Thematic Bible
Luke 23:1 (show verse)
Then the entire group of them [i.e., of the Jewish elders, priests and law experts] got up [from their Council meeting] and took Jesus to [governor] Pilate.
Luke 23:2 (show verse)
They began bringing accusations against Him, saying, "We discovered this man misleading the people of our nation and telling them not to pay taxes to Caesar, and claiming that he himself was the Messiah, a king!"
Luke 23:3 (show verse)
So, Pilate asked Him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" And Jesus answered him, "You have said so."
Luke 23:4 (show verse)
Then Pilate said to the leading priests and to the crowds [that had gathered], "I do not find anything wrong with this man."
Luke 23:5 (show verse)
But the group became more insistent, saying, "He is stirring up the people and teaching [these things] throughout all Judea. He began [doing this] in Galilee and [has continued it] even to this place [i.e., Jerusalem]."
Luke 23:6 (show verse)
When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man were a Galilean.
Luke 23:7 (show verse)
And when he realized that Jesus was under Herod's [political] jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
Luke 23:8 (show verse)
Now Herod was very pleased when he saw Jesus for he had wanted to see Him for a long time. He had heard [things] about Jesus and [now] hoped to see Him perform a miracle.
Luke 23:9 (show verse)
So, he asked Him many questions, but Jesus did not respond to any [of them].
Luke 23:10 (show verse)
Then the leading priests and experts in the law of Moses stood up and viciously charged Him [i.e., with false accusations].
Luke 23:11 (show verse)
Then Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt and mocked Him. They dressed Him in a luxurious robe and then sent Him back to Pilate.
Luke 23:12 (show verse)
So, Herod and Pilate became mutual friends that very day. (Now before this they had been enemies).
Luke 23:13 (show verse)
Then Pilate called together the leading priests, the [Jewish] leaders and the people,
Luke 23:14 (show verse)
and said to them, "You brought this man to me, claiming he was inciting people to disloyalty [i.e., to the government]. And look, I questioned him in front of you people but did not find him guilty of the charges you
Luke 23:15 (show verse)
or Herod have brought [against him]. For Herod sent him back to us and now I find that he has not done anything deserving of death.
Luke 23:16 (show verse)
Therefore, I will have him punished and [then] release him." {{Some ancient manuscripts include verse
Luke 23:17 (show verse)
For Pilate was required to release one prisoner to the people at the [Passover] Festival}}.
Luke 23:18 (show verse)
But the people all joined together shouting, "Take this man [i.e., Jesus] and release Barabbas to us [instead]."
Luke 23:19 (show verse)
[Now] Barabbas was a person who had been thrown into prison for [inciting] a rebellion in the city [of Jerusalem] and for committing murder.
Luke 23:20 (show verse)
Then Pilate spoke to them again [because] he wanted to release Jesus,
Luke 23:21 (show verse)
but they continued shouting, "Crucify him, crucify him."
Luke 23:22 (show verse)
So, Pilate called out to them a third time, "Why [should he be crucified]; what wrong has this man done? I have not found any reason for putting him to death, so I will punish him and [then] release him."
Luke 23:23 (show verse)
But the people loudly demanded that Jesus be crucified. And their shouting won out.
Luke 23:24 (show verse)
So, Pilate issued the sentence the people were demanding
Luke 23:25 (show verse)
and released the man they had asked for [i.e., Barabbas], who had been thrown into prison for [inciting] a rebellion and committing murder. But he turned Jesus over to the people do with Him whatever they wanted.
Luke 23:26 (show verse)
Then, as they were leading Jesus away, the soldiers [See Mark 15:16-21] grabbed hold of a man named Simon, from Cyrene [Note: This was a city in the northern African country of Libya], who was coming in from the countryside, and placed the cross [i.e., probably only the cross-beam portion] on him, so he could carry it while following Jesus.
Luke 23:27 (show verse)
A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including some women who wailed [in grief] and mourned over His plight.
Luke 23:28 (show verse)
But Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem [i.e., women citizens], do not cry over me, but cry over yourselves and your children.
Luke 23:29 (show verse)
For look, the time will come when people will be saying, 'Those [women] who are without children and who have never given birth or nursed babies are [truly] happy!'
