John Chapter 19

New Testament Gospel 42 Verses

What is John 19 about?

The theological Gospel — seven signs, the "I AM" declarations, and the proof that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
2And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple garment;
3and they came unto him, and said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they struck him with their hands.
4And Pilate went out again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him out to you, that ye may know that I find no crime in him.
5Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. And [Pilate] saith unto them, Behold, the man!
6When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify [him], crucify [him]! Pilate saith unto them, Take him yourselves, and crucify him: for I find no crime in him.
7The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.
8When Pilate therefore heard this saying, he was the more afraid;
9and he entered into the Praetorium again, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
10Pilate therefore saith unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to release thee, and have power to crucify thee?
11Jesus answered him, Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath greater sin.
12Upon this Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar`s friend: every one that maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
13When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment-seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
14Now it was the Preparation of the passover: it was about the sixth hour. And he saith unto the Jews, Behold, your King!
15They therefore cried out, Away with [him], away with [him], crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
16Then therefore he delivered him unto them to be crucified.
17They took Jesus therefore: and he went out, bearing the cross for himself, unto the place called The place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha:
18where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
19And Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. And there was written, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20This title therefore read many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city; and it was written in Hebrew, [and] in Latin, [and] in Greek.
21The chief priests of the Jews therefore said to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
22Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
23The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
24They said therefore one to another, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my garments among them, And upon my vesture did they cast lots.
25These things therefore the soldiers did. But there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother`s sister, Mary the [wife] of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27Then saith he to the disciple, Behold, thy mother! And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own [home].
28After this Jesus, knowing that all things are now finished, that the scripture might be accomplished, saith, I thirst.
29There was set there a vessel full of vinegar: so they put a sponge full of the vinegar upon hyssop, and brought it to his mouth.
30When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.
31The 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.
32The soldiers therefore came, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him:
33but when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
34howbeit one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and straightway there came out blood and water.
35And he that hath seen hath borne witness, and his witness is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye also may believe.
36For these things came to pass, that the scripture might be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
37And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
38And after these things Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave [him] leave. He came therefore, and took away his body.
39And there came also Nicodemus, he who at the first came to him by night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.
40So they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.
41Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb wherein was never man yet laid.
42There then because of the Jews` Preparation (for the tomb was nigh at hand) they laid Jesus.

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, etc.] Finding that the Jews would not agree to his release, but that Barabbas was the person they chose, and being very desirous, if possible, to save his life, thought of this method: he ordered Jesus to be taken by the proper officers, and scourged him; that is, commanded him to be scourged by them; which was done by having him to a certain place, where being stripped naked, and fastened to a pillar, he was severely whipped: and this he did, hoping the Jews would be satisfied therewith, and agree to his release; but though he did this with such a view, yet it was a very unjust…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“JESUS BEFORE PILATE--SCOURGED--TREATED WITH OTHER SEVERITIES AND INSULTS--DELIVERED UP, AND LED AWAY TO BE CRUCIFIED. (John 19:1-16) Pilate took Jesus and scourged him--in hope of appeasing them. (See Mar 15:15). "And the soldiers led Him away into the palace, and they call the whole band" (Mar 15:16) --the body of the military cohort stationed there--to take part in the mock coronation now to be enacted.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“See the notes at Matthew 27:26-30. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 1
“Mat 27:26; Mar 15:15. John 19:7”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“19:1-16 Jesus was also beaten after his sentencing (Mark 15:15), but here John records an earlier beating, which was likely Pilate’s attempt to show that Jesus had been punished and could be released (John 19:4). When this failed, Pilate passed his sentence and handed Jesus over to the Jewish leaders for crucifixion (19:16).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“Pilate: Mat 27:26-31; Mar 15:15-20; Luk 23:16, Luk 23:23 scourged: Psa 129:3; Isa 50:6, Isa 53:5; Mat 20:19, Mat 23:34; Mar 10:33, Mar 10:34; Luk 18:33; Act 16:22, Act 16:23, Act 22:24, Act 22:25; Co2 11:24; Heb 11:36; Pe1 2:24 John 19:2”
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