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JOHN · Trinity Bible Version

John 19

The full text of John 19 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Greek. Free to read.

All of John KJV

1 So Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged.

2 The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they wrapped a purple robe around him.

3 They kept coming up to him and saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and kept striking him in the face.

4 Pilate came outside again and said to them, "Look, I am bringing him out to you so you may know I find no grounds for a charge against him."

5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!"

6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him. As for me, I find no charge against him."

7 The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he must die, because he made himself out to be the Son of God."

8 When Pilate heard this, he became even more afraid.

9 He went back into the Praetorium*a* and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.

10 So Pilate said to him, "You refuse to speak to me? Don't you know I have authority to release you, and I have authority to crucify you?"

11 Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority against me at all unless it had been given to you from above. That is why the one who handed me over to you has greater sin."

12 Because of this, Pilate was trying to release him, but the Jews shouted, "If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar."

13 So when Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement — in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

14 It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour.ª And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your king!"ᵇ

15 So they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king except Caesar."

16 So then Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified, and they took Jesus.

17 Carrying the cross himself, he went out to what is called the Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.

18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate also had a notice written and placed on the cross. It read: Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.

20 Many of the Jews read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek.

21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Don't write, 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man said, 'I am King of the Jews.'"

22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

23 So when the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four shares, one for each soldier, and also took the inner garment. Now the inner garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

24 So they said to one another, "Let's not tear it. Let's cast lots for it, to see whose it will be" — so that the Scripture would be fulfilled that says,
"They divided my garments among themselves,
and they cast lots for my clothing."
This, then, is what the soldiers did.

25 But by the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

26 So when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son."

27 Then he said to the disciple, "Look—your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own care.

28 After this, knowing that everything was now complete, Jesus said, "I am thirsty"—so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they put a sponge full of it on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.

30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished." And bowing his head, he handed over his spirit.

31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross during the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a high day. So they asked Pilate to have their legs broken and the bodies taken away.

32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and then of the other who had been crucified with him.

33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

34 But one of the soldiers thrust a spear into his side, and immediately blood and water came out.

35 The one who saw it has testified, and his testimony is genuine. That one knows he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.

36 For these things took place to fulfill the Scripture: "Not one of his bones will be broken."

37 And another Scripture also says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."

38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus' body away. Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he feared the Jews. Pilate granted it, so Joseph came and took the body.

39 Nicodemus also came—the one who had first come to Jesus at night—bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.

