But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Then they [i.e., Jesus and the twelve apostles] came to Jericho [Note: This was a town about

And when they [all] approached Jerusalem, and came close to Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives [Note: These small villages were about two miles east of Jerusalem], He sent two of His disciples on ahead,

And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

And the people who walked ahead of Him and followed behind shouted, "Hosanna [Note: The Syriac word 'Hosanna' originally meant 'save now' but came to be used as an expression of welcome, praise, blessing or acclamation], may He who comes in the name [i.e., by the authority] of the Lord, be blessed.

Then Jesus entered the Temple in Jerusalem, and after looking around at everything [there], He left for Bethany with the twelve apostles, since it was evening by then. [Note: Jesus stayed overnight at Bethany during the week prior to His crucifixion. See verse 19].

And on the day after, when they had come out from Bethany, he was in need of food.

And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

And he said to it, Let no man take fruit from you for ever. And his disciples took note of his words.

And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And each evening He left the city [of Jerusalem, and went to Bethany for the night].

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

"If we say, 'From Heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did ye not believe him!' But, should we say, 'From men,'"??hey feared the people; for all held John to be a prophet indeed.

And they answered Jesus and say, We know not. And Jesus saith unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

Then the Pharisees sent certain ones of their number [See Matt. 22:15-16] along with the Herodians [Note: This refers to members of a political party favoring King Herod] to attempt to trap Him by what He said.

And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

And the Sadducees come unto him, who say there is not a rising again, and they questioned him, saying,

"Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if someone's brother dies and he leaves behind a wife and does not leave a child, that his brother should take the wife and {father} descendants for his brother.

There were seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and dying did not leave seed;

And, the second, took her, and died, not leaving behind seed, - and, the third, likewise, -

And the seven took her and did not leave seed. Last of all the woman also died.

And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

For when they rise from the dead, they do not marry nor are they given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

Then one of the experts in the law of Moses [Note: Matt. 22:34 identifies him as being a Pharisee also], came and heard Jesus and the Sadducees discussing together [i.e., the subject of the resurrection], and knowing that Jesus had refuted the Sadducees successfully, asked Him, "Which commandment is foremost, above all the others?"

And a second like it is this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is not another commandment greater than these.

The scribe said to Him, "Well, Teacher, Thou didst say truly that He is One, and there is not another beside Him;

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

Then Jesus sat down over near the [Temple] treasury and watched how the crowd was throwing money into the treasury [Note: This "treasury" was a large open-mouthed container used for receiving offerings for meeting expenses of Temple upkeep]. Many rich people were throwing in lots of money.

A poor widow came and threw in two small copper coins [Note: These two coins each amounted to about ten minutes' worth of a farm laborer's pay, or about one dollar in 1994]. The total she gave was equivalent to a larger coin [i.e., worth twice as much].

for they have all contributed out of what they could well spare, but she out of her need has thrown in all she possessed--all she had to live on."

And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

And Jesus said to them, Take care that you are not tricked by anyone.

And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.

But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:

And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.

And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

and if the Lord had not cut short those days, no flesh should have been saved; but on account of the elect whom he has chosen, he has cut short those days.

And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

and the stars will be falling from the sky and the forces of the heavens will be shaken. [Note: From the description of these same events in Luke 21:25-26, it is possible that this is figurative language for great calamities happening on earth].

Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

so that he may not come unexpectedly and find you asleep.

Now the Passover Festival and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were held two days later. [Note: This was the annual Jewish Festival week commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage under Moses' leadership. The unleavened bread was specially baked bread containing no yeast, which was eaten for seven days as part of the celebration]. And the leading priests and experts in the law of Moses were looking for a way to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.

And while Jesus was in Bethany [Note: This was a small village fewer than two miles east of Jerusalem], sitting at the dinner table in the house of Simon, the man with an infectious skin disease [Note: This man had probably been healed by now], a woman with an alabaster [i.e., stone] jar of very expensive perfume came to Him, broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head.

And there were some that were not content in themselves, and said, "What needed this waste of ointment?

It might have been sold for a large sum of money and the money given to poor people. [Note: The amount indicated here was equivalent to days of a farm laborer's pay, or over $20,000 in 1994]. And they complained about her [doing this].

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

So they made ready the Passover, and as night fell he came, with the Twelve.

As they reclined at the table to eat, [Note: See Matt. 23:6] Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will turn me over [i.e., to the Jewish leaders]; [it is the one] who is eating with me."

They began to be grieved and deeply distressed and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?”

For the Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born.

I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

Jesus and His disciples came to a place called Gethsemene [Note: This was an olive orchard on a hillside just east of Jerusalem]. He said to His disciples, "You sit here while I [go away and] pray."

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

And again he came, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they knew not what to answer him.

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.

And a certain young man [Note: Some think this is a reference to Mark himself], who had a linen outer garment thrown over his scantily clad body, was following Jesus until they [i.e., the soldiers and officers] took hold of him. [Note: The wording here does not indicate total nakedness, but rather the wearing of underclothing only]

Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found it not.

For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

We heard him saying, I will destroy this temple which is made with hands, and in the course of three days I will build another not made with hands.

And not even so did their witness agree together.

And the chief priest, having risen up in the midst, questioned Jesus, saying, 'Thou dost not answer anything! what do these testify against thee?'

and he was keeping silent, and did not answer anything. Again the chief priest was questioning him, and saith to him, 'Art thou the Christ -- the Son of the Blessed?'

Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked on him, and said, "Was not thou also with Jesus of Nazareth?"

But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

But again he said it was not so. And after a little time, again those who were near said to Peter, Truly you are one of them; for you are a Galilaean.

But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.

And Pilate again questioned him, saying, 'Thou dost not answer anything! lo, how many things they do testify against thee!'

But Jesus did not answer anything further, so that Pilate was astonished.

They placed a purple robe on Him [Note: Matt. 27:28 calls this a "scarlet" robe. In that day, any color with a mixture of "red" in it was often called "purple"], and making a wreath out of thorns, they placed it on His head.

They forced a passerby, named Simon of Cyrene [Note: This was a city in the northern African country of Libya], the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the countryside, to go with them so he could carry Jesus' cross [i.e., probably only the cross-beam portion].

And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.

It was nine o'clock in the morning and they crucified Him. [Note: John 19:14 indicates that the crucifixion took place about noon. This can be harmonized if we take Mark's account to mean when the entire process began].

(Added verse not retained in Sawyer)

And in like manner also the chief priests, mocking with one another, with the scribes, said, 'Others he saved; himself he is not able to save.

Then at three o'clock Jesus shouted in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama, sabachthani?" [Note: These words were in the commonly spoken Aramaic language], which being interpreted, means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"