,
there are some of those standing here
who shall not taste of death
until they see the kingdom of God
having come with power.
The Transfiguration (9:2–8)
9:2 And after six days, Jesus takes Peter and James and John
and brings them up into a high mountain by themselves alone.
And he was transfigured before them,
9:3 and his garments became dazzling, exceedingly white,
such as no fuller on earth can whiten them.
9:4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses,
and they were talking with Jesus.
9:5 And answering, Peter says to Jesus:
"Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.
Let us make three tents—
one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
9:6 For he did not know what to answer,
for they had become terrified.
9:7 And there came a cloud overshadowing them,
and there came a voice out of the cloud:
This is my Son, the beloved—
listen to him.
9:8 And suddenly, looking around, they saw no one with them anymore—
only Jesus.
Coming down · "Elijah has come" (9:9–13)
9:9 And as they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them
that they should describe to no one what they had seen,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
9:10 And they kept the word among themselves,
debating what is "to rise from the dead."
9:11 And they were asking him, saying:
"Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
9:12 And he said to them:
"Elijah, indeed, coming first, restores all things—
and how is it written about the Son of Man ,
that he must suffer many things and be despised?
9:13 But I say to you,
Elijah also has come,
and they did to him whatever they wished,
as it is written of him."
The boy with the mute spirit · "I believe — help my unbelief" (9:14–29)
9:14 And coming to the disciples,
they saw a great crowd around them,
and scribes arguing with them.
9:15 And immediately all the crowd, seeing him, was greatly amazed,
and running up, they were greeting him.
9:16 And he asked them:
"What are you arguing with them about?"
9:17 And one out of the crowd answered him:
"Teacher, I brought my son to you,
having a mute spirit;
9:18 and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down—
and he foams at the mouth
and grinds his teeth
and becomes rigid;
and I told your disciples to cast it out,
and they were not able."
9:19 And he answering, says to them:
"O faithless generation!
How long shall I be with you?
How long shall I bear with you?
Bring him to me."
9:20 And they brought him to him.
And seeing him, immediately the spirit convulsed him,
and falling on the ground he was rolling about, foaming.
9:21 And he asked his father:
"How long has this been happening to him?"
And he said: "From childhood;
9:22 and often it has thrown him both into fire and into waters,
to destroy him;
but if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
9:23 And Jesus said to him:
"'If you can'?
All things are possible to the one believing."
9:24 Immediately, crying out, the father of the child was saying:
"I believe—help my unbelief!"
9:25 And Jesus, seeing that a crowd was running together,
rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it:
"Mute and deaf spirit, I command you,
Come out of him,
and enter him no more."
9:26 And crying out and convulsing him much,
it came out;
and he became as if dead,
so that many said: "He has died."
9:27 But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him up,
and he rose.
9:28 And when he had entered a house,
his disciples were asking him privately:
"Why were we not able to cast it out?"
9:29 And he said to them:
"This kind cannot come out by anything except by prayer."
Second passion prediction · they did not understand (9:30–32)
9:30 And going out from there,
they were passing through Galilee,
and he was not wanting anyone to know;
9:31 for he was teaching his disciples and was saying to them:passion · 2 of 3
"The Son of Man is being handed over into the hands of men,
and they will kill him,
and having been killed, after three days he will rise."
9:32 But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to ask him.
▼ The Covenant Community chiasm — A · B · C · C′ · B′ · A′ (also published as the pilot single-pericope edition).
A · Disciples argue who is greatest — not at peace (9:33–34)
A 9:33 And they came into Capernaum.
And being in the house, he was questioning them:
"What were you discussing on the way ?"
9:34 But they were silent—
for on the way they had argued with one another
about who was greater.
B · The child in the middle — greatness redefined (9:35–37)
B 9:35 And sitting down, he called the Twelve and says to them:
If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be last of all
and servant of all.
9:36 And taking a child,
he stood it in their midst,
and folding it in his arms,
he said to them:
9:37 "Whoever receives one such child in my name
receives me;
and whoever receives me
receives not me
but the One who sent me."
C · The unknown exorcist — do not hinder (9:38–41)
C 9:38 John said to him:
"Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,
and we were stopping him,
because he was not following us."
9:39 But Jesus said:
"Do not stop him.
For no one who does a mighty work in my name
will soon after be able to curse me.
9:40 For whoever is not against us
is for us.
9:41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink
in the name that you belong to Messiah—
Amen I say to you,
he will by no means lose his reward.
