And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Parallel translations
- WEB The superscription of his accusation was written over him, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
- KJV And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
- BSB And the charge inscribed against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
- NASB The inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
- NLT A sign announced the charge against him. It read, “The King of the Jews.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The charge nailed above Jesus reads 'THE KING OF THE JEWS.' Pilate's accusation is, ironically, the truth.
Overview
Roman custom posted the condemned man's crime above his head; here the stated offense is Jesus' kingship. Intended as scorn, the title proclaims a deeper reality, for Jesus truly is Israel's promised King. In John's account Pilate refused to change it, and providentially the gospel is announced over the cross itself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Matt 27:37They set up over his head the accusation against him written, “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
- John 19:18–22where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus in the middle.
- Zech 9:9Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
- Luke 23:37–38and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
- Matt 2:2“Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
- Ps 2:6“Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.”
- Mark 15:2Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered, “So you say.”
- Isa 10:7However he doesn’t mean so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off not a few nations.
- Prov 21:1The king’s heart is in Yahweh’s hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires.
- Deut 23:5Nevertheless Yahweh your God wouldn’t listen to Balaam; but Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because Yahweh your God loved you.
- Isa 46:10I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done. I say: My counsel will stand, and I will do all that I please.
- Ps 76:10Surely the wrath of man praises you. The survivors of your wrath are restrained.
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 15:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.