World English Bible · Under Rome
Mark 14
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It was now two days before and the Feast of , and the and the sought how they might seize him by deception and kill him. For they said, "Not during the feast, because there might be a riot among the people." While he was at , in the house of the , as he sat , a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard—very costly. She broke the jar and poured it over his head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, "Why has this ointment been wasted? For this might have been sold for more than three hundred and given to ." So they grumbled against her. But said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me. For you always have with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could. She has my body beforehand for the burying. Most certainly I tell you, wherever this may be preached throughout the whole world, that which this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her." , who was one of the twelve, went away to the , that he might him to them. They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently him. On the first day of , when they , his asked him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat ?" He sent two of his and said to them, "Go into the city, and there a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters in, tell the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room, where I may eat with my ?"' He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Get ready for us there." His went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared . When it was evening he came with the twelve. As they sat and were eating, said, "Most certainly I tell you, one of you will betray me—he who eats with me." They began to be sorrowful, and to ask him one by one, "Surely not I?" And another said, "Surely not I?" He answered them, "It is one of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish. For goes as about him, but woe to that man by whom is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born." As they were eating, took bread, and when he had it, he broke it and gave to them, and said, "Take, eat. This is my body." He took , and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it. He said to them, "This is my of the , which is poured out for many. Most certainly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of until that day when I drink it anew in Kingdom." When they had sung a hymn, they went out to . said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for , 'I will strike the , and the sheep will be scattered.' However, after I am up, I will go before you into ." But said to him, "Although all will be offended, yet I will not." said to him, "Most certainly I tell you that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." But he spoke all the more, "If I must with you, I will not deny you." They all said the same thing. They came to a place which was named . He said to his , "Sit here while I ." He took with him , , and , and began to be greatly troubled and distressed. He said to them, " is exceedingly sorrowful, even to . Stay here and watch." He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and that if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. He said, ", all things are possible to you. Please remove this from me. However, not what I , but what you ." He came and found them sleeping, and said to , ", are you sleeping? Couldn't you watch one hour? Watch and , that you may not enter into . indeed is willing, but is weak." Again he went away and , saying the same words. Again he returned and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they didn't know what to answer him. He came the third time and said to them, "Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, is betrayed into the hands of . Arise! Let's get going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand." Immediately, while he was still speaking, , one of the twelve, came—and with him a multitude with and clubs, from the , the , and the . Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I will kiss, that is he. Seize him, and lead him away safely." When he had come, immediately he came to him and said, "Rabbi! Rabbi!" and kissed him. They on him and seized him. But a certain one of those who stood by drew his and struck the the , and his ear. answered them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with and clubs to seize me? I was daily with you in teaching, and you didn't arrest me. But this is so that might be fulfilled." They all left him, and fled. 51A certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around himself over his body. The young men grabbed him, but he left the linen cloth and fled from them . They led away to the . All the , the , and the came together with him. had followed him from a distance, until he came into the court of the . He was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in of the . Now the and the whole council sought against to put him to , and found none. 56For many gave false against him, and their didn't agree with each other. Some stood up and gave false against him, saying, "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.'" 59Even so, their didn't agree. The stood up in the middle, and asked , "Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?" But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the asked him, "Are you , the Son of the ?" said, "I am. You will see sitting at of , and coming with the clouds of ." The tore his clothes and said, "What further need have we of ? You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" They all condemned him to be worthy of . Some began to spit on him, and to cover , and to beat him with fists, and to tell him, "!" The officers struck him with the palms of their hands. As was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the came, and seeing warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You were also with the Nazarene, !" But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying." He went out on the porch, and the rooster crowed. The maid saw him and began again to tell those who stood by, "This is one of them." But he again denied it. After a little while again those who stood by said to , "You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it." But he began to and to , "I don't know this man of whom you speak!" The rooster crowed the second time. remembered the words that said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." When he thought about that, he wept.
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The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.