▼ Center · Pivot · 9:42 ▼
C′ · PIVOT — Do not cause the little ones to stumble (9:42)
C′ 9:42 And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble—
better for him
if a donkey-millstone were hung around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
▲ End center ▲
B′ · Hand, foot, eye — better maimed than Gehenna (9:43–48)
B′ 9:43 And if your hand causes you to stumble,
cut it off:
better for you
to enter into life maimed
than having two hands
to go away into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
9:45 And if your foot causes you to stumble,
cut it off:
better for you
to enter into life lame
than having two feet
to be thrown into Gehenna.
9:47 And if your eye causes you to stumble,
throw it out:
better for you
to enter into the kingdom of God one-eyed
than having two eyes
to be thrown into Gehenna—
9:48 where their worm does not die
and the fire is not quenched.
A′ · Salt and peace — community reordered (9:49–50)
A′ 9:49 For everyone will be salted with fire.
9:50 Good is the salt;
but if the salt becomes saltless,
with what will you season it?
Have salt in yourselves,
and be at peace with one another.
→ For per-arm Greek text, lexical tables, the dērā'ôn note, and the Gehenna translation rule, see the 9:33–50 Translator's Journal .
Divorce (1–12)
Children (13–16)
Rich man · camel · needle (17–31)
Third passion prediction (32–34)
James & John · servant of all (35–45)
Bartimaeus · sight restored (46–52)
Divorce · "from the beginning of creation" (10:1–12)
10:1 And rising up from there, he comes into the region of Judea
and beyond the Jordan;
and again crowds come together to him,
and as he was accustomed, again he was teaching them.
10:2 And approaching, Pharisees were asking him
whether it is lawful for a man to divorce a wife,
testing him.
10:3 And he answering said to them:
"What did Moses command you?"
10:4 And they said:
"Moses permitted to write a certificate of divorce
and to divorce her."
10:5 And Jesus said to them:
"For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.
10:6 But from the beginning of creation:
'male and female he made them.'
10:7 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
[and shall be joined to his wife],
10:8 and the two shall become one flesh.'
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
10:9 What therefore God has joined together,
let man not separate."
10:10 And in the house again the disciples were asking him about this.
10:11 And he says to them:
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
10:12 and if she, divorcing her husband, marries another,
she commits adultery."
Receive the children · the kingdom belongs to such (10:13–16)
10:13 And they were bringing children to him
that he might touch them;
and the disciples rebuked them.
10:14 But seeing it, Jesus was indignant
and said to them:
"Let the children come to me,
do not hinder them—
for of such is the kingdom of God.
10:15 Amen I say to you,
whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a child
shall by no means enter into it."
10:16 And taking them in his arms,
laying his hands on them, he blessed them.
The rich man · camel through the needle (10:17–31)
10:17 And as he was going out into the way,
one running up and kneeling down before him asked him:
"Good Teacher,
what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"
10:18 And Jesus said to him:
"Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God.
10:19 You know the commandments:
'Do not murder,
do not commit adultery,
do not steal,
do not bear false witness,
do not defraud,
honor your father and mother.'"
10:20 And he said to him:
"Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth."
10:21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him,
and said to him:
"One thing you lack.
Go, sell whatever you have,
and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven;
and come, follow me."
10:22 But he, his countenance falling at the word,
went away grieving—
for he had many possessions.
10:23 And looking around, Jesus says to his disciples:
"How difficult it is for those having riches
to enter into the kingdom of God!"
10:24 And the disciples were amazed at his words.
But Jesus, answering again, says to them:
"Children, how difficult it is to enter into the kingdom of God!
10:25 It is easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
10:26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves:
"Then who can be saved?"
10:27 Looking at them, Jesus says:
"With men it is impossible,
but not with God;
for with God all things are possible."
10:28 Peter began to say to him:
"Look—we have left all and followed you."
10:29 Jesus said:
Amen I say to you,
there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or fields
for my sake and for the sake of the good news,
10:30 who shall not receive a hundredfold
now in this time—
houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields
with persecutions—
and in the age to come, eternal life.
10:31 But many who are first shall be last,
and the last first.
Third passion prediction (10:32–34)
10:32 And they were on the way going up to Jerusalem,
and Jesus was going on ahead of them;
and they were amazed,
and those following were afraid.
And taking the Twelve again,
he began to tell them the things about to happen to him:passion · 3 of 3
10:33 "Look, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death
and hand him over to the Gentiles;
10:34 and they will mock him
and spit on him
and flog him
and kill him,
and after three days he will rise."
James & John · the cup & baptism · "servant of all" — the ransom saying (10:35–45)
10:35 And James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, come up to him, saying:
"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask you."
10:36 And he said to them:
"What do you want me to do for you?"
10:37 And they said to him:
"Grant us that we may sit, one at your right and one at your left,
in your glory."
