19:20a

Many of the Jews read this sign: Here the phrase the Jews refers to the Jewish people in general and not just to the Jewish leaders. The people who walked past the crucifixion could see the notice on the cross. John specifically mentions the Jews. That fact was probably the motive for the chief priests to complain to Pilate in 19:21. Some translations leave the fact that the people were Jews implied, but it is recommended that you make it explicit. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

many of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem read this notice (NET Bible)
-or-
This inscription, in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, was read by many Jews (Revised English Bible)

19:20b

because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city: There are two reasons why so many Jews could read this notice. This is the first reason: the place Jesus was crucified was just outside of Jerusalem. The Jews who lived there and those visiting during Passover could easily go see the men hanging on crosses. Here is another way to translate this clause:

The place where Jesus was taken wasn’t far from the city (Contemporary English Version)

the city: This phrase here refers to Jerusalem.

19:20c

and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek: This clause indicates the second reason that many Jews could read the sign. That reason was that the notice was written in all three of the main languages spoken in that area. In your translation, it may be natural to indicate that Hebrew, Latin, and Greek were all languages that people spoke then. For example:

The sign was written in ⌊three⌋ ⌊languages:⌋ Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.
-or-
The notice was written ⌊three times⌋ in the language of the Jews, the language of the Romans, and the language of the Greeks.

Hebrew: The word Hebrew is transliterated from the Greek for the language that the Jewish people in Jesus’ day spoke. Some translations use the word “Aramaic” which is the name in modern English. Here are some other ways this idea can be translated:

The sign was written in the Jewish language (New Century Version)
-or-
in the language that the Jews spoke

See how you translated this word in 19:13 and 19:17.

Latin: Latin is the name of the language that the ancient Romans spoke. It was the language that the government used and Pilate’s own language.

Greek: The Greek language was the common trade language spoken in the eastern half of the Roman Empire. The people who spoke it can be called “Greeks,” but you should not indicate that they were from Greece. No country with that name existed in Jesus’ time.

General Comment on 19:20a–c

In some languages it is more natural to rearrange 19:20a–c. For example:

20c The sign was written in the Jewish language, in Latin, and in Greek. 20a Many of the Jews read the sign, 20b because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. (NCV91)
-or-

20c This inscription, in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. 20a was read by many Jews, 20b since the place where Jesus was crucified was not far from the city. (Revised English Bible)

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