Not a Bone Shall Be Broken
Passover law and Psalm 34 foretold an unbroken bone — fulfilled at the cross.
The Passover lamb was to have no bone broken; David sang, 'He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.' John notes that the soldiers, finding Christ already dead, did not break His legs — that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
The Prophecy
"In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof."
"He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken."
The Fulfillment
"But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs...For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken."
Christ our Passover
Paul declares Christ our Passover sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7). The Passover lamb's unbroken bones pointed to Him from the very night of Israel's deliverance from Egypt.
A providential mercy
Crucified men commonly had their legs broken to hasten death. That this barbarous act was withheld from Christ was not coincidence but the quiet hand of God fulfilling Scripture.
People in This Prophecy
Verse Commentary
Read verse-by-verse commentary on the key passages of this prophecy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't they break Jesus' legs?
Because He was already dead — and so the Passover prophecy of an unbroken bone was fulfilled in Him.
Why was breaking the legs a Roman practice?
To hasten death by suffocation before the Sabbath — but Jesus was already dead, so the soldiers pierced His side instead (John 19:33-34).
How does this link Jesus to the Passover lamb?
Exodus 12:46 required the Passover lamb's bones to remain unbroken — a type fulfilled in Christ, our true Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Related Bible Prophecies
Psalm 22 and the Crucifixion
David's psalm reads like an eyewitness account of Calvary.
Buried with the Rich
Isaiah 53:9 foretold the Servant's burial with the rich — fulfilled in Joseph's tomb.
Gall and Vinegar to Drink
Psalm 69:21 foretold gall and vinegar — offered to Christ on the cross.
They Shall Look on Him Whom They Pierced
Zechariah foresaw the pierced Messiah — and Israel's future mourning.
Related Reading
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Micah 5:2 Commentary
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Exodus 1–15 • Deliverance and Redemption
The Plagues of Egypt
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Psalm 34:18 — Meaning & Devotional
Comfort