John 19 31

John 19:31 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.

John 19:31 nkjv

Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

John 19:31 niv

Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.

John 19:31 esv

Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.

John 19:31 nlt

It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn't want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down.

John 19 verses

John 19 31 Meaning

John 19:31 explains why the crucified bodies needed to be removed quickly. As it was the Day of Preparation, the day before the Sabbath, and this particular Sabbath was exceptionally holy—a "high day" because it coincided with the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), Jewish religious leaders petitioned Pilate. They requested that the legs of those crucified be broken to hasten their deaths, and then their bodies be taken down from the crosses, thereby preventing them from remaining on the crosses and defiling the sanctity of the high Sabbath, in accordance with Old Testament law.

John 19 31 Context

John 19:31 occurs immediately after the death of Jesus on the cross (Jn 19:30) and prior to the soldiers breaking the legs of the two criminals crucified alongside Him. The verse is deeply embedded in the narrative of Jesus' passion and death. Historically, the Roman practice was to leave crucified bodies on the cross for days as a public deterrent, but Jewish law, particularly Deut 21:22-23, strictly prohibited bodies remaining on a "tree" overnight to avoid defiling the land. The urgency highlighted in this verse stems from the fact that Jesus was crucified on the "Day of Preparation," which was Friday. The following day was the Sabbath, and specifically, a "high day" Sabbath—meaning it was both the weekly Sabbath and the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, making it extraordinarily sacred. The Jewish religious authorities, deeply concerned with ritual purity and strict adherence to the Law, especially concerning such a significant holy day, sought to expedite the deaths and removal of all bodies to avoid breaking this commandment. Their meticulous adherence to ceremonial law here starkly contrasts with their grave disregard for divine justice and righteousness in orchestrating Jesus' death.

John 19 31 Word analysis

• Since it was the day of Preparation (Παρασκευή - Paraskeuē): Refers to Friday, the day before the weekly Sabbath (Shabbat). This term was specifically used by Jews for the day prior to Sabbath, emphasizing the preparations needed for the holy day of rest. In this context, it marks the beginning of the Sabbath by sunset.
• so that the bodies would not remain on the cross: Direct reference to the Roman custom of leaving crucified bodies on crosses as a public spectacle of humiliation and deterrence.
• on the Sabbath: Refers to the sacred day of rest, forbidden for work, travel, or unholy activity. The presence of dead bodies would severely defile the land and the sanctity of the Sabbath in the Jewish understanding.
• (for that Sabbath was a high day) (μεγάλη - megalē): This crucial parenthetical phrase indicates that the Sabbath was not just any weekly Sabbath but one of exceptional solemnity. It strongly suggests that the weekly Sabbath (Saturday) coincided with the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which was a special Sabbath in itself (Lev 23:7-8). This made the Sabbath doubly sacred, amplifying the need for bodies to be removed.
• the Jews: In John's Gospel, this often refers specifically to the Jewish religious leaders and authorities (e.g., Pharisees, Sadducees, chief priests) who opposed Jesus, rather than the Jewish people in general. They are the ones initiating this specific legal and religious action.
• asked Pilate: Underscores the Roman authority. The Jews had no authority to carry out capital punishment or manage the disposition of executed bodies themselves, requiring Pilate's permission for the breaking of legs and removal.
• that their legs might be broken (crurifragium): This was a Roman method of hastening death on the cross. By smashing the lower leg bones, the victim could no longer push up with their legs to relieve pressure on their diaphragm, leading to rapid asphyxiation. It was a brutal way to end suffering and accelerate death.
• and that they might be taken away: The final step, to remove the bodies from public view and dispose of them, typically by burial, as Jewish law demanded immediate burial to avoid defilement.

Words-group analysis

• "day of Preparation... on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day)": This grouping establishes the religious and temporal urgency. It paints a picture of extreme sensitivity to Jewish law regarding sacred days, particularly when a weekly Sabbath converged with a major feast day. This precision in timing highlights God's sovereignty over the events, fulfilling prophecies about Jesus as the Passover Lamb who dies on the day of preparation.
• "bodies would not remain on the cross": This phrase encapsulates the Jewish concern for ritual purity and adherence to Deut 21:22-23. The desire to remove the bodies before sunset underscores a literal interpretation and meticulous application of the Law.
• "the Jews asked Pilate": This interaction highlights the intersection of Jewish religious law with Roman legal authority. The Jewish leaders' zeal for the Law paradoxically required collaboration with their Roman overlords, revealing their political impotence in this particular domain and their pragmatism in seeking Roman compliance with their religious scruples.
• "that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away": This combination reveals the two-fold plan: first, to accelerate death through a brutal act (breaking legs) and second, to perform the mandated ritual purification (removal and burial). This set the stage for the fulfillment of Psalm 34:20, as the soldiers, upon reaching Jesus, found Him already dead and did not break His legs, unknowingly confirming prophecy.

John 19 31 Bonus section

The scene presented in John 19:31 sharply contrasts the religious leaders' fervent concern for outward, ritual purity (like respecting the Sabbath and avoiding defilement from dead bodies) with their deep spiritual defilement from unjustly condemning the Son of God. This reflects a frequent critique leveled by Jesus against the Pharisees: their meticulous observance of minor legal details while neglecting "the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness" (Mt 23:23). This specific "high day" Sabbath confirms the traditional Christian understanding that Jesus, the true Passover Lamb, died on the Passover Preparation Day. Furthermore, the breaking of legs, known as crurifragium, was not typical Jewish punishment but a Roman custom to hasten death, showcasing the intertwining of Roman authority and Jewish religious motivations at this critical moment in history. The soldiers' eventual finding of Jesus already dead (Jn 19:33) directly from this request sets apart His death as uniquely complete, and spared Him this final, torturous indignity.

John 19 31 Commentary

John 19:31, though seemingly a mundane detail about legalistic Jewish practice, serves as a pivotal verse for several reasons. It reveals the meticulous—yet ironic—adherence of the Jewish religious leaders to ceremonial purity concerning the Sabbath and avoiding defilement, even as they had just participated in the gravest sin: crucifying their Messiah. Their concern for external purity, specifically preventing defilement on a "high day" Sabbath (likely Passover-Sabbath convergence), drove them to act swiftly. This urgency, however, perfectly sets the stage for the fulfillment of prophecy: because the soldiers intended to break Jesus' legs along with the other crucified men, His already-dead state meant they didn't, fulfilling Psalm 34:20 ("Not one of his bones will be broken"). This also emphasizes Jesus' true identity as the perfect Passover Lamb, sacrificed precisely at the time the Passover lambs were slain, with His blood shed and bones unbroken. The entire sequence showcases divine sovereignty at work through human actions, where human intent to avoid perceived religious defilement ultimately contributes to the perfect timing and fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.