Mark.15.1 - And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.
Mark.15.2 - And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it.
Mark.15.3 - And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.
Mark.15.4 - And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.
Mark.15.5 - But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.
Mark.15.6 - Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.
Mark.15.7 - And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.
Mark.15.8 - And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.
Mark.15.9 - But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
Mark.15.10 - For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
Mark.15.11 - But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.
Mark.15.12 - And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
Mark.15.13 - So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"
Mark.15.14 - Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.
Mark.15.15 - And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
Mark.15.16 - And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band.
Mark.15.17 - And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,
Mark.15.18 - And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!
Mark.15.19 - And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.
Mark.15.20 - And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
Mark.15.21 - And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.
Mark.15.22 - And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull.
Mark.15.23 - And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.
Mark.15.24 - And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.
Mark.15.25 - And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
Mark.15.26 - And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Mark.15.27 - And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.
Mark.15.28 - And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
Mark.15.29 - And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
Mark.15.30 - Save thyself, and come down from the cross.
Mark.15.31 - Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
Mark.15.32 - Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
Mark.15.33 - And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
Mark.15.34 - And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Mark.15.35 - And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.
Mark.15.36 - And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.
Mark.15.37 - And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
Mark.15.38 - And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
Mark.15.39 - And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
Mark.15.40 - There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
Mark.15.41 - Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem.
Mark.15.42 - And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
Mark.15.43 - Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
Mark.15.44 - Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.
Mark.15.45 - And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
Mark.15.46 - And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.
Mark.15.47 - And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid.

What does Mark chapter 15 mean?
After three years of public ministry and a week of successful debates with the Jewish civil and religious leadership (Mark 11:27—12:37), Jesus has allowed Himself to be captured. The Jewish council is triumphant; soon they will see Jesus dead. The disciples are in hiding, convinced their plans to reign in Jesus' kingdom are shattered (Matthew 19:28) and their lives are in danger (John 11:16). Jesus is resolved. This is what He came to earth to do (Matthew 20:17–19).

The Sanhedrin is the Jewish council that presides over Jewish law and minor civil offenses. They have held Jesus' trial for most of the night (Mark 14:53–65) and find Him guilty of blasphemy against God according to the Mosaic law, but they do not have authority to execute anyone (John 18:31; 19:6–7). They need to convince Pilate He has as committed a capital offense against the Roman law (Mark 15:1). They settle on twisting Jesus' claim that He is the Jewish Messiah, saying Jesus claims He is king over the Jews, to the exclusion of Caesar. Considering the long tradition of Jews rebelling against the Romans, it's a good idea. The only problem is that Pilate doesn't believe them (Luke 23:22; Mark 15:10).

Pilate is not afraid that a teacher from Nazareth in Galilee is going to incite a rebellion against the Romans. He sends Jesus to Herod Antipas, the tetrarch over Galilee, who happens to be in town for the Passover (Luke 23:6–12). At the beginning of Jesus' ministry, Antipas had killed John the Baptist, and the self-styled king is anxious to talk to this Jesus whom he had heard so much about. When Jesus refuses to make a defense, Antipas agrees with Pilate that He is not a threat (Luke 23:14–15).

Pilate knows the real issue is the Jewish leaders' jealousy of Jesus' following (Mark 15:10). But the Sanhedrin has sway over the thousands of Jews who have come to Jerusalem for the Passover and can easily incite them to riot. If Pilate loses control, Caesar could fire him and exile him to the edges of the Roman Empire. Still, even Pilate's wife warns him against killing an innocent man (Matthew 27:19).

So Pilate tries to mitigate the situation (Mark 15:2–15). First, he horribly beats Jesus in hopes the Sanhedrin will be satisfied (John 19:1–4). Then he makes the Sanhedrin choose who will be released: Jesus or the murderer Barabbas. The Sanhedrin do what they claim Jesus will do: they incite a crowd to do their will, and the crowd chooses Barabbas to be released. Fearing a riot, Pilate refuses legal responsibility and hands Jesus over to be crucified (Matthew 27:24). The Jews take responsibility for Jesus' death (Matthew 27:25) and declare their allegiance to Caesar alone (John 19:15).

The rest of the story is straightforward (Mark 15:16–32). The Roman soldiers march Jesus through Jerusalem, although He is apparently so weak He can't carry the cross bar. Once they arrive at Golgotha, the soldiers crucify Jesus between two robbers. The soldiers and robbers join the chief priests, scribes, and the mob in mocking Jesus. Jesus refuses the mild sedative they offer Him and the guards divide His clothes among them by casting lots. Jesus' death is filled with drama and symbolism (Mark 15:33–41). From noon to three in the afternoon, the sky goes dark. He cries out, citing Psalm 22's lament as God abandons Him to the sins of the world. As He dies, the temple veil tears from top to bottom, symbolically declaring that Jesus has destroyed the barrier sin erects between us and God. The women who have supported His ministry and remain faithful look on from a distance and the Roman centurion finally realizes Jesus is no ordinary man.

Jesus' closest disciples are in hiding, but other followers rush to bury His body before the Sabbath begins (Mark 15:42–47). While Mary Magdalene and another Mary watch, Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin, and Nicodemus (John 19:39) hastily wrap Jesus' body in cloth and herbs and place Him in a new tomb (John 19:40–41). The next day, the chief priests and Pharisees remember that Jesus had claimed He will rise again. They ask Pilate to seal the tomb and send soldiers to guard it lest the disciples steal His body and claim He has resurrected (Matthew 27:62–66).

In the interim, the women prepare burial spices (Luke 23:56), the disciples hide (John 20:19), and Jesus welcomes the one repentant thief in paradise (Luke 23:42–43).