John 19:19-42

Pilate also wrote an inscription [on a placard] and put it on the cross. And it was written: “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” [Matt 27:33-44; Mark 15:22-32; Luke 23:33-43] And many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but, ‘He said, “I am King of the Jews.” ’ ” Pilate replied, “What I have written I have written [and it remains written].” Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer clothes and made four parts, a part for each soldier, and also the tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven [in one piece] from the top throughout. [Matt 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34] So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it will be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture, “THEY DIVIDED MY OUTER CLOTHING AMONG THEM, AND FOR MY CLOTHING THEY CAST LOTS.” [Ps 22:18] So the soldiers did these things. B ut standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother’s sister [Salome], Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. [Mark 15:40] So Jesus, seeing His mother, and the disciple whom He loved (esteemed) standing near, said to His mother, “[Dear] woman, look, [here is] your son!” Then He said to the disciple (John), “Look! [here is] your mother [protect and provide for her]!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said in fulfillment of the Scripture, “I am thirsty.” [Ps 69:21] A jar full of sour wine was placed there; so they put a sponge soaked in the sour wine on [a branch of] hyssop and held it to His mouth. [Matt 27:48, 50; Mark 15:36f; Luke 23:36] When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and [voluntarily] gave up His spirit. Since it was the day of Preparation [for the Sabbath], in order to prevent the bodies from hanging on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high holy day) the Jews asked Pilate to have their legs broken [to hasten death] and the bodies taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other who had been crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came [flowing] out. And he (John, the eyewitness) who has seen it has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also [who read this] may believe. For these things took place to fulfill the Scripture, “NOT A BONE OF HIS SHALL BE BROKEN.” [Ex 12:46; Num 9:12; Ps 34:20] And again another Scripture says, “THEY SHALL LOOK AT HIM WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED.” [Zech 12:10] And after this, Joseph of Arimathea—a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews—asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away His body. [Matt 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56] Nicodemus, who had first come to Him at night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, [weighing] about a hundred [Roman] pounds. So they took Jesus’ body and bound it in linen wrappings with the fragrant spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden at the place where He was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb [cut out of solid rock] in which no one had yet been laid. Therefore, because of the Jewish day of Preparation, and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.