John 19:20

John 19:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

Context of John 19:20

18There they crucified him and two others with him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. 19Pilate also had a sign made and put on the cross. It said: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. 21So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The king of the Jews,’ but that he said, ‘I am the king of the Jews.’” 22Pilate replied, “What I have written, I have written.”

John 19:20 word by word

τοῦτον οὖν τὸν τίτλον πολλοὶ ἀνέγνωσαν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ὅτι ἐγγὺς ἦν ὁ τόπος τῆς πόλεως ὅπου ἐσταυρώθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς· καὶ ἦν γεγραμμένον Ἑβραϊστί, Ῥωμαϊστί, Ἑλληνιστί.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• titleτίτλοςtitlos · titleG5102
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• readἀναγινώσκωanaginōskō · to readG314
• manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• of the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• the placeτόποςtopos · placeG5117
• whereὅπουhopou · where(-ever)G3699
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• crucified wasσταυρόωstauroō · to crucifyG4717
• nighἐγγύςeggus · nearG1451
• to the cityπόλιςpolis · cityG4172
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• in HebrewἙβραϊστίHebraisti · HebrewG1447
• GreekἙλληνιστί=ἙλληνικόςHellēnisti · GreekG1676
• LatinῬωμαϊστίRhōmaisti · in LatinG4515

Cross-references for John 19:20

• John 19:13When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s seat in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Aramaic, Gabbatha).
• John 5:2By the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool, called Bethesda in Aramaic, which has five colonnades.
• Acts 21:40After he had given permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. When there was a great hush, he addressed them in Aramaic:
• Acts 22:2When they heard that he was addressing them in Aramaic, they became even quieter.
• Acts 26:14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
• Revelation 16:16So they assembled the kings at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
• Acts 21:37As he was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the commander, “Am I allowed to say something to you?” He replied, “You know how to speak Greek?
• Revelation 9:11They had as their king the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

Commentaries on John 19:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Hebrew,... Greek,... Latin - See on Luke 23:38; (note). On Matthew 27:37; (note), I have given this title in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, as mentioned by this evangelist. The reader, however, will not be displeased to find the same title repeated here in a character which was written in the fourth century, and is probably nearly resembling that used in the earliest ages of Christianity. The Greek and Latin character, which is inserted here, is an exact…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 See the notes at Matthew 27:32-37. John 19:22 What I have written … - This declaration implied that he would make no change. He was impatient, and weary of their solicitations. He had yielded to them contrary to the convictions of his own conscience, and he now declared his purpose to yield no further.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-30Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-22Pilate posted a sign on the cross. Roman soldiers usually provided a written notice of the criminal’s name and crimes. As a possible act of revenge against the Jewish high council, Pilate ordered the sign to identify Jesus of Nazareth as the King of the Jews. The sign was posted in three languages for the whole world to understand.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2219-22. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to John 19:20

• Death
• Hebrew
• Indictments
• Jesus, the Christ
• Language
• Latin

In the dictionaries

• Greek
• Jesus
• Greek, Grecian, Hellenist
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Chaldee language
• Encamp
• Humiliation of Christ
• Latin
• Thenceforth
• Writing

Commentaries on John 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings