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
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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
This phrase indicates the initiation of an action, suggesting a deliberate and collective effort by the Roman soldiers. The Greek word used here, "ἤρξαντο" (ērxanto), implies a commencement of mockery. Historically, this moment is set during the Passion of Christ, a time of intense suffering and humiliation. The soldiers' actions were not spontaneous but rather a continuation of the scornful treatment Jesus received after His arrest.

to salute Him
The act of saluting, "ἀσπάζομαι" (aspazomai) in Greek, typically conveys respect or honor. However, in this context, it is laden with irony and mockery. The soldiers were not genuinely honoring Jesus but were instead ridiculing His claim to kingship. This mock salute is a stark contrast to the genuine reverence Jesus deserves as the true King. Historically, Roman soldiers would salute their emperor, making this mockery even more poignant as they sarcastically equate Jesus with Caesar.

'Hail, King of the Jews!'
The phrase "Hail, King of the Jews!" is a derisive parody of the Roman salute "Ave Caesar!" The Greek word "Χαῖρε" (Chaire) means "rejoice" or "hail," and it was used in greetings. The soldiers' use of this term is deeply ironic, as they mockingly acknowledge Jesus' royal title. The title "King of the Jews" was used by Pilate during Jesus' trial (Mark 15:2) and was intended to provoke the Jewish leaders. In a broader scriptural context, this title is significant because it acknowledges Jesus' messianic role, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about the coming King from the line of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7). Despite the soldiers' mockery, their words inadvertently affirm a profound truth about Jesus' identity and mission.

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)
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