40 So they took Jesus' body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, following the Jewish burial custom.

41 At the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid.

42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Translation notes (56)
  1. John 19:1a The Greek verb emastigōsen refers to Roman judicial scourging, which was done with a flagrum—a leather whip set with bone or metal—a punishment that often resulted in death. Some interpret John's account, like Luke 23:16 and 22, as the lighter beating Pilate hoped would satisfy the crowd (John 19:4–12); others understand it as the full pre-crucifixion scourging, known as verberatio.
  2. John 19:3a "Hail" translates the Greek word chaire, which was a standard Greek greeting. Here, it mocks the imperial shout "Ave, Caesar."
  3. John 19:3b This can also be translated "kept giving him blows." The Greek word rhapismata can mean either open-handed slaps or blows with a rod. The Greek does not specify "in the face," though that was the usual cultural target during a mock-coronation.
  4. John 19:5a The Greek literally says "and he says to them." The subject, though unnamed here, is understood to be Pilate from verse 4. The traditional rendering of this phrase is "Behold the man!" (Latin: Ecce Homo).
  5. John 19:6a The Greek words staurosan staurosan are a bare double command with no object, forming a forceful mob chant. Compare Luke 23:21, where the object "him" is supplied.
  6. John 19:6b The Greek word aitian refers to a legal ground for accusation or a formal charge.
  7. John 19:7a The Greek hoi Ioudaioi means "the Jews" or "the Judeans." In John's account of Jesus's suffering and death, this term refers to the Jerusalem leadership who were pressing for Jesus's execution before Pilate, not the Jewish people as a whole.
  8. John 19:7b The Greek heauton epoiēsen literally means "made himself." This idiom (compare John 5:18; 10:33) suggests that someone is claiming a status for themselves, not just making a verbal statement.
  9. John 19:7c The Greek huion theou does not have an article, so it could also be translated "God's Son" or, describing a quality, "a divine son." The accusers' charge in John 10:33 presents the offense as making oneself equal with God.
  10. John 19:9a The Praetorium was the Roman governor's official residence in Jerusalem, where Pilate held court.
  11. John 19:11a The Greek word anōthen means "from above." In John's Gospel, it intentionally carries a double meaning: referring to a higher human authority and ultimately to God (compare John 3:3, 3:31).
  12. John 19:11b The Greek text does not specify "the one who handed me over" (singular). Commentators have identified this person variously as Caiaphas, Judas, or the chief priests collectively.
  13. John 19:12a "Friend of Caesar" (Latin: amicus Caesaris) was a recognized title for trusted allies of the emperor. The threat here is political, not merely personal.
  14. John 19:12b The Greek word Ioudaioi. In this scene, the speakers are identified elsewhere as the chief priests and their officers (compare John 19:6, 19:15).
  15. John 19:13a Or 'seated him on the judgment seat.' The Greek ἐκάθισεν can be intransitive (Pilate sat) or transitive (Pilate seated Jesus). Some early readers (e.g., Justin Martyr, 1 Apol. 35; Gospel of Peter 3:7) took it transitively, which fits John's irony of Jesus enthroned as king on the βῆμα (cf. v.14, 'Behold your King!').
  16. John 19:13b The phrase "In Hebrew" (Hebraisti) in John's Gospel may refer to the Aramaic language commonly spoken in first-century Judea or to Hebrew itself; scholars are divided on this. "Gabbatha" is a Semitic name meaning roughly "elevated place" or "ridge." "The Stone Pavement" (lithostrōton) names the same site by a different feature.
  17. John 19:14a This can also be translated "about noon" (according to Roman civil reckoning, which started from sunrise). Mark 15:25 places the crucifixion at the third hour; this difference in timing has been debated for a long time. A few ancient manuscripts read "third hour," which is likely a scribal attempt to make the text agree with Mark.
  18. John 19:14b The "Day of Preparation" (paraskeuē) is the Friday before the Sabbath. It is debated whether "of the Passover" means "Friday of Passover week" or "the day before Passover begins." John's timeline of events may differ from the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).
  19. John 19:15a The Greek aron aron literally means "take [him]! take [him]!" This was a frenzied shout to remove him, and it is rendered "Take him away!" to preserve the verb's force.
  20. John 19:15b 'No king except Caesar' — on Passover eve, the chief priests formally renounce any king but the Roman emperor, echoing the rejection of God's kingship in 1 Sam 8:7.
  21. John 19:16a Some ancient manuscripts (from the Byzantine tradition) include the words "and led him away" at the end of this verse. In the critical Greek text (NA28), those words begin verse 17.
  22. John 19:17a The Greek word Hebraisti means "in Hebrew." Many understand this to refer to the Aramaic language commonly spoken in first-century Judea, which Jews themselves called 'Hebrew.'
  23. John 19:17b John uniquely emphasizes that Jesus carried his own cross; the Synoptics report that Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry it (Mark 15:21; Matt 27:32; Luke 23:26).
  24. John 19:19a The Greek word titlon, a Latin loanword (titulus), refers to the placard that named the charge against a person being crucified.
  25. John 19:19b This can also be translated as 'Jesus of Nazareth.' The Greek word Nazōraios is used by John as a way of identifying Jesus (compare John 18:5, 7), distinct from the word Nazarēnos, which means 'of Nazareth.' Verse 20 notes that the placard was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
  26. John 19:20a The Greek word Hebraisti refers to the Aramaic language commonly spoken in first-century Judea, though some traditions translate it as 'Hebrew.'
  27. John 19:23a The Greek word chitōn refers to the garment worn next to the skin, which is distinct from the himatia, or outer clothes, just mentioned.
  28. John 19:23b The seamless inner garment recalls the high priest's robe (compare Exodus 28; Josephus, Antiquities 3.7.4), which is likely a connection intended by the author of John's Gospel.
  29. John 19:24a This verse is quoting Psalm 21:19 from the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, which corresponds to Psalm 22:18 in the standard Hebrew text and English Bibles, word for word.
