EasyEnglish Bible 2018
John 19:20
20The place where they put Jesus on the cross was near to the city. So many of the Jews read this notice. They could read it because Pilate had written the words in three languages. He had written it in the Jewish language and in the languages of the Roman people and the Greek people.
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
18When they arrived there, the soldiers fixed Jesus to the cross. They put two other men on crosses near to him. They were on each side of him and Jesus was between them. 19Pilate wrote a notice. Then the soldiers put it on the cross. It said: ‘Jesus from Nazareth, the King of the Jews’. The place where they put Jesus on the cross was near to the city. So many of the Jews read this notice. They could read it because Pilate had written the words in three languages. He had written it in the Jewish language and in the languages of the Roman people and the Greek people. 21The leaders of the Jewish priests said to Pilate, ‘Do not write, “The King of the Jews”. Instead, write, “This man said that he is the King of the Jews.” ’ 22Pilate answered, ‘I will not change what I have written.’
Read all of John 19John 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 those words, he brought Jesus outside. Pilate sat down on a special seat for the judge. The seat was in a place called ‘Gabbatha’ in the Jewish language. There were large flat stones there, which covered the ground.
- John 5:2There is a pool near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem. Its name in the Jewish language is Bethesda. Round the pool, there is a building with five places that have a roof over them.
- Acts 21:40The leader of the soldiers said to Paul, ‘Yes, you may speak to the people.’ So Paul stood still on the steps of the soldiers' building. He raised his hands towards them so that the people became quiet. Then he spoke to them in Aramaic, the Jewish people's own language.
- Acts 22:2The crowd heard Paul speaking to them in their own Hebrew language. So they became really quiet. Paul continued to speak. He said,
- Acts 26:14All of us fell down to the ground. I heard a voice that spoke to me in my own language, Hebrew. He said “Saul, Saul, why do you fight against me? You are like an ox that kicks against its master's stick. So you are hurting yourself.”
- Revelation 16:16Then the bad spirits brought the rulers together to fight in the big war. They came to the place that is called Armageddon in the Hebrew language.
- Acts 21:37While the soldiers were leading Paul into their building, he asked their leader, ‘Please may I say something to you?’ The soldiers' leader replied, ‘Oh! Do you speak the Greek language?
- Revelation 9:11The king that ruled them was the angel of the deep hole. His name is ‘Abaddon’ in the Hebrew language. In the Greek language his name is ‘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
In the dictionaries
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
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