Bible Strands
Mark 15:26
And the charge inscribed against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator records the execution scene at the third hour, noting the official charge placed on Jesus' cross. No speaker is quoted; the text simply reports the inscription as a factual detail of the crucifixion.
The words — ἐπιγραφὴ (epigraphē) translates to "inscription" and αἰτίας (aitias) means "accusation." The participle ἐπιγεγραμμένη (epigegrammenē) confirms the charge was physically written on the sign.
The thread — Matthew 27:37 records a parallel inscription reading "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS." The title directly references Matthew 2:2 and Zechariah 9:9, both of which identify a born or coming King of the Jews.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that Roman authorities formally designated a crucified man as a political king. It demands confrontation with the factual weight of the title against the reality of the execution method.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Cross-references
- Matthew 27:37 Above His head they posted the written charge against Him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
- Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
- Matthew 2:2 asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
- Luke 23:37 “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”
- John 19:18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle.
- Psalms 2:6 “I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.”
- Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
- Isaiah 10:7 But this is not his intention; this is not his plan. For it is in his heart to destroy and cut off many nations.
- Mark 15:2 So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- Deuteronomy 23:5 Yet the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, and the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.