John 19 · Verse 31

John 19:31

The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

John 19:31, King James Version

John 19:31 in other translations

BSB	It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.
WEB	Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation Day, so that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special one), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.
ASV	The 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.
YLT	The Jews, therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, since it was the preparation, (for that sabbath day was a great one,) asked of Pilate that their legs may be broken, and they taken away.
DARBY	The Jews therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for it was the preparation, (for the day of that sabbath was a great day,) demanded of Pilate that their legs might be broken and they taken away.
BBE	Now it was the day of getting ready for the Passover, and so that the bodies might not be on the cross on the Sabbath (because the day of that Sabbath was a great day), the Jews made a request to Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Webster	The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath, (for that sabbath was a great day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

What does John 19:31 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 19:31-37

Joh 19:31-42. Burial of Christ.

31-37. the preparation--sabbath eve. that the bodies should not remain--over night, against the Mosaic law (De 21:22, 23). on the sabbath day, for that sabbath day was an high day--or "great" day--the first day of unleavened bread, and, as concurring with an ordinary sabbath, the most solemn season of the ecclesiastical year. Hence their peculiar jealousy lest the law should be infringed. besought Pilate that their legs might be broken--to hasten their death, which was done in such cases with clubs.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 31. The preparation. See Jn 19:4. The law required that the bodies of those who were hung should not remain suspended during the night. See De 21:22,23. That law was made when the punishment by crucifixion was unknown, and when those who were suspended would almost immediately expire. In the punishment by crucifixion, life was lengthened out for four, five, or eight days. The Jews therefore requested that their death might be hastened, and that the land might not be polluted by their bodies remaining suspended on the Sabbath-day.

Was an high day. It was,

1st. The Sabbath.

2nd. It was the day on which the paschal feast properly commenced. It was called a high day because that year the feast of the Passover commenced on the Sabbath. Greek, "Great day."

Their legs might be broken. To hasten their death. The effect of this, while they were suspended on the cross, would be to increase their pain by the act of breaking them, and to deprive their body of the support which it received from the feet, and to throw the whole weight on the hands. By this increased torment their lives were soon ended. Lactantius says that this was commonly done by the Romans to persons who were crucified. The common period to which persons crucified would live was several days. To compensate for those lingering agonies, so that the full amount of suffering might be endure, they increased their sufferings by breaking their limbs, and thus hastening their death.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 31 It was the preparation - Every Sabbath had a preparation which began at the ninth hour (that is, three o'clock) the preceding evening. Josephus, Ant. b. xvi. c. 6, s. 2, recites an edict of the Emperor Augustus in favor of the Jews, which orders, "that no one shall be obliged to give bail or surety on the Sabbath day, nor on the preparation before it, after the ninth hour." The time fixed here was undoubtedly in conformity to the Jewish custom, as they began their preparation at three o'clock on the Friday evening. That the bodies should not remain - For the law, Deu 21:22, Deu 21:23, ordered that the bodies of criminals should not hang all night; and they did not wish to have the Sabbath profaned by either taking them down on that day, or letting them hang to disturb the joy of that holy time. Probably their consciences began to sting them for what they had done, and they wished to remove the victim of their malice out of their sight. For that Sabbath day was a high day - 1. Because it was the Sabbath. 2. Because it was the day on which all the people presented themselves in the temple according to the command, Exo 23:17. 3. Because that was the day on which the sheaf of the first fruits was offered, according to the command, Lev 23:10, Lev 23:11. So that upon this day there happened to be three solemnities in one. - Lightfoot. It might be properly called a high day, because the passover fell on that Sabbath. Their legs might be broken - Lactantius says. l. iv. c. 26, that it was a common custom to break the legs or other bones of criminals upon the cross; and this appears to have been a kind of coup de grace, the sooner to put them out of pain.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 19:31-37

