John 19:23

John 19:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
• New International Version (NIV)When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.

Context of John 19:23

21The chief priests of the Jewish people told Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The king of the Jews!’ Instead, write, ‘He said that he is the king of the Jews.’ ” 22Pilate replied, “I have written what I’ve written.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them four ways so that each soldier could have a share. His robe was left over. It didn’t have a seam because it had been woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24The soldiers said to each other, “Let’s not rip it apart. Let’s throw dice to see who will get it.” In this way the Scripture came true: “They divided my clothes among themselves. They threw dice for my clothing.” So that’s what the soldiers did. 25Jesus’ mother, her sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary from Magdala were standing beside Jesus’ cross.

John 19:23 word by word

Οἱ οὖν στρατιῶται, ὅτε ἐσταύρωσαν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἔλαβον τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐποίησαν τέσσαρα μέρη, ἑκάστῳ στρατιώτῃ μέρος, καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα. ἦν δὲ ὁ χιτὼν ἄραφος, ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν ὑφαντὸς δι᾽ ὅλου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• the soldiersστρατιώτηςstratiōtēs · soldierG4757
• whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
• they had crucifiedσταυρόωstauroō · to crucifyG4717
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• tookλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• garmentsἱμάτιονhimation · clothingG2440
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• madeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
• partsμέροςmeros · partG3313
• to everyἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
• coatχιτώνchitōn · tunicG5509
• nowδέde · thenG1161
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• without seamἄρραφοςarrhaphos · seamlessG729
• wovenὑφαντόςhuphantos · wovenG5307
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the topἄνωθενanōthen · from above/againG509
• ·διάdia · through/because ofG1223
• throughoutὅλοςholos · allG3650

Cross-references for John 19:23

• Matthew 27:35After they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice.
• Mark 15:24Next they crucified him. Then they divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice to see what each one would get.
• Luke 23:34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing.” Meanwhile, the soldiers divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice.
• Exodus 39:22They made the robe that is worn with the ephod, woven entirely of violet yarn.

Commentaries on John 19:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23To every soldier a part - So it appears there were four soldiers employed in nailing him to and rearing up the cross. The coat was without seam - Several have seriously doubted whether this can be literally understood, as they imagine that nothing with sleeves, etc. can be woven without a seam. But Baun, de Vest. Sacer. Heb. l. 1, c. 16, has proved, not only that such things were done by the ancients, and are still done in the east, but himself got a loom…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23His garments - The plural here is used to denote the outer garment. It was made, commonly, so as to be easily thrown on or off, and when they labored or walked it was girded about the loins. See the notes at Matthew 5:40. Four parts - It seems, from this, that there were four soldiers employed as his executioners. His coat - His under garment, called the tunic. Was without seam - Josephus (Antiq., b. 3 chapter 8, Section 4) says of the garment or coat of…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. 23-24As was their common practice, the Roman soldiers divided his clothes. The soldiers gambled for his valuable robe, which was seamless, rather than dividing it up.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-2423-24. Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts; to every soldier--the four who nailed Him to the cross, and whose perquisite they were. a part, and also his coat--the Roman tunic, or close-fitting vest. without seam, woven from the top throughout--"perhaps denoting considerable skill and labor as necessary to produce such a garment, the work probably of one or more of the women who ministered in such things…Read the comment

Topics related to John 19:23

• Art
• Death
• Dress
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Lot, the
• Soldiers

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Coat
• Crucifixion
• Dress
• Humiliation of Christ
• Thenceforth
• Writing
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of

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