John 19:29-30

19:29 A jar full of sour wine ¹  was there, so they put a sponge soaked in sour wine on a branch of hyssop ²  and lifted it ³  to his mouth. 19:30 When ⁴  he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed!” ⁵  Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. ⁶ 

[19:29]  ¹ sn The cheap sour wine was called in Latin posca, and referred to 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.

[19:29]  ² sn Hyssop was a small aromatic bush; exact identification of the plant is uncertain. The hyssop used to lift the wet sponge may have been a form of reed (κάλαμος, kalamo", “reed,” is used in Matt 27:48 and Mark 15:36); the biblical name can refer to several different species of plant (at least eighteen different plants have been suggested).

[19:29]  ³ tn Or “and brought it.”

[19:30]  ⁴ tn Grk “Then when.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[19:30]  ⁵ tn Or “It is accomplished,” “It is finished,” or “It is ended.” See tn on John 13:1.

[19:30]  ⁶ tn Or “he bowed his head and died”; Grk “he bowed his head and gave over the spirit.”