Luke 23 · KJV
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Luke 23

Jesus before Pilate and Herod

And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.

The council brings Jesus to Pilate, accusing him of misleading the nation, forbidding taxes to Caesar and claiming to be the Messiah, a king. Pilate finds no basis for a charge, and on learning that Jesus is a Galilean sends him to Herod Antipas, who is in Jerusalem. Herod, hoping to see a miracle, questions him at length but gets no answer; he and his soldiers mock Jesus, dress him in splendid clothing and send him back. Herod and Pilate become friends that day.

What does this mean?

"Perverting the nation" (KJV) means leading the people astray and stirring unrest. The "gorgeous robe" (KJV) was splendid clothing, mocking royal dress.

Historical context

Pontius Pilate was the Roman prefect of Judea from 26 to 36 CE, a title confirmed by an inscription found at Caesarea. Governors normally lived in Caesarea on the coast and came to Jerusalem with troops at festivals. The earlier enmity between Pilate and Herod is mentioned only here.

Why does it matter?

The hearing before Herod appears only in Luke. Pilate's first declaration of innocence begins a pattern of three (23:4, 14, 22). The tax charge contradicts Jesus' actual answer (20:25).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Jesus is sentenced to death

And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Pilate tells the leaders and people that neither he nor Herod has found Jesus guilty of anything deserving death, so he will have him flogged and release him. The crowd shouts for Barabbas, a man imprisoned for rebellion and murder, to be released instead, and demands that Jesus be crucified. Pilate protests a third time but gives in, releases Barabbas and hands Jesus over to their will.

What does this mean?

"Chastise" (KJV) means punish, probably by flogging as a warning. "Sedition" (KJV) means rebellion or insurrection.

Historical context

Verse 17, which says Pilate had to release a prisoner at the feast, is missing from many early manuscripts. A Passover release is mentioned in all four Gospels but in no other ancient source, and historians debate it. Other sources portray Pilate as harsh and stubborn, so some scholars see Luke's reluctant governor as shaped by his emphasis on Jesus' innocence.

Why does it matter?

The irony is pointed: a real rebel and murderer goes free, while Jesus, accused of rebellion, is condemned. Luke's emphasis on Jesus as an innocent man unjustly condemned continues through the crucifixion (23:41, 47).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

The crucifixion

And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Soldiers seize Simon of Cyrene and make him carry the cross behind Jesus. Women mourn for Jesus, and he tells them to weep instead for themselves and their children because of coming disaster. At the place called the Skull, Jesus is crucified between two criminals and prays for his executioners' forgiveness. The leaders, the soldiers and one criminal mock him; the other criminal rebukes him, asks Jesus to remember him in his kingdom, and is promised paradise that day.

What does this mean?

"Calvary" (KJV) comes from the Latin for skull; the Aramaic name is Golgotha. "Paradise" is a Persian loanword for a walled garden, used in Jewish writings for the dwelling place of the righteous. "If they do these things in a green tree" (KJV) is a proverb: if this happens to the innocent, how much worse for the guilty.

Historical context

Crucifixion was a Roman punishment for slaves and rebels, designed to be public, slow and humiliating. Cyrene was a city in North Africa with a large Jewish community. Jesus' prayer "Father, forgive them" is missing from some early manuscripts, though widely accepted as an authentic tradition.

Why does it matter?

Jesus' last actions in Luke are forgiveness and mercy, even on the cross.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in all four Gospels

How Luke tells it

Only Luke has the lamenting "daughters of Jerusalem," Jesus' prayer for his executioners' forgiveness, and the exchange with the repentant criminal; in Mark and Matthew both criminals mock him. Luke has no drugged wine before the crucifixion. In John, Jesus carries his own cross and entrusts his mother to the beloved disciple.

The death of Jesus

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

From about noon until three in the afternoon darkness covers the land, the sun's light fails, and the curtain of the temple is torn in two. Jesus cries out, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," and dies. The centurion praises God and calls him a righteous man; the crowds go home beating their breasts, while his acquaintances and the women from Galilee watch from a distance.

  • Scripture connection · Quotation

    Luke 23:46 quotes Psalm 31:5

    Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
    Psalm 31:5 · KJV

    Jesus' last words in Luke are a psalm of trust, later used in Jewish evening prayer.

What does this mean?

The "sixth hour" and "ninth hour" are counted from about sunrise, so roughly noon to 3 p.m. "Righteous" can also mean innocent. The "veil" (KJV) was a curtain in the temple, probably the one screening the Most Holy Place.

Historical context

A solar eclipse is impossible at Passover, which fell at full moon; Luke does not explain the darkness. Beating the breast was a gesture of grief or remorse.

Why does it matter?

Jesus dies praying to his Father in the words of a psalm of trust (see Scripture connections), in keeping with Luke's portrait of him as a man of prayer.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in all four Gospels

How Luke tells it

In Luke the temple curtain tears before Jesus dies, not after, and his last words are "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," not the cry of abandonment (Mark, Matthew) or "It is finished" (John). The centurion calls him "righteous," not "Son of God." Only Luke mentions the crowds beating their breasts.

The burial of Jesus

And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

Joseph of Arimathea, a council member who had not agreed with its decision and who was waiting for God's kingdom, asks Pilate for Jesus' body. He wraps it in linen and lays it in a rock-cut tomb where no one had yet been buried. It is the day of Preparation and the Sabbath is about to begin; the women from Galilee see the tomb, go home and prepare spices and ointments, then rest on the Sabbath as the commandment requires.

What does this mean?

"The preparation" (KJV) is Friday, the day for getting ready for the Sabbath, which began at sunset. "Sepulchre" (KJV) means tomb.

Historical context

Jewish law required burial on the day of death, even for executed criminals (Deuteronomy 21:22–23), whereas Romans often left crucified bodies exposed. Rock-cut tombs closed with a stone are well known from around Jerusalem. The location of Arimathea is uncertain.

Why does it matter?

The women's careful observation establishes that they knew where Jesus was laid, preparing for their discovery of the empty tomb.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in all four Gospels

How Luke tells it

Luke stresses that Joseph was "a good man, and a just" who had not consented to the council's decision; he does not call him rich (Matthew) or a disciple (Matthew, John). Only Luke says the women prepared spices before the Sabbath and rested. Luke has no guard at the tomb (Matthew) and no Nicodemus (John).

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

Chapters

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  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24

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Reading

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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