In John 19:14 (KJV), the reference is made to "about the sixth hour". This was probably Roman time, or about six in the morning. John's gospel was written near the close of the century, and chiefly for Gentile believers. (see John 1:38) Here he gives the time in terms familiar to them. In other places, he seems to reckon the hours of the day from sunrise rather than from midnight. (see John 4:6, 52; 11:9)

The Bible says that when the Jewish leaders shouted for Pilate to crucify Jesus "it was . . . about the sixth hour” (John 19:14, NKJV). This was probably a reference to the Roman method of time-keeping which began counting the hours from midnight—or about six o’clock in the morning. John’s gospel was written near the close of the first century A.D. and chiefly for Gentile believers, so he gives the time in terms familiar to them. In other places, however, he seems to reckon the hours of the day from sunrise rather than from midnight (see John 11:9; 4:6).

Most commentaries seem to indicate that Jesus was seized in the Garden of Gethsemane by the Jewish religious leaders at approximately midnight. His first trial was in the house of Caiaphas at approximately one o’clock in the morning, and the second attempt to incriminate Him occurred and hour or two later—around two or three o’clock in the morning. Then the trial before the Sanhedrin took place somewhere between three and four A.M. At this time of the year in the latitude of Jerusalem, dawn begins about four A.M. and the sun rises around 5:30.

The trial before the Sanhedrin resulted in a unanimous verdict of death, but that verdict had to be affirmed during daylight hours in order to be legal. Therefore it had to be reaffirmed in daylight. The Sanhedrin did this when it reassembled soon after sunrise. The Jewish leaders came to Pilate around six A.M. or soon thereafter (see John 19:14). The hearing before Herod took place around seven o’clock Friday morning. Jesus’ second trial before Pilate began around eight A.M. and according to Mark 15:25 it ended and the crucifixion took place at "the third hour,” which using the Jewish method of counting the hours from dawn, would correspond to nine o’clock in the morning. Around noon, while Jesus was on the cross, total darkness surrounded the area, until about three P.M. (see Matthew 27:45) when He cried out, "It is finished” and died (John 19:30).

In the year of the crucifixion, Nisan 14, the day appointed for slaying the paschal lambs fell on a Thursday; the preparation for (or eve of) the Passover which coincided with the preparation for (or eve of) the weekly Sabbath. (John 19:14; cf. vs. 31, 42; ch. 20:1) The first ceremonial Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Nisan 15, also coincided with the weekly Sabbath. (Leviticus 23:6-8; cf. Mark 15:42 to 16:2; Luke 23:5 to 24:1)