John 19:31

Pontius

²⁹ A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put it on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted it to His mouth.

³⁰ When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.

It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.

³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and those of the other.

³³ But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation Day, so that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special one), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.
ASV: The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain on the cross upon the sabbath (for the day of that sabbath was a high [day]), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and [that] they might be taken away.
DARBY: The Jews therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for it was [the] preparation, (for the day of that sabbath was a great [day],) demanded of Pilate that their legs might be broken and they taken away.
BLB: Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath—for that Sabbath was a high day—asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and [that] they might be taken away.

ÅB: Det var beredelses-dagen; for at nå legemene ikke skulle bli hengende på korset sabbaten over - for denne sabbatsdag var stor - ba jødene Pilatus om at deres ben måtte bli brutt sønder og legemene tatt ned.
OTB: Siden det var forberedelsesdagen, for å hindre at kroppene ble værende på korset på sabbaten (for den sabbaten var en høytidsdag), ba jødene Pilatus om at deres ben skulle brytes og at de skulle tas bort.
B1930: Det var beredelses-dagen; forat nu legemene ikke skulde bli hengende på korset sabbaten over - for denne sabbatsdag var stor - bad jødene Pilatus om at deres ben måtte bli brutt sønder og legemene tatt ned.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

John 19:14
It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”
Read in context
John 19:42
And because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus there.
Read in context
Mark 15:42
Now it was already evening. Since it was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath),
Read in context
Joshua 8:29
He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.
Read in context
Leviticus 23:7–16
On the first day you are to hold a sacred assembly; you are not to do any regular work.
Read in context
Exodus 12:16
On the first day you are to hold a sacred assembly, and another on the seventh day. You must not do any work on those days, except to prepare the meals—that is all you may do.
Read in context
John 19:1
Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 21:22–23
If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he is executed, and you hang his body on a tree,
Read in context