John 19:36 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

John 19:36 kjv

For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

John 19:36 nkjv

For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken."

John 19:36 niv

These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken,"

John 19:36 esv

For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken."

John 19:36 nlt

These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, "Not one of his bones will be broken,"

John 19 36 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
Ps 34:20	He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.	Direct OT prophecy of Messiah's physical preservation.
Ex 12:46	In one house shall it be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, neither shall you break a bone of it.	Passover lamb ordinance; typology.
Num 9:12	They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones...	Continuation of Passover law; reinforces integrity.
John 1:29	The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"	Jesus as the Lamb, foreshadows sacrifice.
1 Cor 5:7	...For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.	Explicitly identifies Christ as Passover Lamb.
John 19:32-33	...the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first... but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.	Immediate context, human action fulfills prophecy.
John 19:24	...that the Scripture might be fulfilled...	Theme of Scripture fulfillment in John's Gospel.
John 19:28	...that the Scripture might be fulfilled...	Another instance of Scripture fulfillment at cross.
John 19:37	And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced."	Concurrent fulfillment of Zechariah 12:10.
Matt 26:54	But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?	Emphasizes the necessity of prophecy's fulfillment.
Matt 26:56	But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.	Broad assertion of Scripture's ultimate authority.
Luke 24:44	...that all things written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.	Jesus' own teaching on OT fulfillment.
Acts 3:18	But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.	Apostolic affirmation of Christ's suffering fulfilling prophecy.
Acts 2:23	...this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God...	God's divine plan behind the crucifixion.
Acts 4:27-28	...to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.	Sovereignty of God in Jesus' death.
Isa 53:7	Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter...	Prophetic suffering Servant as a lamb.
Heb 9:14	...how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God...	Christ's sacrifice is spotless/perfect.
Heb 10:5	...when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;"	The prepared body for perfect sacrifice.
Ps 22:14, 17	All my bones are out of joint... I can count all my bones...	Describes severe physical distress; distinction from breaking bones.
Zech 12:10	They will look on me whom they have pierced...	Paired with unbroken bones in crucifixion narratives (John 19:37).
Rev 5:6	And between the throne and the four living creatures... I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain...	The slain Lamb glorified in heaven.
John 10:18	No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord...	Jesus' willing and sovereign control over His death.
Gal 3:13	Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us...	Redemption through Christ's sacrifice.
Eph 5:2	And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.	Christ's sacrifice as a pleasing offering.

John 19 verses

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John 19 36 Meaning

John 19:36 signifies that the divine providence orchestrated the events surrounding Jesus' crucifixion to precisely fulfill Old Testament prophecy, particularly the ancient regulation regarding the Passover lamb. It underscores that Jesus, as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb of God, remained physically integral even in death, preventing the breaking of His bones, a crucial detail that affirms His perfect sacrifice and divine identity. This act demonstrated God's meticulous control over history to validate His Son as the Messiah foretold in Scripture.

John 19 36 Context

John 19 details the final hours of Jesus' life on earth, from His trial before Pilate to His crucifixion, death, and burial. Specifically, John 19:36 occurs directly after the soldiers decide not to break Jesus' legs, as was customary for other crucified individuals to hasten death (a practice known as crurifragium). Finding Jesus already deceased, they pierce His side instead to confirm His death. This action (or inaction regarding His bones) is then immediately interpreted by John as a deliberate fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. The historical context includes Roman crucifixion practices and the Jewish Passover tradition, where a lamb was sacrificed without any of its bones being broken, underscoring the typological connection between Jesus and the Paschal lamb.

