This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
Parallel translations
- WEB that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
- KJV That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
- ESV This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
- NKJV that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.
- NASB This happened so that the word of Jesus which He said, indicating what kind of death He was going to die, would be fulfilled.
- NLT (This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.)
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
This fulfills Jesus' words foretelling the kind of death he would die. His crucifixion was foreseen.
Overview
Because execution fell to the Romans, Jesus would die by crucifixion rather than Jewish stoning. John sees this as fulfilling Jesus' earlier sayings about being 'lifted up' (3:14; 12:32-33). Even the manner of his death unfolds according to his own word and God's plan, displaying divine sovereignty over the events of the passion.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Matt 26:2“You know that the Passover is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
- Matt 20:19and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.”
- John 3:14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
- John 12:32–33And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.”
- Luke 18:32–33He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.
- Deut 21:23you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
- Mark 10:33“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles,
- John 8:28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me.
- Luke 24:7–8‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’”
- Ps 22:16For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
- Gal 3:13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
- Acts 7:59While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
- John 10:31At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.
- John 10:33“We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.”
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 18:32 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.