Psalms 22:18

22:18 They are dividing up my clothes among themselves;

they are rolling dice ¹  for my garments.

Matthew 27:35-36

27:35 When ²  they had crucified ³  him, they divided his clothes by throwing dice. ⁴  27:36 Then they sat down and kept guard over him there.

Mark 15:24

15:24 Then ⁵  they crucified ⁶  him and divided his clothes, throwing dice ⁷  for them, to decide what each would take.

John 19:23-24

19:23 Now when the soldiers crucified ⁸  Jesus, they took his clothes and made four shares, one for each soldier, ⁹  and the tunic ¹⁰  remained. (Now the tunic ¹¹  was seamless, woven from top to bottom as a single piece.) ¹²  19:24 So the soldiers said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but throw dice ¹³  to see who will get it.” ¹⁴  This took place ¹⁵  to fulfill the scripture that says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they threw dice.” ¹⁶  So the soldiers did these things.

[22:18]  ¹ tn Heb “casting lots.” The precise way in which this would have been done is not certain.

[27:35]  ² tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[27:35]  ³ sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.

[27:35]  ⁴ tn Grk “by throwing the lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throwing dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling. According to L&N 6.219 a term for “dice” is particularly appropriate.

[15:24]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[15:24]  ⁶ sn See the note on Crucify in 15:13.

[15:24]  ⁷ tn Grk “by throwing the lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throwing dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling. According to L&N 6.219 a term for “dice” is particularly appropriate.

[19:23]  ⁸ sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.

[19:23]  ⁹ sn Four shares, one for each soldier. The Gospel of John is the only one to specify the number of soldiers involved in the crucifixion. This was a quaternion, a squad of four soldiers. It was accepted Roman practice for the soldiers who performed a crucifixion to divide the possessions of the person executed among themselves.

[19:23]  ¹⁰ tn Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, citwn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a ‘tunic’ was any more than they would be familiar with a ‘chiton.’ On the other hand, attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “Shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.

[19:23]  ¹¹ tn Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). See the note on the same word earlier in this verse.

[19:23]  ¹² sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[19:24]  ¹³ tn Grk “but choose by lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throw dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling.

[19:24]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “to see whose it will be.”

[19:24]  ¹⁵ tn The words “This took place” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[19:24]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “cast lots.” See the note on “throw dice” earlier in the verse.