John 19:32

Pilate agreed, and he told the soldiers to break the men’s legs. They broke the legs of the men on each side of Jesus.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

In Context

31All this happened on the day before the Jewish people’s rest day. And it was going to be a really special rest day, because it was the time of the Passover ceremony. The Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies to be on those crosses on their rest day, and in their culture a new day started when the sun went down. It was already afternoon, so they asked Pilate to get the soldiers to break the legs of the men on the crosses, so those men can die more quickly, and then they can take their bodies down before the sun went down.

33Then they came to Jesus, and they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs.

Read all of John 19

Cross References

Luke 23:39One of the criminals hanging on a cross beside Jesus was rubbishing him, and said, “You reckon you are the Christ, the special man that God promised to send to save us. All right, if you are God’s man, then save yourself, and save us too. But I reckon you can’t do it.”

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 →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study John 19:32