John 19 36 Word analysis

For these things: (Taûta gar) "These things" refers to the entire unfolding situation on the cross, specifically the soldiers not breaking Jesus' legs because He was already dead. The particle "for" (gar) introduces the reason or explanation for the preceding event, highlighting the divine purpose behind what transpired.
were done: (egeneto) From ginomai, meaning "to come into being," "to happen," or "to take place." It implies a happening or occurrence that aligns with a preordained plan, not merely an accident or happenstance.
that the scripture: (hina hē graphē) Hina is a conjunction denoting purpose or result, emphasizing divine intentionality. "The scripture" (hē graphē) refers to the written Old Testament, affirming its authority and predictive power.
should be fulfilled: (plērōthē) From plēroō, meaning "to make full," "to complete," or "to bring to pass." In this context, it signifies the precise, exact, and perfect culmination of Old Testament prophecy in Jesus' life and death. It asserts that Jesus' experiences were not random but part of God's perfect plan to demonstrate His divine Sonship and Messiahship.
A bone: (Ostoun) Refers to a single bone. The use of the singular emphasizes the meticulous nature of the fulfillment – not even one bone would be broken.
of him: (autou) "Of him" directly refers to Jesus.
shall not be broken: (ou syntribēsetai) Ou is an absolute negation "not," reinforcing the certainty of the statement. Syntribēsetai comes from syntribō, meaning "to break in pieces," "to crush," or "to shatter." It implies a complete fracture or shattering. The future passive indicative form signifies an event that will happen and is brought about by an external agent, confirming divine oversight preventing the breaking.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

"For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled": This phrase functions as a teleological explanation, demonstrating that God was actively guiding the historical circumstances. The passive voice ("were done," "should be fulfilled") subtly points to a divine agent at work behind the scenes, ensuring prophecy aligns with events. It underlines the sovereignty of God over human actions and natural processes. The fulfillment of scripture is not an afterthought but the very reason these events occurred in this specific way.
"A bone of him shall not be broken": This phrase is a direct quotation (likely from Ps 34:20, or an allusion combining it with Ex 12:46). Its significance lies in the connection to the Passover lamb, which was to be consumed without broken bones, symbolizing an unblemished and complete sacrifice. Jesus, as the Paschal Lamb, perfectly fulfills this Old Covenant type. This detail counters the usual Roman crucifixion practice of breaking legs to expedite death, proving that even over the actions of the Roman soldiers, God's prophetic word had ultimate sway and control over Christ's physical body. This further solidifies His role as the unblemished and complete sacrifice.

John 19 36 Bonus section

The omission of bone breaking for Jesus distinguishes Him from the two criminals crucified alongside Him, whose legs were broken (John 19:32). This further emphasizes His singular status.
The Septuagint (LXX) version of Psalm 34:20 (φυλάξει πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτῶν, ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ συντριβήσεται) more closely matches John's wording, suggesting John is drawing directly from this Old Testament prophetic utterance in its Greek form.
The imagery of the Passover Lamb (Ex 12:46) would have been incredibly powerful for John's Jewish audience, drawing a direct parallel between the foundational Jewish feast of redemption and Jesus' ultimate act of redemption. It speaks to Jesus' sacrifice as the definitive deliverance from bondage to sin and death.
While Psalm 22 speaks of bones being "out of joint," the precision of "not broken" in John 19:36 maintains the distinction, demonstrating the specificity of biblical prophecy and its fulfillment in Christ. It emphasizes that physical suffering could dislocate but not destroy the integrity of His body, further connecting to the symbolic requirement of a sacrifice without blemish or defect.

John 19 36 Commentary

John 19:36 provides a profound theological interpretation of a seemingly minor detail during Jesus' crucifixion. By stating that "a bone of him shall not be broken," the Evangelist highlights Jesus' unique identity as the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover Lamb (Ex 12:46, Num 9:12). While Roman custom involved breaking the legs of the crucified (crurifragium) to hasten death, divine providence ensured this did not happen to Jesus because He had already died. This precise detail was not accidental but occurred "that the scripture should be fulfilled." This meticulous fulfillment underscores the veracity of Old Testament prophecies and the divine intentionality behind Jesus' sacrifice. It declares Jesus as the spotless, perfect sacrifice whose physical integrity mirrored the purity required for the atonement. The verse also affirms God's absolute sovereignty, orchestrating events down to the minute details, ensuring every prophetic declaration concerning the Messiah was precisely realized in Christ's passion, confirming His deity and His work of redemption.