Sponge On a Stick/Spear

[johnbratten]

On the cross by Scorpianus.

 

[Eulalia]

On the cross by Scorpianus.

that would definitely not be an implement used for personal hygiene in the latrines!

 

[Frank Petrexa]

That is correct, Eulalia:
The "Nestle", the work of Barbara and Kurt Aland, is internationally recognised as an official translation and, above all, also takes into account the Koiné.
The Nestle-Aland editions are considered very reliable and are even regarded as an official source in the Vatican (which does not mean much, however).

Nestle-Aland gives lots of variants, based on different manuscripts. I am no expert, but it seems very comprehensive to me.
One example. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a current US Congressperson. She voted against (a pointless, politically motivated) anti-semitism bill because Luke says that "Herod" (Antipas- only Luke's Gospel has Herod involved in the crucifixion at all) "crucified Jesus". In fact, there are four different variants of Pilate's reply (Luke, 23:15) to the chief priests, and they all say that Herod agreed with Pilate that Jesus should be let off. The New Standard Version says "Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us". King James says "No, nor yet Herod, for I sent you to him". Nestle-Aaland has all four Greek variants, and one can see why there is confusion, with eta and upsilon and epsilon and alpha easy to mix up (especially in script) and the word for "to" easily moved around making the four very similar but with different meanings. To my humble heathen mind, this kind of stuff is wacky, and a sit-com writer would never include it because it was too unbelievable. But none of the variants match the Congresswoman's interpretation. Pilate says Herod wanted Jesus released. I also really don't see the logic of blaming anyone today for what Herod might have said or done in 28 CE or so.