Markus 15:18-19

15:18 They began to salute him: “Hail, king of the Jews!” ¹  15:19 Again and again ²  they struck him on the head with a staff ³  and spit on him. Then they knelt down and paid homage to him.

[15:18]  ¹ tn Or “Long live the King of the Jews!”

[15:18]  sn The statement Hail, King of the Jews! is a mockery patterned after the Romans’ cry of Ave, Caesar (“Hail, Caesar!”).

[15:19]  ² tn The verb here has been translated as an iterative imperfect.

[15:19]  ³ tn Or “a reed.” The Greek term can mean either “staff” or “reed.” See BDAG 502 s.v. κάλαμος 2.