John 19 33

John 19:33 kjv

But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

John 19:33 nkjv

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

John 19:33 niv

But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

John 19:33 esv

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

John 19:33 nlt

But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn't break his legs.

John 19 verses

John 19 33 Meaning

This verse confirms that when the Roman soldiers came to carry out the customary breaking of legs to hasten death for those crucified, they found Jesus already dead. This observation prevented them from breaking His legs, fulfilling specific Old Testament prophecies and emphasizing the unique nature and divine timing of Jesus' death. It underscores His sovereignty even in death and provides a clear physical verification of His demise before His burial.

John 19 33 Context

John 19 details the crucifixion, Jesus' final words, and His death. Roman executioners typically hastened death for those crucified, especially before major festivals like the Passover Sabbath, by a practice called crurifragium (leg breaking), causing suffocation. The Jewish leaders specifically requested this acceleration (Jn 19:31) for Jesus and the two criminals. The soldiers' actions concerning Jesus, or rather their non-action, contrast sharply with how they treated the other two. This difference, Jesus being already dead, sets the stage for unique events: no bones broken (fulfilling prophecy) and the piercing of His side (fulfilling another prophecy).

John 19 33 Word analysis

• but when they came (ἐλθόντες δὲ ἐπὶ): Implies a definite action; the soldiers were tasked and proceeded. "They" refers to the Roman soldiers carrying out the executions.
• to Jesus (τὸν Ἰησοῦν): Specifically identifies the person whose situation differs from the others. The focus narrows immediately to Him.
• and saw that He was already dead (ὡς εἶδον αὐτὸν ἤδη τεθνηκότα):
  • saw (εἶδον - eidon): A clear, visual observation by professional soldiers, confirming His state. It's not a mere assumption.
  • already (ἤδη - ēdē): Crucial adverb indicating a completed state. Jesus had already died; His death was not caused by, nor required, the intervention of leg-breaking. This highlights the speed and completeness of His demise, often surprising to those accustomed to the prolonged agony of crucifixion. It underscores Jesus' sovereignty, that He laid down His life (Jn 10:18), rather than His life being forcibly taken by external means.
  • dead (τεθνηκότα - tethnēkota): From thnēskō, meaning "to die." The perfect participle emphasizes a finished state, "having died." This explicit declaration of death is critical for validating the reality of His human sacrifice and the subsequent resurrection. John stresses this physical reality against any Gnostic ideas of docetism (that Jesus only appeared to be human or died).
• they did not break (οὐ κατέαξαν):
  • did not (οὐ - ou): A strong negation. This non-action is central to the verse's meaning. It's an active decision based on observation, not an oversight.
  • break (κατέαξαν - kateaxan): From katagnymi, "to break in pieces, shatter." Refers to crurifragium, the breaking of the leg bones, usually with an iron club. This brutal act caused extreme pain and hastened death by preventing the victim from pushing up to breathe.
• His legs (αὐτοῦ τὰ σκέλη): The specific body parts that would have been subjected to the crurifragium.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "but when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead": This phrase emphasizes the professional assessment of Jesus' state. The Roman soldiers, hardened by such tasks, recognized true death. This acts as an unbiased witness, eliminating any doubt about the reality of Jesus' death before the piercing of His side and the burial. It contrasts with the standard procedure for other crucified individuals who might still be clinging to life.
• "they did not break His legs": This direct statement highlights the fulfillment of two significant types of Old Testament prophecy: (1) The specific prophecy in Ps 34:20 about the Messiah's bones not being broken. (2) The requirement for the Passover Lamb, whose bones were not to be broken (Exod 12:46; Num 9:12). This demonstrates Jesus' identification as the perfect, unblemished Passover Lamb, a vital theological truth. His physical body remained whole, representing the perfection of His sacrifice.

John 19 33 Bonus section

The Roman practice of crurifragium was designed to ensure death and prevent resurrection by any "apparent death" scenarios. By rendering it impossible for the crucified to push up with their legs to fully exhale, it hastened asphyxiation. The absence of this practice for Jesus not only fulfills prophecy but inadvertently ensures the integrity of His body as presented by the Holy Spirit. His unblemished body signifies the purity and wholeness of the salvation He secured. Furthermore, this distinction highlights John's constant emphasis on eyewitness testimony and verifiable facts concerning Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

John 19 33 Commentary

John 19:33 stands as a pivotal verse, concisely demonstrating God's sovereign control over the timing and nature of Jesus' death, even amidst Roman brutal practices. The fact that Jesus was already dead upon the soldiers' arrival for crurifragium is not a mere accident but a divinely orchestrated detail. This verifies the truth that Jesus willingly "gave up His spirit" (Jn 19:30), emphasizing His voluntary obedience unto death (Phil 2:8). Unlike the two criminals who suffered a hastened end, Jesus' death was perfect in timing and manner.

The absence of leg-breaking carries immense theological weight. It serves as a direct fulfillment of Psalm 34:20, which prophecies that not one of the righteous one's bones would be broken. More profoundly, it connects Jesus directly to the imagery of the Passover Lamb, whose bones were forbidden to be broken (Exod 12:46; Num 9:12). John deliberately makes this connection throughout his Gospel, presenting Jesus as the ultimate Lamb of God (Jn 1:29, 1:36) whose sacrifice at the very time of the Passover Seder marked Him as the fulfillment of that ancient feast. This underscores the blemishless nature of His atoning sacrifice; a broken bone would signify an imperfect, defiled offering according to Jewish sacrificial law.

This factual observation also served a critical purpose for the nascent Christian movement by confirming Jesus' actual death. In a culture where appearances and legends could blur facts, an official Roman observation of death provided a concrete basis for the resurrection, making it clear that Jesus truly died and was truly raised, not merely revived from a swoon.