Mark 15:18
New International Version
And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!”

New Living Translation
Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!”

English Standard Version
And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Berean Standard Bible
And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Berean Literal Bible
and they began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

King James Bible
And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

New King James Version
and began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

New American Standard Bible
and they began saluting Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”

NASB 1995
and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

NASB 1977
and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Legacy Standard Bible
and they began to greet Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Amplified Bible
and they began saluting and mocking Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Christian Standard Bible
And they began to salute him, “Hail, king of the Jews! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And they began to salute Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

American Standard Version
and they began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

Contemporary English Version
They made fun of Jesus and shouted, "Hey, you king of the Jews!"

English Revised Version
and they began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then they began to greet him, "Long live the king of the Jews!"

Good News Translation
Then they began to salute him: "Long live the King of the Jews!"

International Standard Version
They began to greet him, "Long live the king of the Jews!"

Majority Standard Bible
And they began to salute Him: ?Hail, King of the Jews!?

NET Bible
They began to salute him: "Hail, king of the Jews!"

New Heart English Bible
They began to salute him, "Greetings, King of the Jews."

Webster's Bible Translation
And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

Weymouth New Testament
and went on to salute Him with shouts of "Long live the King of the Jews."

World English Bible
They began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and began to greet Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Berean Literal Bible
and they began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

Young's Literal Translation
and began to salute him, 'Hail, King of the Jews.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And they began to greet him, Hail, O King of the Jews.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they began to salute him: Hail, king of the Jews.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they began to salute him: “Hail, king of the Jews.”

New American Bible
They began to salute him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

New Revised Standard Version
And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they began to salute him, Hail, O King of the Jews.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they began to greet him: “Hail, King of the Judeans!”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
and began to salute him: Hail, King of the Jews!

Godbey New Testament
And they began to mock Him, Hail, King of the Jews!

Haweis New Testament
and began to pay their salutations to him, Hail, King of the Jews!

Mace New Testament
then they began to salute him, saying, "Hail king of the Jews!"

Weymouth New Testament
and went on to salute Him with shouts of "Long live the King of the Jews."

Worrell New Testament
And they began to salute Him, "Hail King of the Jews!"

Worsley New Testament
and saluted Him, saying, Hail king of the Jews;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
17They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head. 18And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him.…

Cross References
Matthew 27:29
And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

John 19:2-3
The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe. / And they went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him in the face.

Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Psalm 22:7-8
All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: / “He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.”

Luke 23:11
And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.

John 19:5
When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

Matthew 27:31
After they had mocked Him, they removed the robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him.

Philippians 2:7-8
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. / And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.

Psalm 69:19-20
You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace. All my adversaries are before You. / Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.

Isaiah 50:6
I offered My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spittle.

John 18:33-37
Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” / “Are you saying this on your own,” Jesus asked, “or did others tell you about Me?” / “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” ...

1 Peter 2:23
When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

Psalm 22:16-18
For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet. / I can count all my bones; they stare and gloat over me. / They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.

Isaiah 52:14
Just as many were appalled at Him—His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form was marred beyond human likeness—

Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.


Treasury of Scripture

And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

Hail.

Mark 15:29-32
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, …

Genesis 37:10,20
And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? …

Matthew 27:42,43
He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him…

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Acclaim Hail Honouring Jews Live Salute Shouts
Mark 15
1. Jesus brought bound, and accused before Pilate.
6. Upon the clamor of the people, the murderer Barabbas is released,
12. and Jesus delivered up to be crucified.
16. He is crowned with thorns, spit on, and mocked;
21. faints in bearing his cross;
27. hangs between two thieves;
29. suffers the triumphing reproaches of the crowd;
39. but is confessed by the centurion to be the Son of God;
42. and is honorably buried by Joseph.














And they began to salute Him:
This phrase occurs during the crucifixion narrative, where Roman soldiers mock Jesus. The act of saluting was a customary gesture of respect and honor, typically reserved for Roman emperors or high-ranking officials. Here, it is used sarcastically, highlighting the soldiers' disdain and mockery. This mockery fulfills the prophecy of the suffering servant in Isaiah 53, who was "despised and rejected by men." The soldiers' actions reflect a misunderstanding of Jesus' true kingship, which is spiritual rather than political.

“Hail, King of the Jews!”
The phrase "Hail, King of the Jews!" is a mockery of Jesus' claim to kingship. The term "Hail" was traditionally used in Roman culture to greet Caesar, showing the soldiers' intent to ridicule. The title "King of the Jews" was the charge brought against Jesus, leading to His crucifixion. This mockery is ironic, as it unintentionally acknowledges Jesus' true identity as the Messiah, the King of the Jews, prophesied in the Old Testament. This scene parallels the mockery Jesus faced from Jewish leaders and the crowd, as seen in Psalm 22, which describes the suffering and scorn of the Messiah. The soldiers' actions also foreshadow the ultimate recognition of Jesus' kingship, as described in Philippians 2:10-11, where every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The central figure of the New Testament, who is being mocked by the Roman soldiers in this passage. He is the Messiah, the King of the Jews, and the Savior of the world.

2. Roman Soldiers
The individuals who mock Jesus by saluting Him as "King of the Jews." They are representatives of the Roman authority and are carrying out the crucifixion.

3. Pilate's Praetorium
The place where Jesus is taken to be mocked and scourged. It is the governor's headquarters in Jerusalem.

4. The Mocking Event
This event is part of the Passion of Christ, where Jesus is humiliated and scorned before His crucifixion.
Teaching Points
Understanding Mockery and Suffering
Jesus endured mockery and suffering as part of His mission to save humanity. Believers can find comfort in knowing that Jesus understands their own experiences of ridicule and pain.

The Irony of the Mockery
The soldiers mockingly call Jesus "King of the Jews," yet in reality, He is the King of Kings. This highlights the irony and the fulfillment of God's plan through what seems like defeat.

Responding to Persecution
Jesus' response to mockery and suffering was one of silence and submission to God's will. Christians are called to respond to persecution with grace and trust in God's sovereignty.

The Fulfillment of Prophecy
The events of Mark 15:18 fulfill Old Testament prophecies, demonstrating the reliability and divine inspiration of Scripture.

The Cost of Discipleship
Following Jesus may involve facing ridicule and persecution. Believers are encouraged to remain steadfast in their faith, knowing that their reward is in heaven.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they began
ἤρξαντο (ērxanto)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 756: To begin. Middle voice of archo; to commence.

to salute
ἀσπάζεσθαι (aspazesthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 782: To greet, salute, pay my respects to, welcome. To enfold in the arms, i.e. to salute, to welcome.

Him:
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“Hail,
Χαῖρε (Chaire)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 5463: A primary verb; to be 'cheer'ful, i.e. Calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation, be well.

King
Βασιλεῦ (Basileu)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 935: A king, ruler, but in some passages clearly to be translated: emperor. Probably from basis; a sovereign.

of the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Jews!”
Ἰουδαίων (Ioudaiōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.


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NT Gospels: Mark 15:18 They began to salute him Hail King (Mar Mk Mr)
Mark 15:17
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