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BOOK 42 OF 66 · GOSPELS · KING JAMES BIBLE

Luke 23

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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Luke 23 Overview

Jesus is brought before Pilate and Herod, repeatedly found without a valid capital charge, yet the crowd demands Barabbas and crucifixion. On the way to the cross Jesus warns the daughters of Jerusalem. At Calvary He is crucified between two malefactors; one mocks while the other acknowledges guilt and appeals to Jesus’ coming kingdom, receiving Jesus’ promise of paradise that very day. Darkness falls, the veil is torn, Jesus dies, and Joseph of Arimathaea buries Him.

LukeBook
23Chapter
56Verses
GospelsDivision

Before you read Luke 23

Coming from

Luke 22 established the immediate context: As Passover approaches, Judas agrees to betray Jesus.

In this chapter

Luke 23 emphasizes Jesus’ innocence, royal identity, mercy toward a guilty dying man, real death, and honorable burial.

Leads into

Luke 24 continues the account: Women find the tomb empty and are told that Jesus has risen as He said.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The repentant malefactor provides a powerful salvation-by-faith scene: he cannot be baptized, make restitution, join a church, or accumulate works. He recognizes his own guilt and Jesus’ kingship and receives immediate promise from Christ.

Pilate repeatedly states that he finds no fault worthy of death. The execution therefore displays both human injustice and Jesus’ voluntary redemptive mission.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Jesus is condemned despite repeatedly acknowledged innocence

Political pressure overcomes Pilate’s stated judgment.

The cross reveals mercy to a guilty believer

One criminal receives paradise through trust in the crucified King, not through works.

Jesus remains King even while mocked

The title over Him and the thief’s appeal both center kingdom identity.

His death has temple significance

The veil tears as He dies.

Jesus truly dies and is buried

The centurion, Joseph, women, and Sabbath setting provide concrete witnesses and sequence.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Isaiah 53:9–12

Jesus is numbered with transgressors yet innocent, and His burial receives honorable treatment.

Psalm 22

Mockery and crucifixion suffering echo the psalm.

Hebrews 10:19–22

The torn veil is later illuminated by access through Christ’s sacrificial work.

Ephesians 2:8–9

The saved malefactor is a vivid narrative example consistent with salvation by grace through faith apart from works.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not add baptism or works to the thief’s salvation

Jesus directly promises paradise to a man unable to perform later religious works.

Do not use one criminal’s last-hour salvation to encourage deliberate delay

The passage displays mercy, not a guarantee of future opportunity.

Do not assign collective ethnic guilt for the crucifixion

Luke names rulers, crowd dynamics, Roman authority, and the broader sinful human context.

Read Luke 23 watching for…

Repeated declarations of Jesus’ innocence.

Barabbas and Jesus contrasted.

Jesus’ warning on the road.

The two criminals’ different responses.

The paradise promise.

Darkness, torn veil, death, and burial.

TWBC REVIEW STANDARD

Plain language. Scripture first. Fact distinguished from inference. No filler. No fake certainty. Designed to help you read the Bible itself.

Chapter outline5 sections
1-12Jesus is brought before Pilate and Herod and is found worthy of no capital charge13-25Pilate yields to the crowd, releases Barabbas, and delivers Jesus to be crucified26-43Jesus is led to Calvary, crucified between two malefactors, and promises paradise to the believing thief44-49Darkness covers the land, Jesus dies, the veil is torn, and witnesses respond50-56Joseph of Arimathaea lays Jesus in a tomb while the women prepare spices
1

And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.

2

And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.

3

And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

4

Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.

5

And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

6

When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.

7

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.

8

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.

9

Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.

10

And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.

11

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.

12

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

13

And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,

14

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:

15

No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.

16

I will therefore chastise him, and release him.

17

(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)

18

And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:

19

(Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)

20

Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

21

But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

22

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.

23

And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

24

And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

25

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.

26

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.

27

And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.

28

But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

29

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.

30

Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

31

For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

32

And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

33

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.

34

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

35

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.

36

And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,

37

And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

38

And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40

But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

44

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

45

And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

46

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.

47

Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

48

And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

49

And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

50

And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counseller; and he was a good man, and a just:

51

(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

52

This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

53

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.

54

And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

55

And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

56

And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

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Luke 23:15

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