John 19:38

Later, Joseph, from Arimathea town, went to Pilate and asked Pilate to allow him to take Jesus’ body down from the cross. Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but he did not tell anyone that, because he was afraid of the other Jewish leaders [SYN]. Pilate permitted him to take Jesus’ body, so he went, along with others, and they took Jesus’ body down from the cross.

Translation for Translators

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 they fulfilled another Scripture passage that has these words: ‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced’.

39Nicodemus was one of them. He was the man who previously went to visit Jesus at night. Nicodemus bought an expensive mixture of myrrh and aloe spices to put on the body. It weighed about ◄75 pounds/35 kilograms►.

Read all of John 19

Cross References

Proverbs 29:25It is like a dangerous trap [MET] for people to be ◄afraid of/worried about► what others will think about them, but those who trust in Yahweh are safe/protected.

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 7:13But no one was speaking so that others could hear them, because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders [SYN].

John 12:42Although most of the Jewish leaders [SYN] did not believe that Jesus is ◄ the Messiah/from God►, some of them believed in him. But they would not tell anyone that they believed in him, because they were afraid that if they said that, the Pharisees would not let them worship in the 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 →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study John 19:38