10:38 But Jesus said to them:
"You do not know what you are asking.
Are you able to drink the cup that I drink,
or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"
10:39 And they said to him:
"We are able."
And Jesus said to them:
"The cup that I drink, you will drink,
and the baptism that I am baptized with, you will be baptized with;
10:40 but to sit at my right or at my left
is not mine to give,
but is for those for whom it has been prepared."
10:41 And hearing it, the ten began to be indignant about James and John.
10:42 And calling them to him, Jesus says to them:
"You know that those reputed to rule the nations
lord it over them,
and their great ones exercise authority over them.
10:43 But it shall not be so among you;
but whoever wishes to become great among you
shall be your servant,
10:44 and whoever wishes to be first among you
shall be slave of all.
10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served
but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Bartimaeus · sight restored · "on the way" (10:46–52) — closes the central chiasm 8:22–10:52
10:46 And they come to Jericho.
And as he was going out from Jericho
with his disciples and a considerable crowd,
the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting beside the way.
10:47 And hearing that it was Jesus the Nazarene,
he began to cry out and say:
"Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!"
10:48 And many were rebuking him to be silent;
but he was crying out all the more:
"Son of David, have mercy on me!"
10:49 And Jesus stopping said:
"Call him."
And they call the blind man, saying to him:
"Take heart—rise, he is calling you."
10:50 And throwing off his cloak, jumping up, he came to Jesus.
10:51 And answering him, Jesus said:
"What do you want me to do for you?"
And the blind man said to him:
"Rabboni , that I may see again."
10:52 And Jesus said to him:
"Go—your faith has saved you."
And immediately he saw again,
and was following him on the way .on-the-way · closes
Triumphal entry (1–11)
A · Fig tree cursed (12–14)
B · Temple cleansed (15–19)
A′ · Fig tree withered (20–25)
Authority challenged (27–33)
The triumphal entry · Hosanna (11:1–11)
11:1 And when they draw near to Jerusalem,
to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives,
he sends two of his disciples
11:2 and says to them:
"Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately as you enter into it
you will find a colt tied,
on which no one of men has yet sat;
loose it and bring it.
11:3 And if anyone says to you,
'Why are you doing this?'
say:
'The Lord has need of it,
and immediately he is sending it back here.'"
11:4 And they went away
and found a colt tied at the door outside in the street,
and they loose it.
11:5 And some of those standing there were saying to them:
"What are you doing, loosing the colt?"
11:6 And they said to them as Jesus had said;
and they let them go.
11:7 And they bring the colt to Jesus,
and they throw their cloaks on it,
and he sat on it.
11:8 And many spread their cloaks on the way,
and others—leafy branches, having cut them from the fields.
11:9 And those going before and those following were crying out:
Hosanna acclamation">
Hosanna !
Blessed is the one coming in the name of the Lord!
11:10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!
Hosanna in the highest!
11:11 And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple;
and looking around at all things,
the hour being already late,
he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
A · Cursing the fig tree (11:12–14) — outer bread
A 11:12 And the next day, as they were going out from Bethany,
he was hungry.
11:13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves,
he came—if perhaps he would find something on it;
and coming to it he found nothing except leaves,
for it was not the season for figs.
11:14 And answering, he said to it:
"May no one ever eat fruit from you any longer."
And his disciples were listening.
B · The temple cleansed · "a house of prayer for all the nations" (11:15–19) — sandwich filling
B 11:15 And they come into Jerusalem.
And entering into the temple,
he began to cast out those selling and those buying in the temple,
and the tables of the money-changers
and the seats of those selling doves
he overturned;
11:16 and he was not allowing anyone to carry an object through the temple.
11:17 And he was teaching, and was saying to them:
"Is it not written:
'My house shall be called
a house of prayer
for all the nations'?
But you have made it
a 'den of robbers.'"
11:18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard,
and were seeking how they might destroy him;
for they were fearing him,
for all the crowd was astounded at his teaching.
11:19 And when evening came,
they went out outside the city.
A′ · The fig tree withered · prayer & forgiveness (11:20–25) — outer bread closes
A′ 11:20 And as they were passing by early,
they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
11:21 And Peter, remembering, says to him:
"Rabbi, look—the fig tree which you cursed is withered."
11:22 And Jesus answering says to them:
"Have faith of God.
11:23 Amen I say to you,
whoever says to this mountain,
'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,'
and does not doubt in his heart
but believes that what he says is happening—
it shall be his.
11:24 Therefore I say to you,
all things whatever you pray and ask,
believe that you have received,
and it shall be yours.
11:25 And when you stand praying,
forgive if you have anything against anyone,
so that your Father in the heavens
may forgive you your trespasses."