  30. John 19:24b The 'garments' (Greek himatia) refer to the outer garments mentioned in verse 23, which were divided four ways; the 'clothing' (himatismon) is the single seamless tunic for which the soldiers cast lots. The quotation from the Psalm reflects both of these.
  31. John 19:25a The Greek literally says 'Mary the [one] of Clopas.' This is most often understood to mean 'wife of Clopas,' but the grammatical form used here, without an explicit word like 'wife' or 'daughter,' could also mean 'daughter of' or 'mother of.'
  32. John 19:25b This can also be translated as 'Mary of Magdala.' It is also possible to read 'his mother's sister' as another description of 'Mary of Clopas,' which would mean there are three women here, not four.
  33. John 19:26a The Greek word Gynai, translated as 'Woman,' is a formal address and not dismissive; Jesus uses the same term to Mary at John 2:4, which creates a literary connection between the wedding at Cana and the cross in John's Gospel.
  34. John 19:26b This can also be translated as 'look.' The Greek word ide is a sudden exclamation that grabs attention, which John uses to introduce important revelations (John 1:29, 1:36, 19:5, 19:14).
  35. John 19:27a The Greek phrase eis ta idia literally means 'to his own [things/place].' The same phrase appears in John 1:11 and 16:32; it is translated here as 'into his own care' to allow for a broader meaning (such as home, household, or keeping) rather than limiting it to just a domestic dwelling.
  36. John 19:27b The Greek word ide, translated as 'look,' is a command used to point something out or present it—the same word Jesus uses to his mother in verse 26. It carries the weight of a formal act of entrustment.
  37. John 19:28a The grammatical arrangement of the Greek words leaves it unclear whether the phrase 'so that the Scripture would be fulfilled' refers to Jesus's awareness that everything was complete, or to his speaking the words 'I am thirsty.' Most commentators believe it refers to his speaking.
  38. John 19:28b The likely Scriptures being referred to are Psalm 69:21, which says 'for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink,' and Psalm 22:15, which says 'my tongue clings to my jaws.'
  39. John 19:28c The Greek word tetelestai, meaning 'stands completed,' is a verb form indicating a completed action with a lasting result. It is the same word Jesus speaks in John 19:30, translated as 'It is finished.' John deliberately echoes this word: Jesus knows it is complete, then declares it complete.
  40. John 19:29a Greek oxos: cheap sour wine (posca), the common drink of Roman soldiers; traditionally rendered 'vinegar.' The same word appears in LXX Ps 69:21 (68:22), which John 19:28 signals is being fulfilled.
  41. John 19:29b All Greek manuscripts read hyssōpō, meaning 'on hyssop,' which likely echoes Exodus 12:22 concerning the Passover. The reading hyssō, meaning 'on a javelin,' is a proposed change to the text from the 16th century based on a guess or theory, and is not found in any existing manuscripts.
  42. John 19:30a The Greek word oxos means a cheap, sour wine, which was commonly drunk by soldiers and laborers, not table vinegar.
  43. John 19:30b The Greek word tetelestai describes an action that is completed and has a continuing result. This can also be translated as "It is accomplished" or "It stands finished," which suggests the triumphant completion of a specific task (compare John 17:4), rather than just an ending.
  44. John 19:30c The Greek phrase paredōken to pneuma literally means "handed over the spirit." John uses the Greek word paradidōmi throughout the passion narrative to describe a deliberate handing-over (John 19:11, 16), emphasizing that Jesus is in control of his own death (compare John 10:18).
  45. John 19:31a The Greek phrase hoi Ioudaioi means "the Jews" or "the Judeans." In John's account of Jesus' suffering and death, this often refers specifically to the Judean religious authorities who were pushing for Jesus' condemnation, rather than the Jewish people as a whole.
  46. John 19:31b "Preparation" refers to Friday, the day before the Sabbath.
  47. John 19:31c "A high day" means that Sabbath fell during Passover, which made it an especially solemn day.
  48. John 19:34a Greek ἔνυξεν (from νύσσω) denotes a jab or thrust; ἐξῆλθεν is the colorless 'came out,' not a verb of flowing. Cf. 1 John 5:6; Zech 12:10.
  49. John 19:35a The Greek word ekeinos ("that one") is used for emphasis and to create distance. Who "that one" refers to is debated, possibly the eyewitness himself, the author, or someone else. The translation keeps this emphatic word as "that one."
  50. John 19:35b The Greek language distinguishes between alēthinē, which means "genuine" or "authentic" when referring to the testimony, and alēthē, which means "true" or "not lying" when referring to what is said.
  51. John 19:35c The critical Greek text (NA28) shows pisteu[s]ēte with the Greek letter sigma (σ) in brackets, indicating a textual variant. The present tense pisteuēte ("continue believing") is supported by early manuscripts such as ℵ* B Ψ, while the aorist tense pisteusēte ("come to believe") is supported by ℵ² A D Θ. Although there is a real difference in the type of action described by these tenses, it is minor for the overall meaning of the verse.
  52. John 19:36a Quoting Ps 34:20 (the future passive συντριβήσεται matches the LXX exactly) with an echo of the Passover lamb in Exod 12:46 / Num 9:12 (singular ὀστοῦν).
  53. John 19:37a This verse quotes Zechariah 12:10. John's wording matches a revised Greek translation tradition (from Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion), which uses the Greek word exekentēsan ("pierced") to follow the Hebrew word daqaru. This differs from the older Septuagint reading, which used katōrchēsanto ("mocked"). Compare Revelation 1:7.
  54. John 19:38a The Greek phrase tōn Ioudaiōn means "the Jews." In John's Gospel, this typically refers to the Jewish authorities who were opposing Jesus, rather than the Jewish people as a whole.
  55. John 19:39a The Greek text refers to about a hundred litras. A Roman litra was approximately twelve ounces, which means this amount was roughly 75 pounds (34 kilograms).
  56. John 19:42a "Day of Preparation" means Friday, the day before the Sabbath.
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