For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
Parallel translations
- WEB For these things happened, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him will not be broken.”
- BSB Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will 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 keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
- Num 9:12They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.
- Exod 12:46In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.
- Ps 22:14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
- John 19:28After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
- Ps 35:10All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
- Matt 1:22Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
- John 19:24They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
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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.
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Original language
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