"By what authority?" — the question turned back (11:27–33)
11:27 And they come again into Jerusalem.
And as he was walking in the temple,
the chief priests and the scribes and the elders come to him,
11:28 and were saying to him:
"By what authority do you do these things?
And who gave you this authority to do these things?"
11:29 And Jesus said to them:
"I will ask you one word,
and answer me,
and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
11:30 The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?
Answer me."
11:31 And they were reasoning with themselves, saying:
"If we say 'from heaven,' he will say,
'Why then did you not believe him?'
11:32 But should we say 'from men'?"—
they were fearing the crowd,
for all were holding John to have been truly a prophet.
11:33 And answering Jesus, they say:
"We do not know."
And Jesus says to them:
"Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things."
Wicked tenants · rejected stone (1–12)
Tribute to Caesar (13–17)
Sadducees · resurrection (18–27)
The Shema · greatest commandment (28–34)
David's Lord (35–37)
Beware the scribes (38–40)
The widow's two lepta (41–44)
Parable of the wicked tenants · Psalm 118 citation (12:1–12)
12:1 And he began to speak to them in parables:
"A man planted a vineyard,
and put a hedge around it,
and dug a wine vat,
and built a watchtower,
and let it out to tenants,
and went away.
12:2 And he sent to the tenants in the season a slave,
that from the tenants he might receive of the fruits of the vineyard.
12:3 And they took him,
beat him,
and sent him away empty.
12:4 And again he sent to them another slave;
and that one they struck on the head
and treated shamefully.
12:5 And another he sent—and that one they killed;
and many others—some beating, some killing.
12:6 He had yet one—a beloved son.
He sent him last to them, saying:
'They will respect my son.'
12:7 But those tenants said to themselves:
'This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him,
and the inheritance will be ours.'
12:8 And taking him, they killed him,
and they cast him out of the vineyard.
12:9 What will the lord of the vineyard do?
He will come and destroy the tenants,
and will give the vineyard to others.
12:10 Have you not even read this scripture:
'The stone which the builders rejected—
this has become the head of the corner;
12:11 from the Lord this has come about,
and it is wonderful in our eyes'?"
12:12 And they were seeking to seize him,
yet they feared the crowd;
for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them.
And leaving him, they went away.
Tribute to Caesar · the denarius (12:13–17)
12:13 And they send to him some of the Pharisees and Herodians,
that they might catch him in a word.
12:14 And coming they say to him:
"Teacher, we know that you are true
and care for no one,
for you do not look on the face of men,
but in truth you teach the way of God.
Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
Shall we give, or shall we not give?"
12:15 But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them:
"Why do you test me?
Bring me a denarius, that I may see it."
12:16 And they brought one.
And he says to them:
"Whose image is this—and whose inscription?"
And they said to him:
"Caesar's."
12:17 And Jesus said to them:
Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's,
and to God the things that are God's.
And they were amazed at him.
Sadducees · the God of the living (12:18–27)
12:18 And Sadducees come to him—
those who say there is no resurrection—
and they were asking him, saying:
12:19 "Teacher, Moses wrote to us
that if a man's brother dies
and leaves a wife
and does not leave a child,
his brother is to take the wife and raise up seed for his brother.
12:20 There were seven brothers;
and the first took a wife,
and dying left no seed.
12:21 And the second took her, and died,
leaving no seed;
and the third likewise.
12:22 And the seven left no seed.
Last of all the woman also died.
12:23 In the resurrection, when they rise,
of which of them will she be wife?
For the seven had her as wife."
12:24 Jesus said to them:
"Is it not because of this that you are deceived—
not knowing the scriptures
nor the power of God?
12:25 For when they rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but are as angels in the heavens.
12:26 But concerning the dead, that they are raised,
have you not read in the book of Moses,
at the bush,
how God said to him:
'I am the God of Abraham,
and the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob'?
12:27 He is not God of the dead but of the living.
You are greatly deceived."
The Shema · the two-commandment summary (12:28–34)
12:28 And one of the scribes, coming up and hearing them debating,
knowing that he had answered them well,
asked him:
"What is the first commandment of all?"
12:29 Jesus answered:
"The first is:
'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one,
12:30 and you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your mind
and with all your strength.'
12:31 The second is this:
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
There is no other commandment greater than these."
12:32 And the scribe said to him:
"Well said, Teacher.
In truth you have said that he is one,
and there is no other besides him;
12:33 and to love him with all the heart
and with all the understanding
and with all the strength,
and to love the neighbor as oneself,
is much more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
12:34 And Jesus, seeing that he answered intelligently,
said to him:
"You are not far from the kingdom of God."
