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John chapter 19

English Standard Version

1Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” 7The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”
12From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. 14Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus,
17and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”
23When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things,
25but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
28After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
38After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
New International Version

1Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3and went up to him again and again, saying, 'Hail, king of the Jews!' And they slapped him in the face.
4Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, 'Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.' 5When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, 'Here is the man!'
6As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, 'Crucify! Crucify!' But Pilate answered, 'You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.'
7The Jewish leaders insisted, 'We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.'
8When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9and he went back inside the palace. 'Where do you come from?' he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10Do you refuse to speak to me?' Pilate said. 'Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?'
11Jesus answered, 'You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.'
12From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, 'If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.'
13When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha).
14It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. 'Here is your king,' Pilate said to the Jews.
15But they shouted, 'Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!' 'Shall I crucify your king?' Pilate asked. 'We have no king but Caesar,' the chief priests answered.
16Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18There they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. 20Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, 'Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.'
22Pilate answered, 'What I have written, I have written.'
23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24Let's not tear it,' they said to one another. 'Let's decide by lot who will get it.' This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, 'They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.' So this is what the soldiers did.
25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, 'Woman, here is your son,' 27and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
28Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.' 29A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: 'Not one of his bones will be broken,' 37and, as another scripture says, 'They will look on the one they have pierced.'
38Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. 39He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
New American Standard Bible

1So Pilate then took Jesus and had Him flogged. 2And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, and put a purple cloak on Him; 3and they repeatedly came up to Him and said, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' and slapped Him in the face again and again. 4And then Pilate came out again and *said to them, 'See, I am bringing Him out to you so that you will know that I find no grounds at all for charges in His case.' 5Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate *said to them, 'Behold, the Man!' 6So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they shouted, saying, 'Crucify, crucify!' Pilate *said to them, 'Take Him yourselves and crucify Him; for I find no grounds for charges in His case!' 7The Jews answered him, 'We have a law, and by that law He ought to die, because He made Himself out to be the Son of God!'
8Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; 9and he entered the Praetorium again and *said to Jesus, 'Where are You from?' But Jesus gave him no answer. 10So Pilate *said to Him, 'Are you not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?' 11Jesus answered him, 'You would have no authority over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above; for this reason the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.' 12As a result of this, Pilate made efforts to release Him; but the Jews shouted, saying, 'If you release this Man, you are not a friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar!'
13Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement—but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he *said to the Jews, 'Look, your King!' 15So they shouted, 'Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!' Pilate *said to them, 'Shall I crucify your King?' The chief priests answered, 'We have no king except Caesar.'
16So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified.
17They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, carrying His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called, Golgotha. 18There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. 19Now Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written: 'JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.' 20Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and in Greek. 21So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, 'Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; rather, write that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’?' 22Pilate answered, 'What I have written, I have written.'
23Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts: a part to each soldier, and the tunic also; but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece. 24So they said to one another, 'Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be.' This happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: 'THEY DIVIDED MY GARMENTS AMONG THEMSELVES, AND THEY CAST LOTS FOR MY CLOTHING.' Therefore the soldiers did these things.
25Now beside the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26So when Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!' 27Then He *said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!' And from that hour the disciple took her into his own household.
28After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture would be fulfilled, *said, 'I am thirsty.' 29A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!' And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
31Now then, since it was the day of preparation, to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath ( for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews requested of Pilate that their legs be broken, and the bodies be taken away. 32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other who was crucified with Him; 33but after they came to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34Yet one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 36For these things took place so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: 'NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN.' 37And again another Scripture says, 'THEY WILL LOOK AT HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.'
38Now after these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, requested of Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. 39Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred litras weight. 40So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Christian Standard Bible

1Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2The soldiers also twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and clothed him in a purple robe. 3And they kept coming up to him and saying, "Hail, king of the Jews! " and were slapping his face.
4Pilate went outside again and said to them, "Look, I'm bringing him out to you to let you know I find no grounds for charging him." 5Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Here is the man! "
6When the chief priests and the temple servants saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify! "Pilate responded, "Take him and crucify him yourselves, since I find no grounds for charging him."
7"We have a law," the Jews replied to him, "and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God."
8When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever. 9He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, "Where are you from? " But Jesus did not give him an answer. 10So Pilate said to him, "Do you refuse to speak to me? Don't you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you? "
11"You would have no authority over me at all," Jesus answered him, "if it hadn't been given you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin."
12From that moment Pilate kept trying to release him. But the Jews shouted, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar! "
13When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge's seat in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Aramaic, Gabbatha). 14It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about noon. Then he told the Jews, "Here is your king! "
15They shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him! "Pilate said to them, "Should I crucify your king? ""We have no king but Caesar! " the chief priests answered.
16Then he handed him over to be crucified. Then they took Jesus away. 17Carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18There they crucified him and two others with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. 19Pilate also had a sign made and put on the cross. It said: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. 20Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. 21So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Don't write, 'The king of the Jews,' but that he said, 'I am the king of the Jews.' "
22Pilate replied, "What I have written, I have written."
23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. 24So they said to one another, "Let's not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see who gets it." This happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says: They divided my clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing. This is what the soldiers did.
25Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." 27Then he said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
28After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, "I'm thirsty." 29A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it up to his mouth.
30When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished." Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.
31Since it was the preparation day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special day). They requested that Pilate have the men's legs broken and that their bodies be taken away. 32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with him. 33When they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs since they saw that he was already dead. 34But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. 35He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth. 36For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken. 37Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the one they pierced.
38After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus--but secretly because of his fear of the Jews--asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus's body. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and took his body away. 39Nicodemus (who had previously come to him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes. 40They took Jesus's body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the fragrant spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41There was a garden in the place where he was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden; no one had yet been placed in it. 42They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish day of preparation and since the tomb was nearby.
New Living Translation

1Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. 2The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. 3Hail! King of the Jews!' they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.
4Pilate went outside again and said to the people, 'I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.' 5Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, 'Look, here is the man!'
6When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' 'Take him yourselves and crucify him,' Pilate said. 'I find him not guilty.'
7The Jewish leaders replied, 'By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.'
8When Pilate heard this, he was more frightened than ever. 9He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, 'Where are you from?' But Jesus gave no answer. 10Why don’t you talk to me?' Pilate demanded. 'Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?'
11Then Jesus said, 'You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.'
12Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, 'If you release this man, you are no ‘friend of Caesar.’ Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.'
13When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). 14It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, 'Look, here is your king!'
15Away with him,' they yelled. 'Away with him! Crucify him!' 'What? Crucify your king?' Pilate asked. 'We have no king but Caesar,' the leading priests shouted back.
16Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away. 17Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). 18There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. 19And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, 'Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.' 20The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.
21Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, 'Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’'
22Pilate replied, 'No, what I have written, I have written.'
23When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24So they said, 'Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.' This fulfilled the Scripture that says, 'They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.' So that is what they did.
25Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, 'Dear woman, here is your son.' 27And he said to this disciple, 'Here is your mother.' And from then on this disciple took her into his home.
28Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, 'I am thirsty.' 29A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30When Jesus had tasted it, he said, 'It is finished!' Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. 32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. 33But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. 34One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. 35(This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also may continue to believe. ) 36These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, 'Not one of his bones will be broken,' 37and 'They will look on the one they pierced.'
38Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. 39With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. 40Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. 41The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
King James Version

1Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. 2And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 3And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. 4Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. 5Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! 6When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. 7The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 8When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 9And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. 10Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. 12And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. 13When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 15But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
16Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. 17And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
19And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. 21Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. 22Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. 23Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. 25Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. 28After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
31The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. 33But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. 35And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. 36For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
38And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. 39And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. 41Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. 42There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

What does John chapter 19 mean?

Despite Jesus' obvious innocence (John 18:36–38) and the personal vendetta of His enemies (Matthew 27:18), the Roman governor continues to try and appease the mob. What should have been an obvious prisoner exchange failed (John 18:39–40). Pilate tries to satisfy the crowd's blood lust by having Jesus viciously whipped and mocked, then presented to the crowd. The term translated "flogged" can also be rendered as "scourged." A Roman scourge, or flagrum, was a multiheaded, weighted whip capable of lethal injury. The man paraded to the public afterwards would have been a ragged, maimed figure (John 19:1–5).

The crowd's reaction is shocking: they respond not with sympathy for a mutilated man, but hatred for an enemy. Crucifixion was deliberately intended as dishonor and torture—so much so that Roman citizens were exempt from it. Not only is the mob demanding Jesus die, but they want Him to die in the most graphic, horrible way possible. This partly explains Pilate's rhetorical response—"do it yourself!"—despite knowing full well the Jews can do no such thing. Their reply, explaining that they are angry over Jesus' claims to be "Son of God," only makes Pilate more nervous. Roman myths included demigods who hid among mortals. Those who abused these half-deities often suffered as a result. Combined with his wife's ominous warning (Matthew 27:19), the governor has reason to be concerned (John 19:6–8).

