John 19:3

3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

John 19:3 in Other Translations

3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews! ” and struck him with their hands.

3 “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.

3 and approached him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they greeted him with slaps in the face.

3 and they came unto him, and said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they struck him with their hands.

3 They went up to him, said, "Long live the king of the Jews!" and slapped his face.

3 And they repeatedly came up to Him and said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and were slapping His face.

3 They went up to him again and again. They kept saying, "We honor you, king of the Jews!" And they hit him in the face.

John 19:3 Meaning and Commentary

John 19:3

And said, hail, King of the Jews!
&c.] Some copies before this clause read, "and they came unto him"; and so read the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, Coptic, and Ethiopic versions; that is, they came and prostrated themselves before him; bowed the knee unto him, and addressed him in a mock way, as if he was an earthly monarch just come to his crown, and whom they wished long to live; thus mocking at his kingly office, and despising him under that character, as many do now: some will not have him to reign over them, but reject him as King; and others, though in words they own him to be King, yet disregard his commands, and act no better part than these scoffing soldiers did:

and they smote him with their hands:
upon his cheeks, as the Syriac version reads it. These, and many other affronts they gave him; in all which they were indulged by Pilate, and was a pleasing scene to the wicked Jews, whose relentless hearts were not in the least moved hereby, though Pilate hoped they would; and which was his view in allowing the soldiers to use such incivilities and indecencies to him.

John 19:3 In-Context

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.

2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe

3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”

5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

Cross References

• 1. Matthew 27:29
• 2. John 18:22