And no one was daring any longer to question him.
David's Lord (12:35–37)
12:35 And answering, Jesus said as he was teaching in the temple:
"How do the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David?
12:36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, said:
'The Lord said to my Lord:
Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet.'
12:37 David himself calls him 'Lord';
in what way then is he his son?"
And the great crowd was hearing him gladly.
Beware the scribes — vice-list (12:38–40)
12:38 And in his teaching he was saying:
"Beware of the scribes—
those who like to walk about in robes
and greetings in the marketplaces,
12:39 and front seats in the synagogues,
and chief seats at banquets,
12:40 those who devour widows' houses
and for a pretense pray long—
these will receive a greater condemnation."
The widow's two lepta (12:41–44)
12:41 And sitting opposite the treasury,
he was watching how the crowd was casting copper into the treasury;
and many rich were casting much.
12:42 And one poor widow coming, cast in two lepta,
which is a quadrans.
12:43 And calling his disciples to him, he said to them:
Amen I say to you,
this widow, the poor one,
has cast in more than all those casting into the treasury;
12:44 for all of them out of their abundance cast in,
but she, out of her destitution, cast in
all that she had—
her whole livelihood.
Temple foretold (1–4)
Beginning of birth pangs (5–13)
Desolating abomination (14–23)
Son of Man comes (24–27)Lesson of the fig tree (28–31)
"Watch" (32–37)
Temple foretold to fall · the question on the Mount of Olives (13:1–4)
13:1 And as he was going out from the temple,
one of his disciples says to him:
"Teacher, look—what stones!
What buildings!"
13:2 And Jesus said to him:
"Do you see these great buildings?
By no means shall a stone be left here on a stone
that shall not be thrown down."
13:3 And as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives
opposite the temple,
Peter and James and John and Andrew
were asking him privately:
13:4 "Tell us, when shall these things be?
And what shall be the sign
when all these things are about to be accomplished?"
Beginning of the birth pangs (13:5–13)
13:5 And Jesus began to say to them:
"Watch that no one lead you astray.
13:6 Many will come in my name, saying:
'I am he,'
and will lead many astray.
13:7 But when you hear of wars and reports of wars,
do not be alarmed;
it must come about,
but the end is not yet.
13:8 For nation will rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom;
there will be earthquakes in places;
there will be famines.
These are the beginning of birth pangs.
13:9 But you yourselves—look out for yourselves;
they will hand you over to councils
and to synagogues you will be beaten,
and before governors and kings you will stand
on my account,
as a witness to them.
13:10 And to all the nations the good news must first be proclaimed.
13:11 And when they lead you and hand you over,
do not be anxious beforehand about what you should say,
but whatever is given you in that hour, speak this;
for it is not you who speak,
but the Holy Spirit.
13:12 And brother will hand over brother to death,
and a father his child;
and children will rise up against parents
and put them to death.
13:13 And you will be hated by all on account of my name.
But the one who endures to the end—
this one will be saved."
The desolating abomination · flee to the mountains (13:14–23)
13:14 "But when you see the abomination of desolation
standing where it should not—
let the reader understand—
then let those in Judea flee to the mountains;
13:15 the one on the housetop, let him not come down,
nor enter to take anything out of his house;
13:16 and the one in the field, let him not turn back
to take his garment.
13:17 Woe to those who are pregnant
and to those nursing infants in those days!
13:18 Pray that it may not happen in winter.
13:19 For those days will be tribulation
such as has not been from the beginning of creation
which God created, until now,
and shall by no means come about.
13:20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days,
no flesh would be saved;
but on account of the chosen, whom he chose,
he has cut short the days.
13:21 And then if anyone says to you:
'Look, here is the Messiah! Look, there!'
do not believe it.
13:22 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise
and will give signs and wonders
to lead astray, if possible, the chosen.
13:23 But you—look out;
I have told you all things beforehand.
The Son of Man comes in clouds · Daniel 7 (13:24–27)
13:24 But in those days, after that tribulation,
the sun will be darkened
and the moon will not give its light,
13:25 and the stars will be falling out of the heaven,
and the powers which are in the heavens will be shaken.
13:26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming
in clouds
with great power and glory.
13:27 And then he will send the angels
and will gather his chosen ones
from the four winds,
from the end of the earth
to the end of heaven.
Lesson of the fig tree (13:28–31)
13:28 But from the fig tree learn the parable:
whenever its branch has already become tender
and puts out the leaves,
you know that the summer is near;
13:29 so also you, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the doors.
13:30 Amen I say to you,
this generation will by no means pass away
until all these things take place.
13:31 Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will by no means pass away.
