John 19:20

Many Jews were able to read this sign, because the place where Jesus was nailed {where they nailed Jesus} to the cross was very close to Jerusalem, where many people had come for the celebration, and because it was written {they wrote it} in three languages: Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

This 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.

In Context

19Pilate also had them write on a board a notice that stated why they were executing him, and fasten it to the cross. But all they wrote was ‘Jesus from Nazareth, the King of the Jews’.

21So the Jewish priests went back to Pilate and protested, saying to him, “Change what they have written from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘This man said that he is the King of the Jews’!”

Read all of John 19

Cross References

John 19:13When Pilate heard that, he brought Jesus out again. He sat down at the place where he made decisions about punishing people. The place was called {People called it} The Stone Pavement. In the Aramaic language its name was Gabbatha.

Acts 21:40Then the commander permitted Paul to speak. So Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand for the crowd to be quiet. And after the people in the crowd became quiet, Paul spoke to them in their own Hebrew language [MTY].

Acts 26:14We (exc) all fell to the ground. Then I heard the voice of someone speaking to me in my own Hebrew language [MTY]. He said ‘Saul, Saul, ◄stop causing me to suffer!/why are you causing me to suffer?► [RHQ] You (sg) are hurting yourself by trying to hurt me [MET], like an ox kicking against its owner’s goad.’

Revelation 9:11The king who ruled over them was the angel of the underworld. His name in the Hebrew language is Abaddon. In the Greek language it is Apollyon. Both of those names mean ‘Destroyer’.

Matthew Henry on John 19:20-31

The Inscription on the Cross; The Crucifixion. 19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 This 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. 21 Then 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. 22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. 23 Then the… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study John 19:20