Another private interview with Jesus gives no helpful answers. Jesus only responds to Pilate's frustrated demand for answers with a humbling reminder. Pilate's authority is not his own; it's merely borrowed from others. In a fundamental sense, Pilate has no control over this situation. He governs at the whims of the Empire, is being bullied by an unruly mob (Matthew 27:24), and is subject to the sovereign will of God. Pilate will then change tactics, apparently looking to avoid total humiliation. Despite the objections of Jesus' enemies, he will repeatedly refer to Jesus as "King of the Jews," and issue a death sentence accordingly (John 19:9–16).

We know little about Golgotha other than it was just outside the borders of old Jerusalem, near enough to be easily seen by many people. It was common for Romans to force condemned men to carry the horizontal beam of their cross to the execution site. Jesus has already been weakened by scourging, so impatient soldiers force a bystander to help (Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26). Crucifixion involved nailing a victim with cruel precision through the wrists and feet, arms apart and knees bent. A primary goal was to minimize blood loss and maximize pain. The result was an agonizing, horrific death that could last hours or even days (John 19:17–18).

Crucified victims were frequently labeled with their crimes, as a written warning to others. Pilate's chosen inscription is deliberately offensive. Jesus' enemies do not accept Him as their King, but the sign reflects Rome's dominance over Israel. This is written in multiple languages and seen by many people, making it the first time Jesus is proclaimed to the world as King. In Latin, the words recorded here would be Iēsus Nazarēnus Rēx Iūdaeōrum. Depictions of the cross in artwork frequently include the initials INRI (John 19:19–22).

John (John 13:23; 20:2) seems to be the only disciple willing to approach the cross as Jesus is dying, at least openly (Luke 23:49). Women associated with Jesus are braver, and several are present. They see Jesus' clothes being divided up among the soldiers in fulfillment of prophecy (Psalm 22:18). As this happens, Jesus puts His mother, Mary, into John's care. His other siblings might have rejected her for being loyal to someone they thought was insane (John 7:5; Mark 3:21). This places John right at the foot of the cross to witness Jesus' death and its gory confirmation (John 19:23–27).

Another Old Testament passage is echoed when Jesus is offered vile liquid in response to thirst (Psalm 69:21). John prominently notes that Jesus utters the Greek word tetelestai. This word implies something paid, completed, or fulfilled. Atonement for the sins of mankind is utterly and entirely completed in this sacrifice—without any room or need for further work (1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 10:12–14). It is also notable that Jesus' act of death is said to be deliberate: He "gave up" His life. Though His death was physically unavoidable by now, Jesus came to this moment by His own will and according to His own choice (John 10:17–18; Matthew 26:39; Philippians 2:8). In every sense, Christ's death was a voluntary act (John 19:28–30).

The nature of crucifixion meant victims could languish for hours or days before dying. Some died of blood loss, exposure, thirst, infection, or attacks by scavenging animals. Most suffocated as their failing strength made it impossible to lift up against the nails to properly breathe. To speed up the process, or as a perverse form of mercy, executioners would sometimes shatter the victim's shin bones. This would make lifting to breath impossible, bringing death in minutes. The governor allows this speedier process so the bodies can be cleared. This will avoid defiling the area on a religious holiday (Deuteronomy 21:23). Having been mutilated by scourging before being crucified, Jesus is already dead, completing more Old Testament predictions. To confirm death, a soldier punctures His side with a spear, resulting in a gory flood of body fluids. There is absolutely no question that Jesus is dead (John 19:31–37).

Not every single member of Jerusalem's religious council is hardened against Jesus. Two men, Joseph and Nicodemus, work together to give Jesus a hasty burial. Joseph's own personal tomb, a luxurious stone crypt, is close by. Jesus was penniless in life (Matthew 8:20) yet will be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9), further adding to fulfillment of prophecy (John 19:38–42).

This burial in a solid stone tomb, covered by a door, will factor into Jesus' miraculous resurrection. His enemies will petition to have the site guarded: they don't want anyone to steal the body and claim Jesus came back from the dead (Matthew 27:62–68). Ironically, those measures will only make it more obvious that the tomb's emptiness was the result of a true miracle (John 20:1–9).
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