John 19:37 kjv
And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
John 19:37 nkjv
And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced."
John 19:37 niv
and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."
John 19:37 esv
And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced."
John 19:37 nlt
and "They will look on the one they pierced."
John 19 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Zech 12:10 | "Then they will look on Me whom they pierced. And they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son..." | Source of prophecy; future mourning of Israel. |
| Rev 1:7 | "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him..." | Future coming and universal lament. |
| Jn 19:34 | "...one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out." | The specific event described. |
| Ps 22:16 | "For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet..." | Prophecy of crucifixion and piercing. |
| Isa 53:5 | "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities..." | Messianic suffering for human sin. |
| Jn 19:36 | "For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, 'Not one of His bones shall be broken.'" | Previous prophecy fulfilled at crucifixion. |
| Ex 12:46 | "...nor shall you break one of its bones." | Passover lamb connection (Jn 19:36). |
| Matt 24:30 | "Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven..." | Universal mourning at the Second Coming. |
| Acts 2:23 | "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death..." | Jewish responsibility for the crucifixion. |
| Acts 3:18-19 | "But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted..." | Fulfillment of prophetic suffering. |
| Rom 11:25-26 | "blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved..." | Future repentance and salvation of Israel. |
| Heb 12:2 | "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross..." | Christian's act of fixing gaze on Jesus. |
| Jn 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 sacrificial Lamb. |
| 1 Pet 2:24 | "who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed." | Christ's substitutionary suffering. |
| Lk 23:48 | "And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned." | Immediate, initial grief at crucifixion. |
| 1 Cor 1:23 | "but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness..." | The core message of a crucified Messiah. |
| Phil 2:8 | "...He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." | Jesus' obedience to suffer crucifixion. |
| Jn 20:27 | Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side..." | Proof of physical body after piercing. |
| 1 Jn 5:6-8 | "This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood..." | Water and blood as theological witness. |
| Isa 45:22-23 | "Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other... Every knee shall bow..." | Universal command to look to God for salvation. |
| Jer 31:31-34 | "...I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah... I will forgive their iniquity..." | The promise of a new covenant leading to forgiveness. |
| Acts 7:51-52 | "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit... which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?" | Rejection of Christ mirroring past rejections. |
John 19 verses
John 19 37 Meaning
John 19:37 states a crucial prophetic fulfillment: "And again another Scripture says, 'They will look on Him whom they pierced.'" This verse emphasizes the precise, physical piercing of Jesus' side by a Roman soldier after His death, an event unique to John's Gospel. John records this not as a mere historical detail but as a direct and distinct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, separate from the previous prophecy about unbroker bones (John 19:36). The statement signifies that those who participated in, or stood for, the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus, and indeed all humanity, will one day gaze upon Him whom they, through their sins, crucified. This "looking" implies not just a physical sight but a recognition, remorse, and ultimate acknowledgement of Jesus' identity and suffering, pointing to a future, transformative revelation.
John 19 37 Context
John 19:37 is placed immediately after the physical events surrounding Jesus' death on the cross. Prior to this verse, Jesus has already cried out, "It is finished," and yielded His spirit (John 19:30). The soldiers then approach to break the legs of the crucified to hasten death for the Sabbath, but they find Jesus already dead. This leads to the fulfillment of the first prophecy cited by John, concerning not a bone of Him being broken (John 19:36, referencing Ps 34:20 and Ex 12:46). Immediately after this, to confirm Jesus' death, a soldier pierces His side with a spear, and blood and water flow out (John 19:34). John 19:35 strongly emphasizes this eyewitness account as a verifiable truth. Verse 37 follows, offering a second distinct prophetic fulfillment directly linked to the act of piercing.
Historically and culturally, the Jewish people awaited a Messiah. John's Gospel repeatedly demonstrates Jesus' messianic credentials by highlighting precise fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies, countering any notion that Jesus was merely a human leader or a spiritual phantom. The graphic detail of the piercing emphasizes the true, physical death of Jesus, countering incipient Docetic ideas which suggested Jesus only appeared to be human or suffer. The future "looking" and mourning cited from Zechariah 12:10 implicitly anticipates a future reckoning for those, particularly the nation of Israel, who largely rejected and crucified their Messiah, yet will ultimately acknowledge Him.
