John 19:23 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The four soldiers divide Jesus' garments into four shares, but his tunic, woven in one piece, they leave whole.
What Does John 19:23 Mean?
The executioners take the condemned man's clothing as their fee — four soldiers, four parts. Then comes the tunic, the garment worn next to the skin, woven seamless from top to bottom: too fine a piece to tear into rags.
He is stripped of everything. The Lord who clothed the first sinners (Genesis 3:21), who was wrapped in swaddling clothes at his birth, dies owning nothing: "though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor" (2 Corinthians 8:9). Soldiers gamble at his feet for the last things he had, while from the cross he is giving away greater garments — robes made white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14).
John 19:23 in the Original Language
chiton (χιτών), 'coat' -- the tunic worn next to the skin, here woven in a single piece.
Frequently Asked Questions About John 19:23
What does John 19:23 mean?
The four soldiers divide Jesus' garments into four shares, but his tunic, woven in one piece, they leave whole.