Since it was the Preparation Day, the Jewish leaders did not want to leave the bodies on the crosses during the Sabbath, because that was a particularly important Sabbath. So they asked Pilate to have the men's legs broken and the bodies removed.

So the soldiers went and broke the legs of the first man and then of the other man who had been crucified with him.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

Having received these orders, he put them into the inner cell and fastened their feet in leg irons.

Then I saw another powerful angel come down from heaven. He was dressed in a cloud, and there was a rainbow over his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like columns of fire.