John 19:31

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

Now it was the Day of Preparation [Note: This was the day before the Passover Festival began, and fell on a Friday that year], and the Jews did not permit bodies to remain on a cross over the Sabbath day. (Besides, that Sabbath day was a special day [i.e., since it was both the Passover and the regular weekly Sabbath, as well]). So, they asked Pilate to have Jesus’ and the criminals’ legs broken [i.e., to speed up their deaths] and then have their bodies taken away.

Cross References

John 19:14

Now it was about six o’clock in the morning [Note: This was according to Roman time, but if Jewish time were meant, it would have been 12 noon] on the Day of Preparation for the Passover Festival. [Note: This would be the day before the Passover Festival]. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Look, [here is] your king!”

John 19:42

So, they placed Jesus’ body there, for it was the Day of Preparation and that was the closest grave site. [Note: Since this was the day before the Passover Festival, and the next day was also the regular weekly Sabbath, they had to bury the body before sundown to comply with Jewish restrictions against working on a Sabbath day].

Mark 15:42

When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation [for the Passover Festival], being the day before the [special] Sabbath Day,

John 19:1

So, Pilate then took Jesus and had Him flogged.

Matthew 27:62

Now on the following day, which was the day after the Preparation [for the Passover Festival], the leading priests and Pharisees assembled in front of Pilate