Mark 15 · Verse 21

Mark 15:21

And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.
Mark 15:21, King James Version

Mark 15:21 in other translations

BSBNow Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.
WEBThey compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them that he might bear his cross.
ASVAnd they compel one passing by, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross.
YLTAnd they impress a certain one passing by--Simon, a Cyrenian, coming from the field, the father of Alexander and Rufus--that he may bear his cross,
DARBYAnd they compel to go with them a certain passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, coming from the field, the father of Alexander and Rufus, that he might carry his cross.
BBEAnd they made one, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was going by, coming from the country, go with them, so that he might take his cross.
WebsterAnd they constrain one Simon, a Cyrenian, who was passing by, coming from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

What does Mark 15:21 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 A Cyrenian - One of Cyrene, a celebrated city in the Pentapolis of Libya. The father of Alexander and Rufus - It appears that these two persons were well known among the first disciples of our Lord. It is not unlikely that this is the same Alexander who is mentioned, Act 19:33, and that the other is the Rufus spoken of by St. Paul, Rom 16:13.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 15:15-21

Christ met death in its greatest terror. It was the death of the vilest malefactors. Thus the cross and the shame are put together. God having been dishonoured by the sin of man, Christ made satisfaction by submitting to the greatest disgrace human nature could be loaded with. It was a cursed death; thus it was branded by the Jewish law, De 21:23. The Roman soldiers mocked our Lord Jesus as a King; thus in the high…

Read the full comment on Mark 15:15-21 →

Mark 15:21 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ἀγγαρεύουσινangareuousinthey compelG29
παράγοντάparagontapassing byG3855
τιναtinaoneG5100
ΣίμωναSimōnaSimonG4613
ΚυρηναῖονKurēnaionof CyreneG2956
ἐρχόμενονerchomenoncomingG2064
ἀπ᾽ap᾽fromG575
ἀγροῦ,agrou[the] country,G68
τὸνtontheG3588
πατέραpaterafatherG3962
ἈλεξάνδρουAlexandrouof AlexanderG223
καὶkaiandG2532
Ῥούφου,RhouphouRufus,G4504
ἵναinathatG2443
ἄρῃarēhe may carryG142
τὸνtontheG3588
σταυρὸνstauroncrossG4716
αὐτοῦ.autouof Him.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 15:21

  • Matthew 27:32

    And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

  • Luke 23:26

    And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

  • Romans 16:13

    Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

  • Acts 13:1

    Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

  • Acts 11:20

    And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.

  • Acts 6:9

    Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

  • Luke 14:27

    And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

  • Acts 2:10

    Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they compel.
Mt 27:32; Lu 23:26
a Cyrenian.
Ac 2:10; 6:9; 11:20; 13:1
and Rufus.
Ro 16:13
to bear.
Lu 14:27; Joh 15:18-20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 15:20

    And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

  • Mark 15:21

    And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

  • Mark 15:22

    And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull.

Read all of Mark 15

Mark 15:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cargaron á uno que pasaba, Simón Cireneo, padre de Alejandro y de Rufo, que venía del campo, para que llevase su cruz.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils contraignent un certain homme, Simon, Cyrénéen, père d’Alexandre et de Rufus, qui passait par là, venant des champs, de porter sa croix.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie zwingen einen Vorübergehenden, einen gewissen Simon von Kyrene, der vom Felde kam, den Vater Alexanders und Rufus, daß er sein Kreuz trüge.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et angariaverunt prætereuntem quempiam, Simonem Cyrenæum venientem de villa, patrem Alexandri et Rufi, ut tolleret crucem ejus.