"Watch!" — the keynote (13:32–37)
13:32 But concerning that day or the hour,
no one knows,
not even the angels in heaven,
nor the Son,
but only the Father.
13:33 Take heed—keep watch:
for you do not know when the time is.
13:34 As a man going on a journey
leaves his house
and gives authority to his slaves,
to each his work,
and to the doorkeeper he commanded that he watch.
13:35 Watch then—for you do not know when the lord of the house is coming:
at evening,
or at midnight,
or at cockcrow,
or early;
13:36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.
13:37 What I say to you, I say to all:
Watch !watch · opens
A · Plot at Passover (1–2)
B · Anointing at Bethany (3–9)
A′ · Judas conspires (10–11)
Passover preparation (12–16)
Betrayer announced (17–21)
The Supper (22–26)
Denial predicted (27–31)
Gethsemane · "Abba, Father" (32–42)
The arrest (43–52)
Sanhedrin trial · "I am" (53–65)
Peter's denial (66–72)
A · The plot at Passover (14:1–2) — outer bread
A 14:1 Now it was the Passover and the Unleavened Bread after two days;
and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking
how, by stealth, they might seize him and kill him,
14:2 for they were saying:
"Not at the feast,
lest there should be a tumult of the people."
B · The anointing at Bethany · "a beautiful work" (14:3–9) — sandwich filling
B 14:3 And while he was in Bethany,
in the house of Simon the leper,
reclining at table,
a woman came having an alabaster jar of perfume—
pure nard, very costly;
breaking the alabaster jar, she poured it over his head.
14:4 But there were some who were indignant within themselves:
"Why has this waste of the perfume occurred?
14:5 For this perfume could have been sold for over three hundred denarii,
and given to the poor."
And they were scolding her.
14:6 But Jesus said:
"Leave her alone.
Why do you trouble her?
A beautiful work she has done for me.
14:7 For you always have the poor with you,
and whenever you wish you can do good to them;
but me you do not always have.
14:8 What she had, she did:
she anointed my body beforehand for the burial.
14:9 Amen I say to you,
wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world,
what she has done will also be told,
in memory of her."
A′ · Judas conspires (14:10–11) — outer bread closes
A′ 14:10 And Judas Iscariot, the one of the Twelve,
went off to the chief priests
in order to hand him over to them.
14:11 And those hearing rejoiced
and promised to give him money.
And he was seeking how, opportunely, he might hand him over.
Passover preparation · the upper room (14:12–16)
14:12 And on the first day of the Unleavened Bread,
when they were sacrificing the Passover,
his disciples say to him:
"Where do you wish that we go and prepare
that you may eat the Passover?"
14:13 And he sends two of his disciples
and says to them:
"Go into the city,
and there will meet you a man carrying a jar of water—
follow him.
14:14 And wherever he enters in,
say to the master of the house:
'The Teacher says: Where is my guest room
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'
14:15 And he will show you a large upper room,
furnished and ready.
And there prepare for us."
14:16 And the disciples went out and came into the city,
and found things just as he had said to them,
and they prepared the Passover.
"One of you will hand me over" (14:17–21)
14:17 And when evening came, he comes with the Twelve.
14:18 And as they were reclining and eating,
Jesus said:
Amen I say to you,
one of you will hand me over—
one eating with me.
14:19 They began to be grieved
and to say to him, one by one:
"Surely not I?"
14:20 And he said to them:
"One of the Twelve—
the one dipping with me into the bowl.
14:21 The Son of Man indeed goes
as it has been written about him;
but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is handed over.
Good would it have been for him
if that man had not been born."
The Last Supper · body & blood of the covenant (14:22–26)
14:22 And as they were eating,
taking bread, blessing, he broke it
and gave it to them
and said:
14:23 And taking a cup, giving thanks, he gave it to them,
and all drank of it.
14:24 And he said to them:
This is my blood of the covenant,
poured out for many.
14:25 Amen I say to you,
no more will I drink of the fruit of the vine
until that day
when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
14:26 And singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Denial predicted · "before a rooster crows twice" (14:27–31)
14:27 And Jesus says to them:
"All of you will fall away,
because it is written:
'I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.'
14:28 But after I am raised,
I will go before you into Galilee."
14:29 But Peter said to him:
"Even if all should fall away,
yet not I."
14:30 And Jesus says to him:
Amen I say to you, that today, this very night,
before a rooster crows twice,
three times you will deny me.
14:31 But emphatically he was saying:
"Even if I must die with you,
by no means will I deny you."
And likewise also all were saying.
Gethsemane · "Abba, Father, take this cup" (14:32–42)
14:32 And they come to a place named Gethsemane,
and he says to his disciples:
"Sit here while I pray."