Luke 23:30 (show verse)
Then they will begin to say to the mountains [Hosea 10:8], 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us [up].'
Luke 23:31 (show verse)
For if people are doing these things [to me] while the [leaves of the] tree are green [i.e., to someone innocent of wrongdoing], what will they do when [the leaves] are dried up [i.e., to the sinful Jews of Jerusalem]?"
Luke 23:32 (show verse)
And two other men, who were criminals, were also led out with Jesus to be put to death.
Luke 23:33 (show verse)
And when they came to the place called "The Skull" [Note: The Latin word for this place is "Calvary"], they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one at His right side and one at His left.
Luke 23:34 (show verse)
Then Jesus called out, "Father, forgive these people [i.e., the ones responsible for crucifying Him], for they do not know [i.e., realize] what they are doing." Then the soldiers [See John 19:23] divided Jesus' clothing among them by gambling for them.
Luke 23:35 (show verse)
People stood [around] watching [all this], while the leaders even sneered at Him, saying, "He saved other people; [now] let him save himself [i.e., from dying] if he [really] is the Christ, God's specially chosen one."
Luke 23:36 (show verse)
The soldiers also mocked Him; they came to Him, offering Him sour wine [to drink],
Luke 23:37 (show verse)
saying, "If you [really] are the King of the Jews, save yourself."
Luke 23:38 (show verse)
There was an inscription above Him [i.e., on the upright portion of the cross], stating, "This is the king of the Jews."
Luke 23:39 (show verse)
Then one of the criminals, who was hanging [on a cross also] spoke abusively to Him, saying, "Are you not the Christ [i.e., God's specially chosen one]? [If you are], then save yourself and us."
Luke 23:40 (show verse)
But the other criminal spoke harshly to the first one, saying, "Do you not even have any fear of God [left], since you [too] are experiencing the same sentence of condemnation?
Luke 23:41 (show verse)
And for us it is truly a just sentence, for we are getting back what we deserve for our actions, but this man has not done anything wrong."
Luke 23:42 (show verse)
Then he said, "Jesus, remember [to be merciful to] me when you come into your kingdom."
Luke 23:43 (show verse)
Then Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise [Note: This is a place in God's presence, referred to as "the third heaven" (II Cor. 12:2-4), and where overcomers will be able to eat from "the tree of life" (Rev. 2:7)]."
Luke 23:44 (show verse)
Now when it was about twelve o'clock noon, darkness came over all the land until three o'clock in the afternoon, for
Luke 23:45 (show verse)
the sun's light failed to shine. Then the Temple curtain became torn down the middle.
Luke 23:46 (show verse)
Jesus called out in a loud voice, "Father, I commit my spirit into your hands." And after He said this, He gave up His spirit [i.e., to God in death].
Luke 23:47 (show verse)
And when the military officer in charge of one hundred men saw what had happened, he honored God [by] saying, "Certainly this man had [always] done what was right."
Luke 23:48 (show verse)
And after the crowds that had gathered to witness this sight saw what had happened they left, beating their chests [i.e., as an expression of anguish over witnessing Jesus' death].
Luke 23:49 (show verse)
And all of those who knew Him, as well as the women who had followed Him from Galilee [See Matt. 27:55-56], watched all this from a distance.
Luke 23:50 (show verse)
And just then [there appeared] a member of the [Jewish] Council named Joseph from the city of Arimathea. He was a good man who tried to do what was right,
Luke 23:51 (show verse)
(and who had not agreed with the decision and action of the [Jewish] Council). He was expecting the kingdom of God [to appear soon].
Luke 23:52 (show verse)
[So], Joseph went to [governor] Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
Luke 23:53 (show verse)
[Upon receiving permission] he took it down [from the cross] and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a grave site, cut out of [a ledge of] rock, where no one had ever been buried.
Luke 23:54 (show verse)
This happened on the Day of Preparation [for the Passover Festival], as the Sabbath day was about to begin [i.e., shortly before
Luke 23:55 (show verse)
The women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee followed behind [those carrying the body] and saw where the grave site was and how His body was placed in it.
Luke 23:56 (show verse)
So, they returned [home] and prepared spices and [aromatic] oils [i.e., for embalming Jesus' body]. Then they rested on the Sabbath day according to the [fourth] commandment. [See Ex. 20:10].