Mark 15:36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, "Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down."

◄ Mark 15:36 ►

New International Version
Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

New Living Translation
One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. “Wait!” he said. “Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down!”

English Standard Version
And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.”

Berean Standard Bible
And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”

Berean Literal Bible
And one having run and having filled a sponge with vinegar, having put it on a reed, gave Him to drink, saying, "Let be; let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down."

King James Bible
And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.

New King James Version
Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”

New American Standard Bible
And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”

NASB 1995
Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.”

NASB 1977
And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.”

Amplified Bible
Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah is coming to take Him down.”

Christian Standard Bible
Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a stick, offered him a drink, and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, offered Him a drink, and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down!”

American Standard Version
And one ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to take him down.

Contemporary English Version
One of them ran and grabbed a sponge. After he had soaked it in wine, he put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus. He said, "Let's wait and see if Elijah will come and take him down!"

English Revised Version
And one ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to take him down.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus a drink. The man said, "Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down."

Good News Translation
One of them ran up with a sponge, soaked it in cheap wine, and put it on the end of a stick. Then he held it up to Jesus' lips and said, "Wait! Let us see if Elijah is coming to bring him down from the cross!"

International Standard Version
So someone ran and soaked a sponge in some sour wine. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus a drink, saying, "Wait! Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down!"

Majority Standard Bible
And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”

NET Bible
Then someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Leave him alone! Let's see if Elijah will come to take him down!"

New Heart English Bible
One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Let him be. Let us see whether Elijah comes to take him down."

Webster's Bible Translation
And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.

Weymouth New Testament
Then a man ran to fill a sponge with sour wine, and he put it on the end of a cane and placed it to His lips, saying at the same time, "Wait! let us see whether Elijah will come and take him down."

World English Bible
One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and one having run, and having filled a sponge with vinegar, having also put [it] on a reed, was giving Him to drink, saying, “Let alone, let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”

Berean Literal Bible
And one having run and having filled a sponge with vinegar, having put it on a reed, gave Him to drink, saying, "Let be; let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down."

Young's Literal Translation
and one having run, and having filled a spunge with vinegar, having put it also on a reed, was giving him to drink, saying, 'Let alone, let us see if Elijah doth come to take him down.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And one running and having filled a sponge with vinegar, and put round a reed, gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see if Elias will come to take him down.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and putting it upon a reed, gave him to drink, saying: Stay, let us see if Elias come to take him down.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then one of them, running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and placing it around a reed, gave it to him to drink, saying: “Wait. Let us see if Elijah will come to take him down.”

New American Bible
One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

New Revised Standard Version
And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And one ran and filled a sponge with vinegar, and tied it on a reed to give him a drink; and he said, Hush, let us see if Elijah will come to take him down.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But one ran and filled a sponge with vinegar and tied it on a reed to give him a drink and they said, “Let him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
And one ran, and filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying: Wait; let us see if Elijah is coming to take him down.

Godbey New Testament
And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and reaching it forth on a reed, gave Him drink, saying, Let Him alone, let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.

Haweis New Testament
Then one ran, and filling a sponge with vinegar, fixed it round a cane, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone, let us see if Elias comes to take him down.

Mace New Testament
then one of the soldiers ran and dipp'd a spunge in vinegar, which he fastned to a stick, and offered him to drink, now let us, said they, see whether Elias will come to take him down.

Weymouth New Testament
Then a man ran to fill a sponge with sour wine, and he put it on the end of a cane and placed it to His lips, saying at the same time, "Wait! let us see whether Elijah will come and take him down."

Worrell New Testament
And one, running and filling a sponge full of vinegar, putting it on a reed, gave it to Him to drink, saying, "Let alone; let us see whether Elijah is comming to take Him down."

Worsley New Testament
And there ran one, and filled a spunge with vinegar, and putting it on a reed offered it Him to drink, saying, Let Him alone, let us see whether Elias will come to take Him down.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Death of Jesus
…35When some of those standing nearby heard this, they said, “Behold, He is calling Elijah.” 36And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.” 37But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Matthew 27:48
One of them quickly ran and brought a sponge. He filled it with sour wine, put it on a reed, and held it up for Jesus to drink.

John 19:29-30
A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put it on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted it to His mouth. / When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.

Psalm 69:21
They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.

Luke 23:36-37
The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine. / “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”

Psalm 22:15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death.

John 19:28
After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

Matthew 27:34
they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.

Psalm 69:3
I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

Isaiah 53:3-4
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. / Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.

John 4:7-10
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” / (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) / “You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) ...

Psalm 22:1
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Doe of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?

Hebrews 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

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 7:37
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.

Psalm 42:2
My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?

Treasury of Scripture

And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.

Mark 15:23
And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.

Psalm 69:21
They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Luke 23:36
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,

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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.

