John 18:32
in John 18This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should die.
KJV
That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
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This verse in John 18
Commentary
16 notes on this verseThat the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled,.... That he should be delivered by the Jews to the Gentiles, to crucify him; and that he should be lifted up from the earth, and as the serpent upon the pole: which he spake, signifying what death he should die; Mat 20:19 and which was brought about this way, by the providence of God conducting this whole affair; and was cheerfully submitted to by Christ, in great love to his people, to redeem them from the curse of the law, being hereby made a curse for them.
This site's exposition
What accusation are you bringing
on John 18:29-32
Pilate asks for the charge and gets none. Told to judge Him by their own law, they answer that Rome kept the power of execution. John reads their answer as the word of Jesus coming true, the kind of death He would die, crucifixion being Rome's and stoning theirs.
This site's exposition
the kind of death He was
The word of Jesus is His saying about being lifted up. John explains it at 12:32 and 33 as a sign of the death awaiting Him. Gill joins it to Matthew 20:19, where Jesus says He will be handed over to the Gentiles to be crucified.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
But when the evangelist John adds, "That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He spake, signifying what death He should die:" if we would understand such words as referring to the death of the cross, as if the Jews had said, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death," for this reason that it was one thing to be put to death, and another to be crucified: I do not see how such can be understood as a consequence, seeing that this was their answer to the words that Pilate had just addressed to them, "Take ye him, and judge him according to your law." If it were so, could they not then have taken Him, and crucified Him themselves, had they desired by any such form of punishment to avoid the putting of Him to death? But who is there that may not see the absurdity of allowing those to crucify any one, who were not allowed to put any one to death? Nay more, did not the Lord Himself call that same death of His, that is, the death of the cross, a putting to death, as we read in Mark, where he says, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall put Him to death, and the third day He shall rise again"? There is no doubt, therefore, that in so speaking the Lord signified what death He should die: not that He here meant the death of the cross to be understood, but that the Jews were to deliver Him up to the Gentiles, or, in other words, to the Romans. For Pilate was a Roman, and had been sent by the Romans into Judea as governor. […]
(Tr. cxiv) As we read in Mark, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles. (Mark 10:33) Pilate again was a Roman, and was sent to the government of Judæa, from Rome. That this saying of Jesus then might be fulfilled, i. e. that He might be delivered unto and killed by the Gentiles, they would not accept Pilate's offer, but said, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.
"And how did the expression, 'It is not lawful for us to put any man to death,' declare this?" Either the Evangelist means that He was about to be slain not by the Jews only, but by the Gentiles also, or that it was not lawful for them to crucify. But if they say, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death," they say it with reference to that season. For that they did slay men, and that they slew them in a different way, Stephen shows, being stoned. But they desired to crucify Him, that they might make a display of the manner of His death.
A commentator
Cyril of AlexandriaCommentary on the Gospel of John, Book 12 · Written before 444.
proposed
They answer, that their purification, accomplished by the slaughter of the Paschal lamb (if any purification at all were possible for such murderers), stood in their way, and was, as it were, an overpowering obstacle to their shedding His innocent Blood. For, surely, they would have been very ready to commit the impious crime, and would not have needed the co-operation of any other. The Jewish mind was very prone to work every kind of evil deed, and to shrink from no atrocity; and to feel no shame at doing anything displeasing to God.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled" concerning His death, namely: either that He would be crucified (Matt. 20:18–19), or that He would be put to death not by the Jews, but by the Gentiles (Mark 10:33). So when the Jews said that it …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
"That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled." Here the fourth point is noted, namely that the will of Christ is fulfilled. For he willed to die the death of the cross, by which the Gentiles put to death; therefore it says: "That it might …
2342 The Evangelist gives the reason the Jews refused when he says, This was to fulfill the word which Jesus had spoken to show by what death he was to die. The words this was to fulfill do not indicate the intention the Jews had, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The servant's name was Malchus. 11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? 12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, The hour was now come that the captain of our salvation, who was to be made perfect by sufferings, should engage the enemy.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:47w-of-70
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
That the saying . . . might be fulfilled which he spake, signifying what death he should die--that is, by crucifixion (Joh 12:32, 33; Mt 20:19); which being a Roman mode of execution, could only be carried into effect by order of the governor. (The Jewish mode in such cases as this was by stoning).