14:33 And he takes Peter and James and John with him,
and began to be greatly distressed and troubled,
14:34 and says to them:
"My soul is sorrowful unto death.
Remain here, and watch ."watch · echoed
14:35 And going forward a little, he fell on the ground
and was praying that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him,
14:36 and was saying:
Abba —Father, all things are possible for you.
Take this cup from me.
Yet not what I will, but what you will.
14:37 And he comes and finds them sleeping,Gethsemane · 1 of 3
and says to Peter:
"Simon, are you sleeping?
Were you not strong enough to watch one hour?
14:38 Watch and pray,watch · closes Olivet → Gethsemane frame
that you may not enter into trial.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
14:39 And again going off, he prayed,
saying the same word.
14:40 And coming again, he found them sleeping,Gethsemane · 2 of 3
for their eyes were weighed down;
and they did not know what to answer him.
14:41 And he comes the third time and says to them:Gethsemane · 3 of 3
"Still sleeping? Still resting?
Enough!
The hour has come.
Look—the Son of Man is being handed over into the hands of sinners.
14:42 Rise, let us go.
Look—the one handing me over is at hand."
The arrest · the young man flees naked (14:43–52)
14:43 And immediately, while he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrives,
and with him a crowd
with swords and clubs,
from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
14:44 Now the one handing him over had given them a signal, saying:
"Whomever I kiss, that is he—seize him,
and lead him away under guard."
14:45 And coming, he immediately went up to him and says:
"Rabbi!"
And he kissed him.
14:46 And they laid hands on him and seized him.
14:47 But one of those standing by, drawing the sword,
struck the slave of the high priest
and cut off his ear.
14:48 And Jesus answering said to them:
"As against a robber you came out with swords and clubs to take me?
14:49 Day after day I was with you in the temple, teaching,
and you did not seize me;
but it is so that the scriptures may be fulfilled."
14:50 And leaving him, all fled.
14:51 And a certain young man was following him,
having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body;
and they seize him,
14:52 but he, leaving the linen cloth, fled naked.
▼ The trial chiasm (14:53–15:39) opens here. Jewish trial mirrors Roman trial across the two chapters, with the Roman judgment at the center.
A · Jewish trial before the Sanhedrin · "I AM" (14:53–65)
A 14:53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest;
and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes come together.
14:54 And Peter followed him from afar,
even into the courtyard of the high priest,
and was sitting with the attendants
and warming himself by the light of the fire.
14:55 Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin
were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death,
and were not finding any.
14:56 For many were giving false testimony against him,
but their testimonies were not consistent.
14:57 And some, rising up, were giving false testimony against him, saying:
14:58 "We heard him saying:
'I will destroy this temple made with hands,
and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'"
14:59 And not even so was their testimony consistent.
14:60 And the high priest, rising up in the middle, questioned Jesus, saying:
"Do you answer nothing? What is it these are testifying against you?"
14:61 But he was silent and answered nothing.
Again the high priest was questioning him and says to him:
"Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed?"
14:62 And Jesus said:
Son of Man saying">
I AM.
And you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power,
and coming with the clouds of heaven.
14:63 And the high priest, tearing his garments, says:
"What further need have we of witnesses?
14:64 You have heard the blasphemy.
What do you think?"
And they all condemned him as deserving of death.
14:65 And some began to spit on him,
and to cover his face,
and to beat him,
and to say to him:
"Prophesy!"
And the attendants struck him with blows.
B · Peter's denial · three times — the rooster (14:66–72)
B 14:66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard,
one of the maidservants of the high priest comes,
14:67 and seeing Peter warming himself,
looking at him she says:
"You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus."
14:68 But he denied, saying:denial · 1 of 3
"I neither know nor understand what you are saying."
And he went outside into the forecourt
[and a rooster crowed].
14:69 And the maidservant, seeing him, again began to say to those standing by:
"This one is of them."
14:70 But again he denied.denial · 2 of 3
And a little later, again those standing by were saying to Peter:
"Truly you are of them,
for you are also a Galilean."
14:71 But he began to curse and to swear:denial · 3 of 3
"I do not know this man of whom you speak."
14:72 And immediately a rooster crowed a second time.
And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him:
"Before a rooster crows twice,
three times you will deny me."
And throwing himself down, he was weeping.
