Veritable King James Version
1Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged Him.
2And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head and arrayed Him in a purple robe.
3They came up to Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck Him with their hands.
4Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing Him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.”
5So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!”
6When the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.”
7The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law He ought to die because He has made Himself the Son of God.”
8When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid.
9He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.
10So Pilate said to Him, “You will not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You and authority to crucify You?”
11Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over Me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered Me over to you has the greater sin.”
12From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”
13So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha.
14Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”
15They cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”
16So he delivered Him over to them to be crucified.
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Flogged Him” (emas tigōsen auton) scourged, translated as “flogged Him.”
“Crown of thorns” (stephanon ex akanthōn) mockery, translated literally.
“Purple robe” (himation porphyr oun) royal mockery, translated as “purple robe.”
“Hail, King of the Jews” (chaire basileu tōn Ioudaiōn) sarcasm, translated as “Hail, King of the Jews.”
“Struck Him with their hands” (edidoun autō rapismata) slaps, translated as “struck Him with their hands.”
“Behold the man” (ide ho anthrōpos) Ecce Homo, translated as “Behold the man.”
“Crucify Him, crucify Him” (staurōson staurōson) chant, translated literally.
“He has made Himself the Son of God” (huion theou heauton epoiēsen) blasphemy charge, translated as “made Himself the Son of God.”
“Where are You from” (pothen ei sy) origin question, translated as “Where are You from.”
“You would have no authority...given you from above” (ouk eiches exousian...dedomenon soi anōthen) sovereignty, translated literally.
“Greater sin” (meizona hamartian) degrees of guilt, translated as “greater sin.”
“Not Caesar’s friend” (ouk ei philos tou kaisaros) political threat, translated as “not Caesar’s friend.”
“Judgment seat” (bēmatos) tribunal, translated as “judgment seat.”
“The Stone Pavement...Gabbatha” (lithostrōton...Gabbatha) place names, retained with gloss.
“Day of Preparation of the Passover” (paraskeuē tou pascha) Friday, translated literally.
“Sixth hour” (hōra ēn hōs hektē) noon, translated as “sixth hour.”
“Behold your King” (ide ho basileus hymōn) irony, translated as “Behold your King.”
“Away with Him...crucify Him” (aron aron staurōson auton) demand, translated as “Away with Him...crucify Him.”
“We have no king but Caesar” (ouk echomen basilea ei mē Kaisara) allegiance, translated literally.
“Delivered Him over to them to be crucified” (paredōken auton autois hina staurōthē) handover, translated as “delivered Him over to them to be crucified.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His,” “I,” “Me,” “My,” “You” capitalized per VKJV deity convention.
“He,” “him,” “his” for Pilate (*auton*, masculine) lowercase and gender-specific.
“They,” “them,” “we” for Jews/chief priests (*autoi*, *hēmeis*) gender-neutral as groups.
17So they took Jesus, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.
18There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.
19Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
20Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.
21So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’”
22Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”
23When 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,
24so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things,
25but standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”
27Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
28After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”
29A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to His mouth.
30When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished,” and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Bearing His own cross” (bastazōn heautō ton stauron) humiliation, translated as “bearing His own cross.”
“Place of a skull” (kranion topos) Calvary, translated as “place of a skull.”
“Golgotha” (Golgotha, Aramaic) name, retained.
“They crucified Him” (estaurōsan auton) execution, translated as “crucified Him.”
“Inscription” (titlon) placard, translated as “inscription.”
“Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (Iēsous ho Nazōraios ho basileus tōn Ioudaiōn) charge, translated literally.
“Many of the Jews read this inscription” (polloi oun anegnōsan tōn Ioudaiōn ton titlon touton) public, translated as “many of the Jews read this inscription.”
“Aramaic, Latin, and Greek” (Hebraisti, Rhōmaisti, Hellēnisti) languages, translated as “Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.”
“Divided them into four parts” (emerisan eis tessara merē) custom, translated literally.
“Tunic was seamless” (chitōn ēn araphos) detail, translated as “tunic was seamless.”
“Cast lots” quotes Psalm 22:18, translated as “cast lots.”