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
Pilate told them, "Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him according to your own law!" The Jewish religious leaders replied, "We cannot legally put anyone to death." (This happened to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated what kind of death he was going to die.) So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
Pilate told them, "Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him according to your own law!" The Jewish religious leaders replied, "We cannot legally put anyone to death." (This happened to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated what kind of death he was going to die.) So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and your chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus replied, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." Then Pilate said, "So you are a king!" Jesus replied, "You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world—to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate asked, "What is truth?" When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish religious leaders and announced, "I find no basis for an accusation against him. But it is your custom that I release one prisoner for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?" Then they shouted back, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" (Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.) The verses we have now read contain four striking points, which are only found in John's narrative of Christ's passion. We need not doubt that there were good reasons why Matthew, Mark, and Luke were not inspired to record them. But they are points of such deep interest, that we should feel thankful that they have been brought forward by John.
That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled - Or, thus the word was fulfilled. God permitted the Jews to lose the power of life and death, in the sense before stated, that according to the Roman laws, which punished sedition, etc., with the cross, Christ might be crucified, according to his own prediction: Joh 12:32, Joh 3:14.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
That the saying of Jesus ... - To wit, that he would be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles and be crucified, Mat 20:19. Neither of these things would have happened if he had been put to death in the way that the Jews first contemplated, Mat 26:4. Though it should be admitted that they had the power, in religious cases, to do this, yet in such a case it would not have been done, as Jesus predicted, by the Gentiles; and even if it should be admitted that they had the right to take life, yet they had not the right to do it by crucifixion. This was particularly a Roman punishment. And thus it was ordered, in the providence of God, that the prediction of Jesus in both these respects was fulfilled.
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγος | logos | word | G3056 → | 329 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | of Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| πληρωθῇ | plerothea | may be fulfilled | G4137 → | 86 times |
| ὃν | hon | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| εἶπεν | eipen | He had spoken | G2036 → | 925 times |
| σημαίνων | semainon | signifying | G4591 → | 6 times |
| ποίῳ | poio | as what | G4169 → | 33 times |
| θανάτῳ | thanato | death | G2288 → | 120 times |
| ἤμελλεν | emellen | He was about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| ἀποθνῄσκειν.¶ | apothneskein | to die. | G599 → | 110 times |
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
λόγοςword
logosG3056 →329 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
Ἰησοῦof Jesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
πληρωθῇmay be fulfilled
plerotheaG4137 →86 times
ὃνwhich
honG3739 →1405 times
εἶπενHe had spoken
eipenG2036 →925 times
σημαίνωνsignifying
semainonG4591 →6 times
ποίῳas what
poioG4169 →33 times
θανάτῳdeath
thanatoG2288 →120 times
ἤμελλενHe was about
emellenG3195 →109 times
ἀποθνῄσκειν.¶to die.
apothneskeinG599 →110 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 3:14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
it leads to
- Numbers 21:7–9
Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so He will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses…
- John 8:28
So 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…
- John 12:32–34
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.”
- Luke 24:26–27
Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?”
- Luke 24:44–46
Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets,…
- Numbers 21:7–9
Through
Matthew 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.”
it leads to
- Matthew 16:21
From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must…
- Mark 15:16–20
Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together.
- Matthew 16:21
Through
Matthew 26:2“You know that the Passover is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
it leads to
- Mark 14:1–2
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a covert way to arrest Jesus and kill Him.
- Mark 14:1–2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies18
On this verse
On this chapter
About John
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on John 114; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 18; Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 12; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 83; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.