31. This day was Preparation day. The next day was a special Sabbath day. The Jewish leaders did not want the bodies to stay on the cross on the Sabbath day. So they asked Pilate to order that the legs of the men be broken. And they asked that the bodies be taken down from the crosses.
32. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men on the crosses beside Jesus.
33. But when the soldiers came close to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead. So they did not break his legs.
34. But one of the soldiers stuck his spear into Jesus’ side. Immediately blood and water came out.
35. (The one who saw this happen has told about it. He told about it so that you also can believe. The things he says are true. He knows that he tells the truth.)
36. These things happened to give full meaning to the Scriptures that said, “None of his bones will be broken”
37. and “People will look at the one they stabbed.”
38. Later, a man named Joseph from Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. (Joseph was a follower of Jesus, but he did not tell anyone, because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders.) Pilate said Joseph could take Jesus’ body, so he came and took it away.
39. Nicodemus went with Joseph. He was the man who had come to Jesus before and talked to him at night. He brought about 100 pounds of spices—a mixture of myrrh and aloes.
40. These two men took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in pieces of linen cloth with the spices. (This is how the Jews bury people.)
41. In the place where Jesus was killed on the cross, there was a garden. In the garden there was a new tomb. No one had ever been buried there before.
42. The men put Jesus in that tomb because it was near, and the Jews were preparing to start their Sabbath day.