OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 19:24

19:24a

So: This conjunction indicates a result. The soldiers spoke as they did as a result of how the tunic was made. Because the tunic was more valuable as a whole than torn into pieces, they decided not to tear it. It also indicates a return to the main story after the background information in 19:23e.

they said to one another: The pronouns they and one another refer to the soldiers.

Let us not tear it: Because each soldier already got one part of the clothes, there was no easy way to decide who should get the tunic. If they tore it into four parts, it would lose most of its value and use. So they decided not to tear it. Translate this in a way that is natural for making a suggestion about what not to do. For example:

Instead of tearing it (NJB)

Rather than tearing it apart (NLT)

We should not tear this into parts. (NCV)

19:24b

Instead: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as Instead here connects a negative statement (19:24a) to a positive statement (19:24b). This kind of sentence emphasizes the positive statement. Languages have different ways to indicate this type of emphasis. Here are some ways to show the emphasis:

• Use the conjunction “but” as in the NRSV.

  Let’s not tear it, but throw dice to see who will get it. (NET)

• Use a conjunction other than “but.” This is a common way in English to show this type of emphasis. For example:

  Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it. (NLT)

  We should not tear this piece. Instead, let us decide by lot who will get it.

• Do not use a conjunction. For example:

  Let’s not tear it; let’s throw dice to see who will get it. (GNT)

• Change the order of the clauses. For example:

  Let us throw lots to decide who gets this piece rather than tearing it into pieces.

You should translate this emphasis in the way that is most natural in your language.

let us cast lots to see who will get it: In order to see who would get the tunic, the soldiers decided to cast lots. That means that they would throw or select small stones to see who should get it. The man whose stone was chosen would receive the whole tunic.

There are implied words here: “let us….” The soldiers continued to make suggestions. This is a positive suggestion that contrasts to the negative suggestion in 19:24a. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

Let’s throw lots to see who will get it (NCV)

Let’s decide by lot who will get it (NIV)

cast lots: The Greek word that the BSB translates as cast lots refers to the custom of throwing or picking lots to decide something. The soldiers may have used small stones with a soldier’s name on each stone. They probably threw the lots in a certain way or picked one from a container that held them all. A soldier would get the tunic if his lot fell a certain way or someone picked it from the container. People cast lots because they believed that it would reveal their god’s (or gods’) will. Believers in God did the same thing (see Proverbs 16:33; Luke 1:9; and Acts 1:24–26).

In your language, you may need to make this phrase clearer or explain what the soldiers did. For example:

gamble (CEV)

throw marked stones and let them decide who should get the whole tunic

throw small stones to show us who should get the shirt

If your readers know a specific form of gambling, you may want to use that. For example:

throw dice (NET)

19:24c

This was to fulfill the Scripture: This clause is a standard expression in the New Testament. It indicates that an Old Testament author said that something would happen and now God caused it to happen. The Scriptures said that men would divide and cast lots for the Messiah’s clothes, and this is what happened.

There is a textual issue here.

1. Many Greek manuscripts say “so that the scripture might be fulfilled that says.” For example:

   This took place to fulfill the scripture that says (NET) (ESV, KJV, NIV, NRSV, CEV, NET, NLT)

2. Many other Greek manuscripts say simply “so that the scripture might be fulfilled.” For example:

   This happened in order to make the scripture come true (GNT) (BSB, NASB, RSV, GW, GNT, REB, NCV, NJB)

It is recommended that you follow option 1, as in the UBS Greek New Testament.The UBS Greek New Testament includes the words “which says” in square brackets and gives them a C rating, indicating a considerable degree of doubt. However, both options mean the same, and you should introduce the scripture in the most natural way in your language. For example:

So this text of scripture came true:…

This: This pronoun refers to the soldiers’ actions of dividing up Jesus’ clothes and casting lots for the tunic.

to fulfill: The verb fulfill in this context means “complete a prophecy” so that what was prophesied happens. What the Old Testament said did actually happen. See how you translated this idea in 12:38.

the Scripture: Some Greek manuscripts and English translations have “says,” which refers to what has been written down in a book. In some languages it is more natural to speak of what was written down or what can be read. For example:

the Holy Writings

what long ago God caused to be written down

Scripture: The word Scripture refers to the Jewish holy book, what Christians now call the Old Testament. See how you translated this word in 2:22 and 10:35. In this context Scripture refers to a specific place or text in the writings in the Old Testament. For example:

this place/text in the Holy Book

19:24d

They divided My garments among them, and cast lots for My clothing: This is a quotation of Psalm 22:18. The psalmist, King David, was writing about a righteous person who would suffer, the Messiah. He wrote these words about a thousand years before Jesus died on the cross.

In some languages it is more natural to translate 19:24d–e as indirect speech. For example:

the scripture that said that they would divide his clothes among themselves and throw stones to decide who should get his clothing

They divided My garments among them: The Greek word that the BSB translates as garments is the same word that was used in 19:23b.

and cast lots for My clothing: This clause prophesied that the soldiers would throw or pick stones to see who would get Jesus’ tunic.

cast lots: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as cast lots refers to the custom that 19:24b also refers to. It is not the word that is used in 19:24b but in this context it refers to the same activity. See the note there for more explanation. Also see how you translated the idea there and make it clear here that it is the same activity.

for My clothing: The Greek word that the BSB translates as clothing is the singular form of the word “clothes.” It can refer to one item of something that a person wears. Here it is good to use a term that can refer to one item, the tunic.

19:24e

So that is what the soldiers did: The Greek sentence that the BSB translates as that is what the soldiers did concludes the part of the story that tells what the soldiers’ did. The Greek text includes a word that the BSB translates literally as So, and most English translations translate it that way. However, here it probably just indicates a return to the story after the parenthetical information in 19:24c–d.

The sentence indicates that the soldiers did what the prophecy said that they would do. However, the soldiers did not do that in order to fulfill the prophecy. They probably did not even know about the prophecy. Using a word like So could imply that the soldiers’ purpose in doing what they did was to fulfill prophecy. So it is recommended that you do not use a word like So. For example:

That is what the soldiers did. (NJB)

And this is what the soldiers did. (GNT)

The soldiers then did what they had decided. (CEV)

that is what the soldiers did: This clause refers to the soldiers dividing Jesus’ clothes and casting lots for the tunic.