Greek (the international language of the time)

Latin (the official language of the Roman Empire)

The Latin version is the one that has been recorded in history and in Christian iconography.

What does INRI mean?

The letters INRI come from the Latin phrase:

Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum

Which translates as:

Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews

This was not a tribute. For the Romans, calling oneself “king” without the Empire’s authorization was an act of political rebellion. In that context, this title was the official reason for his condemnation.

The conflict with religious leaders

Jewish religious leaders were uncomfortable with this inscription. They didn’t want it to appear that Rome recognized Jesus as king. Therefore, they asked Pilate to change the text to:

“This man said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’”

But Pilate refused and responded with a phrase that has gone down in history:

“What I have written, I have written.”