Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.”
Parallel translations
- WEB For these things happened, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him will not be broken.”
- KJV For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
- NKJV For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.”
- NASB For these things took place so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not a bone of Him shall be broken.”
- NLT These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,”
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
The unbroken bones fulfill Scripture about the Passover lamb. Jesus is shown to be the Lamb God provided.
Overview
John cites the law that no bone of the Passover lamb was to be broken (Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; cf. Psalm 34:20). By keeping Jesus' bones intact, God identifies him as the true and final Passover sacrifice. The fulfillment underscores that the whole sacrificial system pointed forward to Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Ps 34:20He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken.
- Num 9:12they may not leave any of it until morning or break any of its bones. They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes.
- Exod 12:46It must be eaten inside one house. You are not to take any of the meat outside the house, and you may not break any of the bones.
- Ps 22:14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me.
- John 19:28After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
- Ps 35:10All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”
- Matt 1:22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
- John 19:24So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it. Instead, let us cast lots to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill the Scripture: “They divided My garments among them, and cast lots for My clothing.” So that is what the soldiers did.
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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.
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Original language
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