Berean Study Bible

And someone ran
This phrase indicates urgency and immediacy. The Greek word used here, "δραμών" (dramōn), suggests a quick, decisive action. In the context of the crucifixion, this reflects the chaotic and emotionally charged atmosphere surrounding Jesus' final moments. Historically, this act of running could signify the eagerness or desperation of the bystanders to offer some form of relief or to witness a potential miracle.

filled a sponge with sour wine
The "sour wine" mentioned here is "ὄξος" (oxos) in Greek, a cheap, vinegary wine commonly consumed by Roman soldiers and the lower classes. This detail highlights the humility and suffering of Christ, as He is offered a drink associated with the poor and oppressed. The use of a sponge was practical, as it could absorb the liquid and be easily offered to someone on a cross.

He put it on a reed
The "reed" or "κάλαμος" (kalamos) in Greek, was likely a stalk of a plant, possibly a hyssop branch, which was long enough to reach Jesus' mouth. This act of using a reed underscores the physical distance and separation between Jesus and those around Him, both literally and metaphorically, as He bore the sins of the world.

held it up for Jesus to drink
This gesture, while seemingly compassionate, is laden with irony. Jesus, the living water, is offered a bitter, inadequate substitute. This moment fulfills the prophecy found in Psalm 69:21, "They gave me vinegar for my thirst," highlighting the scriptural continuity and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in the life and death of Jesus.

'Wait,' he said
The command to "wait" suggests anticipation and curiosity among the onlookers. It reflects the human tendency to seek signs and wonders, even in the face of profound spiritual truths. This moment captures the tension between faith and skepticism, as the crowd wonders if a miraculous intervention will occur.

'let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.'
The reference to Elijah is significant, as Jewish tradition held that Elijah would return before the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). The crowd's expectation of Elijah's appearance reveals a misunderstanding of Jesus' mission and identity. Instead of recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, they look for a miraculous sign that aligns with their preconceived notions. This highlights the theme of spiritual blindness and the challenge of recognizing divine truth amidst human expectations.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 36. - There is a slight difference here in the narratives. St. Matthew (Matthew 27:49) says, "And the rest said, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to save him." Here in St. Mark the words are recorded as having been spoken by him alone who offered our Lord the vinegar. According to St. John (John 21:28), the offering of the vinegar followed immediately upon the words of our Lord, "I thirst." This drink was not the stupefying potion given to criminals before their crucifixion, to lull the sense of pain, but the sour wine, the ordinary drink of the soldiers, called posen. The reed was most probably the long stalk of the hyssop plant. Dr. J. Forbes Royle, in an elaborate article on the subject, quoted in Smith's 'Dictionary of the Bible' (vol. 1 p. 846), arrives at the conclusion that the hyssop is none other than the caper plant, the Arabic name of which, asuf, bears a strong resemblance to the Hebrew. The plant is the Capparis spinosa of Linnaeus. The apparent difference between the narratives of St. Matthew and St. Mark may be reconciled by weaving in the narrative of St. John with those of the synoptists - the "Let be" of the soldiers in the one case being intended to restrain the individual from offering the wine; and the "Let be" of the individual, corresponding to our "Wait a moment," while he answered our Savior's cry, "I thirst."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

And
δέ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

someone
τις (tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

ran
Δραμὼν (Dramōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5143: Apparently a primary verb; which uses dremo drem'-o as alternate in certain tenses; to run or walk hastily.

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

filled
γεμίσας (gemisas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1072: To fill, load. Transitive from gemo; to fill entirely.

a sponge
σπόγγον (spongon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4699: A sponge. Perhaps of foreign origin; a 'sponge'.

with vinegar.
ὄξους (oxous)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3690: Vinegar, sour wine mixed with water, a common drink of Roman soldiers. From oxus; vinegar, i.e. Sour wine.

He put [it] on
περιθεὶς (peritheis)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4060: To place or put around, clothe; fig: I bestow, confer. From peri and tithemi; to place around; by implication, to present.

a stick
καλάμῳ (kalamō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2563: A reed; a reed-pen, reed-staff, measuring rod. Or uncertain affinity; a reed; by implication, a pen.

[and] offered it to [Jesus] to drink.
ἐπότιζεν (epotizen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4222: To cause to drink, give to drink; irrigate, water. From a derivative of the alternate of pino; to furnish drink, irrigate.

“Wait!”
Ἄφετε (Aphete)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 863: From apo and hiemi; to send forth, in various applications.

he said.
λέγων (legōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“Let us see
ἴδωμεν (idōmen)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

Elijah
Ἠλίας (Ēlias)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2243: Elijah, the prophet. Of Hebrew origin; Helias, an Israelite.

comes
ἔρχεται (erchetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

to take Him down.”
καθελεῖν (kathelein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 2507: (a) I take down, pull down, depose, destroy. From kata and haireomai; to lower demolish.

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NT Gospels: Mark 15:36 One ran and filling a sponge full (Mar Mk Mr)