A trial was made whether Jesus was dead. He died in less time than persons crucified commonly did. It showed that he had laid down his life of himself. The spear broke up the very fountains of life; no human body could survive such a wound. But its being so solemnly attested, shows there was something peculiar in it. The blood and water that flowed out, signified those two great benefits which all believers partake of through Christ, justification and sanctification; blood for atonement, water for purification. They both flow from the pierced side of our Redeemer. To Christ crucified we owe merit for our justification, and Spirit and grace for our sanctification. Let this silence the fears of weak Christians, and encourage their hopes; there came both water and blood out of Jesus' pierced side, both to justify and sanctify them. The Scripture was fulfilled, in Pilate's not allowing his legs to be broken, Psa 34:20. There was a type of this in the paschal lamb, Ex 12:46. May we ever look to Him, whom, by our sins, we have ignorantly and heedlessly pierced, nay, sometimes against convictions and mercies; and who shed from his wounded side both water and blood, that we might be justified and sanctified in his name.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 19:31 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.

ΟἱHoi<the>G3588

οὖνounThereforeG3767

Ἰουδαῖοι,Ioudaioithe Jews,G2453

ἐπεὶepeisinceG1893

παρασκευὴparaskeuē[the] PreparationG3904

ἦν,ēnwas,G1510

ἵναinaso thatG2443

μὴmēnotG3361

μείνῃmeinēmay remainG3306

ἐπὶepionG1909

τοῦtoutheG3588

σταυροῦstauroucrossG4716

τὰtatheG3588

σώματαsōmatabodiesG4983

ἐνenonG1722

τῷtōtheG3588

σαββάτῳ,sabbatōSabbath —G4521

ἦνēnwasG1510

γὰρgarforG1063

μεγάληmegalēa highG3173

ἡhē<the>G3588

ἡμέραhēmeradayG2250

ἐκείνουekeinouof thatG1565

τοῦtou<the>G3588

σαββάτου,sabbatouSabbath —G4521

ἠρώτησανērōtēsanaskedG2065

τὸνton<the>G3588

ΠιλᾶτονPilatonPilateG4091

ἵναinathatG2443

κατεαγῶσινkateagōsinmay be brokenG2608

αὐτῶνautōntheirG846

τὰta<the>G3588

σκέληskelēlegsG4628

καὶkaiandG2532

ἀρθῶσιν.arthōsinthey may be taken away.G142

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

Cross references for John 19:31

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 19:42
There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Mark 15:42
And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
Joshua 8:29
And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
Leviticus 23:7-16
In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: …
Exodus 12:16
And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.
John 19:1
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
Deuteronomy 21:22-23
And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
Micah 3:3
Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
Joshua 10:26-27
And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.
Matthew 27:62
Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

because.
14,42; Mt 27:62; Mr 15:42
that the.
De 21:22,23
that sabbath.
Le 23:7-16
their.Lactantius says that it was a custom to break the legs of criminals upon the cross; which was done, we are told, at the instep with an iron mallet; and appears to have been a kind of coup de grace, the sooner to put them out of pain.
1; Pr 12:10; Mic 3:3

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

Context

John 19:30
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
John 19:31
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
John 19:32
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

Read all of John 19

John 19:31 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Entonces los Judíos, por cuanto era la víspera de la Pascua, para que los cuerpos no quedasen en la cruz en el sábado, pues era el gran día del sábado, rogaron á Pilato que se les quebrasen las piernas, y fuesen quitados.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Les Juifs donc, afin que les corps ne demeurent pas sur la croix en un jour de sabbat, puisque c’était la Préparation (car le jour de ce sabbat-là était grand), firent à Pilate la demande qu’on leur rompe les jambes, et qu’on les ôte.
German Elberfelder 1871	Die Juden nun baten den Pilatus, damit die Leiber nicht am Sabbath am Kreuze blieben, weil es Rüsttag war, daß ihre Beine gebrochen und sie abgenommen werden möchten.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Judæi ergo (quoniam parasceve erat) ut non remanerent in cruce corpora sabbato (erat enim magnus dies ille sabbati), rogaverunt Pilatum ut frangerentur eorum crura, et tollerentur.