John 19:28 Meaning and Explanation
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Knowing that all is now accomplished, Jesus says, "I thirst," that the scripture might be fulfilled.
What Does John 19:28 Mean?
Every appointed thing is now done, and Jesus knows it. One scripture remains before him: the sufferer of the psalms was given vinegar for his thirst (Psalm 69:21; see also Psalm 22:15). So comes his only word of bodily need from the cross: I thirst.
The giver of living water (John 4:10; 7:37) is parched. The cry is utterly human — real flesh, real agony — and at the same time deliberate, obedient to what is written down to the final detail. He entered our thirst so that ours could be answered: "whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst" (John 4:14). He knows need from the inside.
John 19:28 in the Original Language
dipso (διψῶ), 'I thirst' -- a single word in the Greek, the only cry of bodily need from the cross in this Gospel.
Frequently Asked Questions About John 19:28
What does John 19:28 mean?
Knowing that all is now accomplished, Jesus says, "I thirst," that the scripture might be fulfilled.