“His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” names, translated with relations.
“Woman, behold, your son” (gynai ide ho huios sou) provision, translated literally.
“Behold, your mother” (ide hē mētēr sou) command, translated literally.
“Knowing that all was now finished” (eidōs hoti ēdē panta tetelestai) completion, translated as “knowing that all was now finished.”
“To fulfill the Scripture” quotes Psalm 69:21, translated as “to fulfill the Scripture.”
“I thirst” (dipsō) statement, translated literally.
“Sour wine” (oxous) vinegar, translated as “sour wine.”
“Hyssop branch” (hyssōpō) detail, translated as “hyssop branch.”
“It is finished” (tetelestai) consummation, translated as “It is finished.”
“Gave up His spirit” (paredōken to pneuma) voluntary death, translated as “gave up His spirit.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His,” “I” capitalized per VKJV deity convention.
“They,” “them,” “many” for soldiers/Jews/chief priests (*autoi*, *polloi*) gender-neutral as groups.
“She,” “her” for mother/disciple (*autē*, feminine) lowercase and gender-specific.
31Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.
32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with Him.
33But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
34But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
35He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe.
36For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.”
37And again another Scripture says, “They will look on Him whom they have pierced.”
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Day of Preparation” (paraskeuē) Friday, translated as “day of Preparation.”
“High day” (megalē hē hēmera ekeinou tou sabbatou) special Sabbath, translated as “high day.”
“Legs might be broken” (kateagōsin ta skelē) hastening death, translated as “legs might be broken.”
“Pierced His side with a spear” (elogenxan autou tēn pleuran) confirmation of death, translated as “pierced His side with a spear.”
“Blood and water” (haima kai hydōr) medical/theological, translated literally.
“He who saw it has borne witness” (ho heōrakōs memartyrēken) eyewitness, translated as “he who saw it has borne witness.”
“His testimony is true” (alēthēs estin hē martyria autou) reliability, translated as “his testimony is true.”
“That you also may believe” (hina kai hymeis pisteusēte) purpose, translated as “that you also may believe.”
“Not one of His bones will be broken” quotes Exodus 12:46/Psalm 34:20, translated literally.
“They will look on Him whom they have pierced” quotes Zechariah 12:10, translated literally.
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His” capitalized (*ho Iēsous*, *autos*).
“They,” “them” for Jews/soldiers (*autoi*, *autois*) gender-neutral as groups.
“He” for witness (*ho heōrakōs*, masculine) lowercase and gender-specific.
38After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away His body.
39Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.
40So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
41Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
42So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“Joseph of Arimathea” (Iōsēph apo Arimathaias) name, retained.
“Disciple...secretly for fear” (mathētēs...kekrymmenos de dia ton phobon) hidden faith, translated as “disciple...secretly for fear.”
“Take away the body” (arē ton sōma) removal, translated as “take away the body.”
“Nicodemus...who earlier had come by night” alludes to chapter 3, translated with reference.
“Mixture of myrrh and aloes” (migma smyrnēs kai aloēs) embalming, translated literally.
“Seventy-five pounds in weight” (litras hekaton) about 34 kg, translated with modern U.S. units.
“Bound it in linen cloths with the spices” (edēsan auto othoniois meta tōn arōmatōn) preparation, translated as “bound it in linen cloths with the spices.”
“Burial custom of the Jews” (ethos estin tois Ioudaiois entaphiazein) practice, translated as “burial custom of the Jews.”
“New tomb in which no one had yet been laid” (mnēmeion kainon en hō oupō oudeis etethē) fresh, translated literally.
“Jewish day of Preparation” (paraskeuēn tōn Ioudaiōn) Friday, translated as “Jewish day of Preparation.”
“Laid Jesus there” (ethēkan ton Iēsoun ekei) burial, translated as “laid Jesus there.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His” capitalized (*ho Iēsous*, *autos*).
“He,” “him” for Joseph/Nicodemus (*auton*, masculine) lowercase and gender-specific.
“They,” “them” for disciples/Jews (*autoi*, *autois*) gender-neutral as groups.
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