Luke 23:11
What does Luke 23:11 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 23:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 23:11 means
Herod, with his soldiers, treats Jesus with contempt. They mock Him and dress Him in a splendid robe, turning His claim to kingship into a joke. Having found no guilt that merits death, Herod still chooses derision over justice, then sends Jesus back to Pilate. The gorgeous apparel is bitter irony: the true King is adorned in mock regalia by a petty ruler. Yet even their mockery becomes a testimony; they cannot escape the theme of His kingship. Jesus endures humiliation without answering. He is willing to be shamed that He might save the shamed, bearing scorn on the way to the cross.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And Herod with his soldiers set him at nought, and mocked him, and arraying him in gorgeous apparel sent him back to Pilate.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And Herod with his soldiers set him at nought, and mocked him, and arraying him in gorgeous apparel sent him back to Pilate.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And Herod, with the men of his army, put shame on him and made sport of him, and dressing him in shining robes, he sent him back to Pilate.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and Herod with his soldiers having set him at nought, and having mocked, having put around him gorgeous apparel, did send him back to Pilate,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And Herod with his army set him at nought and mocked him, putting on him a white garment: and sent him back to Pilate.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And Herod with his troops having set him at nought and mocked him, having put a splendid robe upon him, sent him back to Pilate.
Context
Herod’s curiosity ends in cruelty. Instead of a legal conclusion, Jesus is mocked and returned to Pilate. This lack of a guilty verdict from Herod will soon be cited by Pilate as further evidence of innocence. Before that, an unexpected note appears: Herod and Pilate become friends that day. The narrative thus underscores a growing human alliance not for truth but against Jesus, even as God’s purpose advances through their decisions.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 27:27
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Prætorium, and gathered unto him the whole band.
- Mark 9:12
And he said unto them, Elijah indeed cometh first, and restoreth all things: and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be set at nought?
- Psalms 69:19
Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor: Mine adversaries are all before thee.
- Isaiah 53:3
He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.
- John 19:5
Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold, the man!
- Mark 15:16
And the soldiers led him away within the court, which is the Prætorium; and they call together the whole band.
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