John 19 37 Word analysis
- And again: Connects this prophecy to the previous one in John 19:36. It signifies a distinct, yet equally important, fulfillment following the unbreaking of bones. It emphasizes a double witness from Scripture.
- another Scripture: Refers to a specific passage from the written Word of God. The Greek term
γραφὴ(graphē) denotes an authoritative text of the Old Testament. This implies that the entire Passion narrative, down to its seemingly minor details, is orchestrated by divine foreknowledge. - says: Indicates a direct citation of divine utterance from the Old Testament.
- They will look: The Greek word is
ὄψονται(opsontai), fromhoraō, meaning to see, perceive, behold with understanding, not just a casual glance. It implies a recognition that is deep, perhaps with remorse, astonishment, or worship. In its Old Testament context (Zech 12:10), it signifies a turning toward and beholding. The ultimate fulfillment will involve every eye. - on Him: Points to Jesus Christ as the object of this intense gaze. The source prophecy in Zechariah 12:10, in the original Hebrew, says "on Me whom they pierced." John, through divine inspiration, correctly applies this direct divine pronouncement from Yahweh to Jesus, establishing Jesus' divinity and His unity with the Godhead who was ultimately rejected and pierced.
- whom they pierced: The Greek term
ἐξεκέντησαν(exekentēsan) is a strong verb, meaning "to pierce through," "to stab completely." It is used for a violent, definitive penetration. It precisely describes the spear thrust into Jesus' side (Jn 19:34). The "they" refers collectively to those who rejected and crucified Jesus – the Roman soldiers who carried out the act under the orders and desires of Jewish authorities and the crowd who demanded His death. Prophetically, this refers to a future generation of Israel (and ultimately all humanity) who will recognize their historical and collective responsibility in Christ's suffering.
John 19 37 Bonus section
The precise wording difference between Zech 12:10 (MT: "Me whom they pierced") and John 19:37 ("Him whom they pierced") highlights a critical theological point. John is not quoting verbatim but interpretively, applying the prophecy directly to Jesus. This shows that the Spirit, speaking through John, understood the "Me" of Zechariah to be none other than the pre-existent Christ. The prophecy of Zechariah 12:10 continues to describe profound mourning and lamentation, indicating that the future "looking" is intertwined with national repentance for their part in rejecting and putting to death their Messiah. This future event, linked also to Revelation 1:7, is often understood as occurring when Jesus returns, bringing about the full conversion and salvation of Israel, who will then fully embrace the One they previously rejected. This detail of piercing distinguishes Jesus' crucifixion account from others and serves as an undeniable physical mark, proving His death and, later, His bodily resurrection, as demonstrated when Thomas touches His side (Jn 20:27).
John 19 37 Commentary
John 19:37 is not merely a record of historical events but a profound theological declaration. By quoting Zechariah 12:10, John underscores that Jesus' death, especially the unique piercing of His side, was not a random act but a pre-ordained fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. This verse serves several critical functions. Firstly, it provides irrefutable evidence of Jesus' real human death, crucial against nascent false teachings that denied His physical reality. The flow of blood and water, while having potential sacramental or theological implications (such as representing purification and new life through the Holy Spirit), primarily served as physical proof of death and the distinct reality of His broken body.
Secondly, the prophetic quote highlights the divine identity of Jesus. The Zechariah passage, where God Himself says "look on Me whom they pierced," is directly applied to Jesus. This identification affirms Jesus' unity with God, portraying Him as the very Yahweh of the Old Testament who was pierced by His own people. This elevates Jesus beyond a mere prophet or man, presenting Him as God incarnate who suffered at the hands of humanity.
Finally, and perhaps most significantly, John 19:37 points to a future, eschatological recognition and lament. The "they" who "pierced" and who "will look" points not only to those directly involved in the crucifixion but prophetically to the nation of Israel and eventually all of humanity. It foresees a day when those who rejected Christ will look upon Him with recognition, sorrow, and repentance, acknowledging His true identity and the gravity of their collective sin. This connects with the ultimate restoration and salvation envisioned for Israel and the worldwide worship of the returned Christ.