John 19:34

New Testament Gospel ASV (1901)

What does John 19:34 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “howbeit one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and straightway there came out blood and water.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

howbeit one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and straightway there came out blood and water.
John 19:34 — American Standard Version

Context — John 19

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
34howbeit one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and straightway there came out blood and water.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“But one of the soldiers, etc.] Whose name some pretend to say was Longinns, and so called from the spear with which he pierced Christ: with a spear pierced his side; his left side, where the heart lies; though the painters make this wound on the right, and the Arabic version of Erpenius, as cited by Dr. Lightfoot, adds the word “right” to make the miracle the greater: this the soldier did, partly out of spite to Christ, and partly to know whether he was really dead; and which was so ordered by divine providence, that it might beyond all doubt appear that he really died, and was not taken down alive from the cross; so that there might be no room to call in question the truth of his…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“But one of the soldiers--to make assurance of the fact doubly sure. with a spear pierced his side--making a wound deep and wide, as indeed is plain from Joh 20:27, Joh 20:29. Had life still remained, it must have fled now. and forthwith came thereout blood and water--"It is now well known that the effect of long-continued and intense agony is frequently to produce a secretion of a colorless lymph within the pericardium (the membrane enveloping the heart), amounting in many cases to a very considerable quantity" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“One of the soldiers - One of those appointed to watch the bodies until they were dead. This man appears to have doubted whether he was dead, and, in order to see whether he was not yet sensible, he pierced him with his spear. The Jews designed that his legs should be broken, but this was prevented by the providence of God; yet in another way more satisfactory proof was obtained of his death than would have been by the breaking of his legs. This was so ordered, no doubt, that there might be the fullest proof that he was truly dead; that it could not be pretended that he had swooned away and revived, and so, therefore, that there could not be the least doubt of his resurrection to life. With a…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Forthwith there came out blood and water - It was strange, seeing he was dead, that blood should come out; more strange, that water also; and most strange of all, that both should come out immediately, at one time, and yet distinctly. It was pure and true water, as well as pure and true blood. The asseveration of the beholder and testifier of it, shows both the truth and greatness of the miracle and mystery. John 19:35”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“19:34 To confirm that Jesus was dead, a Roman soldier pierced his side with a spear. • blood and water flowed out: This has several levels of meaning: (1) The spear probably punctured Jesus’ pericardium, the sac around the heart, releasing these fluids. (2) John might have been thinking of more Passover symbolism. The Passover lamb’s blood had to flow as it died. (3) The water flowing from Jesus’ side reminds readers of the language of living water that Jesus had used earlier (see 4:10-14; 7:37-39).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“came: Joh 13:8-10; Psa 51:7; Eze 36:25; Zac 13:1; Mat 27:62; Act 22:16; Co1 1:30; Co1 6:11; Eph 5:26; Tit 2:14, Tit 3:5-7; Heb 9:13, Heb 9:22, Heb 10:19-22; Pe1 3:21; Jo1 1:6-9, Jo1 5:6, Jo1 5:8; Rev 1:5, Rev 7:14 John 19:35”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification