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John 19:23

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

KJV

Οἱ οὖν στρατιῶται, ὅτε ἐσταύρωσαν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἔλαβον τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐποίησαν τέσσαρα μέρη, ἑκάστῳ στρατιώτῃ μέρος, καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα. ἦν δὲ ὁ χιτὼν ἄραφος, ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν ὑφαντὸς δι’ ὅλου.

Greek NT

Milites ergo cum crucifixissent eum, acceperunt vestimenta ejus (et fecerunt quatuor partes, unicuique militi partem) et tunicam. Erat autem tunica inconsutilis, desuper contexta per totum.

Vulgate

The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

ASV

The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified him, took his garments, (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part) and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

23 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
διά
dia
preposition · 633×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
λαμβάνω
lambano
verb · 259×
μέρος
meros
noun · 42×
οὖν
oun
conjunction · 489×
ποιέω
poieo
verb · 569×
σταυρόω
stauroo
verb · 46×
στρατιώτης
stratiotes
noun · 26×
τέσσαρες
tessares
adjective · 41×
χιτών
chiton
noun · 11×
ἄνωθεν
anothen
adverb · 13×
ἄῤῥαφος
arraphos
adjective · 1×
ἐκ
ek
preposition · 915×
ἕκαστος
ekastos
adjective · 84×
ἱμάτιον
imation
noun · 59×
Ἰησοῦς
iesous
noun · 908×
o
article · 19778×
ὅλος
olos
adjective · 109×
ὅτε
ote
adverb · 100×
ὑφαντός
uphantos
verb · 2×

Historic Christian voices

7 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

1. Successes have terrible power to cast down or draw aside those who take not heed. Thus the Jews, who at first enjoyed the influence of God, sought the law of royalty from the Gentiles, and in the wilderness after the manna remembered the onions. In the same way here, refusing the Kingdom of Christ, they invited to themselves that of Cæsar. Wherefore God set a king over…
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. Calvin treats the passion narrative with deep reverence. The inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" was, despite Pilate's intention, a true proclamation. The seamless coat for which the soldiers cast lots fulfills Psalm 22. Christ's cry "It is finished" is not a groan of defeat but a shout of triumph — the work of r…
Cyprian uses the image of Christ's seamless garment to illustrate the church's indivisible unity. The soldiers did not tear the garment but cast lots for it whole. This garment represents the church — woven from the top throughout, it cannot be divided. Whoever tears the church tears Christ.
'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?' See Ps. xxii. 1 and Matt. xxvii. 46 and Mark xv. 34. These are the words of Christ upon the Cross. The Psalm is spoken in the person of Christ crucified. Not that God the Father forsook the Son; but the human nature, which He took upon Himself, cried out in its weakness. For He truly suffered, and His suffering was real, not feigned.…

Cross-references

  • 1Kgs 12:15 — Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
  • Luke 23:34 — Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
  • Luke 23:34 — Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
  • Mark 15:24 — And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.
  • Mark 15:24 — And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.
  • Matt 27:35 — And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
  • Matt 27:35 — And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
  • Ps 22:16 — For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
  • Ps 22:18 — They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.