John 19 · Verse 19

John 19:19

And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
John 19:19, King James Version

John 19:19 in other translations

BSBPilate also had a notice posted on the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
WEBPilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. There was written, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
ASVAnd Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. And there was written, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
YLTAnd Pilate also wrote a title, and put it on the cross, and it was written, ‘Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews;'
DARBYAnd Pilate wrote a title also and put it on the cross. But there was written: Jesus the Nazaraean, the King of the Jews.
BBEAnd Pilate put on the cross a statement in writing. The writing was: JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
WebsterAnd Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

What does John 19:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 19:19-22
19-22. Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross ... Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews ... and it was written in Hebrew--or Syro-Chaldaic, the language of the country. and Greek--the current language. and Latin--the official language. These were the chief languages of the earth, and this secured that all spectators should be able to read it. Stung by this, the Jewish ecclesiastics entreat that it may be so altered as to express, not His real dignity, but His false claim to it. But Pilate thought he had yielded quite enough to them; and having intended expressly to spite and insult them by this title, for having got him to act against his own sense of justice, he peremptorily refused them. And thus, amidst the conflicting passions of men, was proclaimed, in the chief tongues of mankind, from the Cross itself and in circumstances which threw upon it a lurid yet grand light, the truth which drew the Magi to His manger, and will yet be owned by all the world!

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 19.

(s) "Pilate wrote a title" Mt 27:37, Mk 15:26, Lk 23:38

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 Pilate wrote a title - See on Mat 27:37 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 19:19-30
Here are some remarkable circumstances of Jesus' death, more fully related than before. Pilate would not gratify the chief priests by allowing the writing to be altered; which was doubtless owing to a secret power of God upon his heart, that this statement of our Lord's character and authority might continue. Many things done by the Roman soldiers were fulfilments of the prophecies of the Old Testament. All things therein written shall be fulfilled. Christ tenderly provided for his mother at his death. Sometimes, when God removes one comfort from us, he raises up another for us, where we looked not for it. Christ's example teaches all men to honour their parents in life and death; to provide for their wants, and to promote their comfort by every means in their power. Especially observe the dying word wherewith Jesus breathed out his soul. It is finished; that is, the counsels of the Father concerning his sufferings were now fulfilled. It is finished; all the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, which pointed at the sufferings of the Messiah, were accomplished. It is finished; the ceremonial law is abolished; the substance is now come, and all the shadows are done away. It is finished; an end is made of transgression by bringing in an everlasting righteousness. His sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul, and those of his body. It is finished; the work of man's redemption and salvation is now completed. His life was not taken from him by force, but freely given up.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 19:19 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἜγραψενEgrapsenWroteG1125
δὲdethenG1161
καὶkaialsoG2532
τίτλονtitlona titleG5102
ὁho<the>G3588
ΠιλᾶτοςPilatosPilateG4091
καὶkaiandG2532
ἔθηκενethēkenput [it]G5087
ἐπὶepionG1909
τοῦtoutheG3588
σταυροῦ.stauroucross.G4716
ἦνēnIt wasG1510
δὲdenowG1161
γεγραμμένον·gegrammenonwritten:G1125
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ὁho<the>G3588
ΝαζωραῖοςNazōraiosof NazarethG3480
ὁhotheG3588
βασιλεὺςbasileusKingG935
τῶνtōnof theG3588
Ἰουδαίων.IoudaiōnJews.G2453

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 19:19

  • Matthew 27:37

    And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

  • Mark 15:26

    And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

  • Luke 23:38

    And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

  • John 19:14

    And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

  • John 19:21

    Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

  • John 19:12

    And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cesar.

  • John 1:49

    Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

  • Acts 26:9

    I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

  • John 19:3

    And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

  • Acts 3:6

    Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

  • John 1:45-46

    Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

  • John 18:33

    Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
wrote.
Mt 27:37; Mr 15:26; Lu 23:38
And the.The apparent discrepancy between the accounts of this title given by the Evangelists, which has been urged as an objection against their inspiration and veracity, has been most satisfactorily accounted for by Dr. Townson; who supposes that, as it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, it might have slightly varied in each language; and that, as Luke and John wrote for the Gentiles, they would prefer the Greek inscription, that Matthew, addressing the Jews, would use the Hebrew, and that Mark, writing to the Romans, would naturally give the Latin.
JESUS.
3,12; 1:45,46,49; 18:33; Ac 3:6; 26:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 19:18

    Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

  • John 19:19

    And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

  • John 19:20

    This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

Read all of John 19

John 19:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y escribió también Pilato un título, que puso encima de la cruz. Y el escrito era: JESUS NAZARENO, REY DE LOS JUDIOS.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Pilate fit aussi un écriteau, et le plaça sur la croix; et il y était écrit: Jésus le Nazaréen, le roi des Juifs.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Pilatus schrieb aber auch eine Überschrift und setzte sie auf das Kreuz. Es war aber geschrieben: Jesus, der Nazaräer, der König der Juden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Scripsit autem et titulum Pilatus, et posuit super crucem. Erat autem scriptum: Jesus Nazarenus, Rex Judæorum.