John 19:31

That was the day that they prepared everything for their ◄ Sabbath/day of rest►. The next day was a special day of rest, because it was the day of rest during the Passover celebration. The Jewish leaders [SYN] did not want the bodies of the three men to remain on the cross during their ◄Sabbath/day of rest► because leaving bodies hanging overnight would be contrary to their Jewish laws. So they went to Pilate and asked him to command that the legs of the three men on the crosses be broken {the soldiers to break the legs of the three men on the crosses}, so that they would die quickly. Then their bodies could be taken down and buried {someone could take down their bodies and bury them}.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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 an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

In Context

30When Jesus tasted the sour wine, he shouted, “ I have finished all that I came to do!” Then he bowed his head and ◄died/handed over his spirit to God►.

32So, after Pilate agreed, the soldiers went and broke the legs of the first man whom they had nailed on a cross near Jesus. Then they broke the legs of the second man.

Read all of John 19

Cross References

Exodus 12:16On the first day of that week, you must ◄have a holy meeting/gather together to worship me►. You must do the same thing on the seventh day. People must not work on those two days. The only work they may do is to prepare food for you to eat.

Deuteronomy 21:22“If someone is executed for having committed a crime for which he deserves to die, and you hang his corpse on a post,

Joshua 10:26Then Joshua killed each of the five kings with his sword, and told his soldiers to hang the bodies of the five kings on trees. So they did that, and they left the bodies hanging on the trees until sunset.

Micah 3:3It is as though you chop them into pieces like [SIM] meat to be cooked in a pot.

Mark 15:42When evening was near, a man named Joseph from Arimathea town came there. He was a member of the Jewish council, one whom everyone respected. He was also one of those who had been waiting expectantly for the time when God would send his king to begin to rule. He knew that, according to Jewish law, people’s bodies had to be buried { someone had to bury people’s bodies} on the day they died. He also realized that it was the day when people prepared things for ◄ the Jewish day of rest/the Sabbath►, and that the Sabbath would start when the sun set. So he became courageous and went to Pilate and asked Pilate to permit him to take the body of Jesus down from the cross and bury it immediately.

John 19:14It was almost noontime, on the day that they prepared things for the Passover celebration (OR, the day before the Sabbath during the Passover celebration). Pilate said to the Jewish leaders [SYN], ridiculing them, “Look at your king!”

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 19:31