Matthew 27:47-49

27:47 When ¹  some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 27:48 Immediately ²  one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, ³  put it on a stick, ⁴  and gave it to him to drink. 27:49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.” ⁵ 

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

³ sn Sour wine refers to cheap wine that was called in Latin posca, a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion.

⁴ tn Grk “a reed.”

³ tc Early and important mss (א B C L Γ pc) have another sentence at the end of this verse: “And another [soldier] took a spear and pierced him in the side, and water and blood flowed out.” This comment finds such a strong parallel in John 19:34 that it was undoubtedly lifted from the Fourth Gospel by early, well-meaning scribes and inserted into Matt 27:49. Consequently, even though the support for the shorter reading (A D W Θ Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat sy sa bo) is not nearly as impressive, internal considerations on its behalf are compelling.