John 19:29
What does John 19:29 mean?
A plain-English look at John 19:29 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 19:29 means
A vessel of sour wine (vinegar) was readily available at the crucifixion site, a common drink for Roman soldiers and laborers. They soaked a sponge in this vinegar, placed it on a hyssop branch, and offered it to Jesus' mouth. This act, whether intended as mercy or further mockery, fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy (Psalm 69:21) that the Messiah would be given vinegar to drink. Jesus consciously received this, signifying the final step in the complete fulfillment of all that was written.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000There was set there a vessel full of vinegar: so they put a sponge full of the vinegar upon hyssop, and brought it to his mouth.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901There was set there a vessel full of vinegar: so they put a sponge full of the vinegar upon hyssop, and brought it to his mouth.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Now there was a vessel ready, full of bitter wine, and they put a sponge full of it on a stick and put it to his mouth.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862a vessel, therefore, was placed full of vinegar, and they having filled a sponge with vinegar, and having put <FI>it<Fi> around a hyssop stalk, did put <FI>it<Fi> to his mouth;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Now there was a vessel set there, full of vinegar. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar about hyssop, put it to his mouth.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890There was a vessel therefore there full of vinegar, and having filled a sponge with vinegar, and putting hyssop round it, they put it up to his mouth.
Context
This verse describes the action taken in response to Jesus' declaration of "I thirst." The provision of vinegar on a hyssop branch is a direct fulfillment of prophecy and immediately precedes Jesus' final, triumphant statement. This action, providing the last physical detail, sets the stage for the climax of His earthly ministry and His voluntary yielding of His spirit.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Numbers 19:18
and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave:
- 1 Kings 4:33
And he spake of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; he spake also of beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
- Psalms 51:7
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
- Exodus 12:22
And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.
- Luke 23:36
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, offering him vinegar,
- Matthew 27:34
they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted it, he would not drink.
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