John 19:24

“So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” so that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says, “They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things.”

John 19:24 · direct translation from the Greek
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He carries his own cross to Golgotha, where he is crucified between two othersThe Cross

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24

Quotation · Psalms 22:18

Go to Psalms 22:18

John quotes the whole verse and sets it beside what the soldiers did: dividing the clothes and casting lots for the tunic.

Formula: ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ πληρωθῇ ἡ λέγουσα “so that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says” (John 19:24)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: εἶπαν οὖν πρὸς ἀλλήλους Μὴ σχίσωμεν αὐτόν ἀλλὰ λάχωμεν περὶ αὐτοῦ τίνος ἔσται ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ πληρωθῇ ἡ λέγουσα Διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτιά μου ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρον Οἱ μὲν οὖν στρατιῶται ταῦτα ἐποίησαν

Hebrew (Masoretic text): יְחַלְּקוּ בְגָדַי לָהֶם וְעַל לְבוּשִׁי יַפִּילוּ גוֹרָל

Septuagint (Psalms 21:19 in the Septuagint numbering): διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτιά μου ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρον.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 12 consecutive words: “Διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτιά μου ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρον.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

John 19:24, word by word

they saidεἶπανeipan

say

To express something in words to others.

Where else “eipan” appears
one anotherἀλλήλουςallēlous

one another

One another, each other.

Where else “allēlous” appears
tearσχίσωμενschisōmen

tear

To tear something with a pull, to split it in two.

Where else “schisōmen” appears
let us cast lotsλάχωμενlachōmen

cast lots

Draw lots.

Where else “lachōmen” appears
it will beἔσταιestai

be

To be: says who or what something is.

Where else “estai” appears
the Scriptureγραφὴgraphē

Scripture

Scripture: the sacred text; "the Scriptures", the Old Testament.

Where else “graphē” appears
might be fulfilledπληρωθῇplērōthēi

be fulfilled

For what was foretold to come true.

Where else “plērōthēi” appears
“They dividedΔιεμερίσαντοDiemerisanto

distribute

To share out among several.

Where else “Diemerisanto” appears
my garmentsἱμάτιάhimatia

clothes

Everything one has on.

Where else “himatia” appears
my clothingἱματισμόνhimatismon

clothing

Clothing, garment.

Where else “himatismon” appears
they castἔβαλονebalon

throw

To hurl something or someone away from oneself.

Where else “ebalon” appears
lotsκλῆρονklēron

lot

Small stones cast to decide something.

Where else “klēron” appears
the soldiersστρατιῶταιstratiōtai

soldier

Soldier.

Where else “stratiōtai” appears
didἐποίησανepoiēsan

do

To carry out an action or cause an effect.

Where else “epoiēsan” appears

Translation note

Psalm 22:18.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

The crucifixion

Matthew 27:33-44Mark 15:22-32Luke 23:33-43

See them side by side

John 19:17-27

17and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to the place called the Place of the Skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha, 18where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle. 19And Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross; and there was written, “Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.” 20So many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, in Greek. 21So the high priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that that man said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” 22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” 23So the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, a part for each soldier, and the tunic. Now the tunic was seamless, woven from the top throughout. 24So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” so that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says, “They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things. 25Now standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26So Jesus, seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, says to his mother, “Woman, look, your son.” 27Then he says to the disciple, “Look, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

Matthew 27:33-44

33And coming to a place called Golgotha, which is called Place of a Skull, 34they gave him wine mixed with gall to drink; and after tasting it, he was not willing to drink it. 35And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots, 36and sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37And they put above his head the charge against him written: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38Then two robbers are crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39And those who passed by were blaspheming him, shaking their heads 40and saying, “You who would destroy the sanctuary and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” 41In the same way the high priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, were saying, 42“Others he saved; himself he cannot save. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43He has trusted in God; let him rescue him now, if he wants him; for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44And in the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also were insulting him.

Mark 15:22-32

22And they bring him to the place Golgotha, which is translated Place of a Skull. 23And they were offering him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24And they crucify him and divide his garments, casting lots for them, to see who would take what. 25Now it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26And the inscription of the charge against him was written above: “The King of the Jews.” 27And with him they crucify two robbers, one on the right and one on his left. 28And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “And he was counted among the lawless.” 29And those who passed by were insulting him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the sanctuary and build it in three days, 30save yourself by coming down from the cross!” 31Likewise the high priests also, mocking him to one another with the scribes, were saying, “Others he saved; himself he cannot save. 32Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe.” And those who were crucified with him were reviling him.

Luke 23:33-43

33And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 34And Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And dividing his garments, they cast lots. 35And the people stood watching. And the rulers also were sneering, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if this man is the Messiah of God, the Chosen One!” 36And the soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38And there was also an inscription over him: “This is the King of the Jews.” 39And one of the criminals who were hanging there was blaspheming him, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same condemnation? 41And we indeed are here justly, for we are receiving back what is due for what we did; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” 43And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Quotation · Psalms 22:18

John quotes the whole verse and sets it beside what the soldiers did: dividing the clothes and casting lots for the tunic.

See them side by side

John 19:24

24So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” so that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says, “They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things.

Psalms 22:18

18They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

The context

23So the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, a part for each soldier, and the tunic. Now the tunic was seamless, woven from the top throughout.

24 · This verse (above)

25Now standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

Read all of John 19

To study John 19 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What do the soldiers and Pilate do with Jesus, and what does Pilate write on the sign above the cross? (vv. 1-22)

  2. 2. What it means

    Beside the cross, Jesus entrusts his mother and the beloved disciple to each other's care, and says, “It is finished” (vv. 25-30). What do those moments show?

  3. 3. How I live it

    Even in suffering, Jesus made sure his mother would be cared for (vv. 26-27). Whom in your family or friends could you care for better this week?

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