John 19:38

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus – but a secret one, owing to his fear of the religious authorities – begged Pilate’s permission to remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him leave; so Joseph went and removed the body.

Open English Bible (US)

In The King James Version

And 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.

In Context

37And there is another passage which says – ‘They will look on him whom they pierced.’

39Nicodemus, too – the man who had formerly visited Jesus by night – came with a roll of myrrh and aloes, weighing nearly a hundred pounds.

Read all of John 19

Cross References

Mark 15:42The evening had already fallen, when, as it was the Preparation day – the day before the Sabbath –

John 7:13No one, however, spoke freely about him, because they were afraid of the authorities.

John 12:42Yet for all this, even among the leading men there were many who came to believe in Jesus; but, because of the Pharisees, they did not acknowledge it, because they were afraid that they should be expelled from their synagogues;

Matthew Henry on John 19:32-38

The Crucifixion. 31 The 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 a high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side,… Read the whole commentary →

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