John 19:31-42

Contemporary English Version

A Spear Is Stuck in Jesus' Side

³¹ The next day would be both a Sabbath and the Passover. It was a special day for the Jewish people,^[a] and they did not want the bodies to stay on the crosses during this day. So they asked Pilate to break the men's legs^[b] and take their bodies down. ³² The soldiers first broke the legs of the other two men who were nailed there. ³³ But when they came to Jesus, they saw he was already dead, and they did not break his legs.

³⁴ One of the soldiers stuck his spear into Jesus' side, and blood and water came out. ³⁵ We know this is true, because it was told by someone who saw it happen. Now you can have faith too. ^36 (A) All this happened so that the Scriptures would come true, which say, “No bone of his body will be broken” ^37 (B) and “They will see the one in whose side they stuck a spear.”

Jesus Is Buried

(Matthew 27.57-61; Mark 15.42-47; Luke 23.50-56)

³⁸ Joseph from Arimathea was one of Jesus' disciples. He had kept it secret though, because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders. But now he asked Pilate to let him have Jesus' body. Pilate gave him permission, and Joseph took it down from the cross.

^39 (C) Nicodemus also came with about 30 kilograms of spices made from myrrh and aloes. This was the same Nicodemus who had visited Jesus one night.^{[c] 40} The two men wrapped the body in a linen cloth, together with the spices, which was how the Jewish people buried their dead. ⁴¹ In the place where Jesus had been nailed to a cross, there was a garden with a tomb that had never been used. ⁴² The tomb was nearby, and since it was the time to prepare for the Sabbath, they were in a hurry to put Jesus' body there.