C · Pilate · Barabbas (1–15)
C′ · Roman mockery · crown of thorns (16–20)
B′ · Crucifixion & mockery (21–32)
A′ · Death · curtain torn · centurion (33–39)
Women looking on (40–41)
Burial · Joseph of Arimathea (42–47)
▼ Center of trial chiasm · Roman judgment · 15:1–15 ▼
C · Pilate · "King of the Jews" · Barabbas (15:1–15) — center of the trial chiasm
C 15:1 And immediately, early in the morning,
the chief priests with the elders and the scribes and the whole Sanhedrin
held a council;
binding Jesus, they led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
15:2 And Pilate asked him:
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
And answering him, he says:
"You say so."
15:3 And the chief priests were accusing him of many things.
15:4 And Pilate was again asking him, saying:
"Do you answer nothing?
Look how many things they are accusing you of."
15:5 But Jesus answered no more, anything,
so that Pilate marveled.
15:6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner
whom they were asking for.
15:7 And there was the one called Barabbas
imprisoned with the insurrectionists
who in the insurrection had committed murder.
15:8 And going up, the crowd began to ask him to do
as he was accustomed for them.
15:9 But Pilate answered them, saying:
"Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?"
15:10 For he knew that out of envy the chief priests had handed him over.
15:11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd
that he should rather release Barabbas to them.
15:12 And Pilate again answering said to them:
"What then shall I do
with the one you call the King of the Jews?"
15:13 And they again cried out:
"Crucify him!"
15:14 And Pilate was saying to them:
"Why? What evil has he done?"
But they cried out exceedingly:
"Crucify him!"
15:15 And Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,
released Barabbas for them;
and having scourged Jesus,
he handed him over to be crucified.
▲ End center ▲
C′ · Roman mockery · crown of thorns (15:16–20)
C′ 15:16 And the soldiers led him away
into the courtyard, which is the Praetorium,
and they call together the whole cohort.
15:17 And they clothe him in purple,
and twisting together a thorn-crown,
they placed it on him.
15:18 And they began to greet him:
"Hail, King of the Jews!"
15:19 And they were striking him on the head with a reed
and spitting on him,
and bending their knees they were worshipping him.
15:20 And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the purple
and put his own garments on him.
And they lead him out to crucify him.
B′ · Crucifixion & mockery on the cross (15:21–32) — mirrors Peter's denial: triple-mockery answers triple-denial
B′ 15:21 And they compel one passing by, Simon a Cyrenian,
coming from the field,
the father of Alexander and Rufus,
to take up his cross.
15:22 And they bring him to the place Golgotha ,
which is, translated, Place of a Skull.
15:23 And they were giving him wine mixed with myrrh,
but he did not take it.
15:24 And they crucify him,
and they divide his garments,
casting lots for them, who should take what.
15:25 Now it was the third hour, and they crucified him.hour · 1 of 3
15:26 And the inscription of his charge was written above:
"The King of the Jews."
15:27 And with him they crucify two robbers,
one on his right and one on his left.
15:29 And those passing by were blaspheming him,
shaking their heads
and saying:
"Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days,
15:30 save yourself, coming down from the cross!"
15:31 Likewise also the chief priests, mocking among themselves with the scribes, were saying:
"Others he saved;
he is not able to save himself!
15:32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel,
come down now from the cross,
that we may see and believe!"
And those crucified with him were reviling him.
A′ · Death · the curtain torn · the centurion confesses (15:33–39) — closes the trial chiasm
A′ 15:33 And when the sixth hour came,hour · 2 of 3
darkness came over the whole land
until the ninth hour.
15:34 And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a great voice:hour · 3 of 3
"Eloi Eloi lema sabachthani? "
which is, translated:
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
15:35 And some of those standing by, hearing it, were saying:
"Look, he is calling Elijah."
15:36 And one ran and, filling a sponge with sour wine,
putting it on a reed, gave him to drink, saying:
"Leave him alone; let us see whether Elijah comes
to take him down."
15:37 But Jesus, letting out a great voice, breathed his last.
15:38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two,
from top to bottom.
15:39 Seeing that thus he had breathed his last,
the centurion who was standing opposite him said:
Truly this man was Son of God.
Women looking on from afar (15:40–41)
15:40 Now there were also women watching from afar,
among whom were both Mary Magdalene
and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses
and Salome,
15:41 who, when he was in Galilee, were following him and ministering to him,
and many others who came up with him to Jerusalem.
Burial · Joseph of Arimathea (15:42–47)
15:42 And when evening had already come,
since it was Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
15:43 Joseph of Arimathea coming—
a respected councilor, who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God—
took courage and went in to Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus.
15:44 But Pilate wondered if he had already died,
and summoning the centurion he asked him
whether he had been long dead.
15:45 And learning from the centurion,
he granted the corpse to Joseph.
15:46 And buying a linen cloth,
taking him down, he wrapped him in the linen,
and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of rock,
and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
15:47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses
were watching where he had been laid.