Luke 23:15
What does Luke 23:15 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 23:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 23:15 means
Pilate strengthens his verdict by appealing to Herod’s judgment: neither found anything deserving death. This double attestation should end the case. The phrase “nothing worthy of death” underscores that crucifixion would be a gross miscarriage of justice. Even so, Pilate will propose punishment. The verse reveals a tragic irony: rulers can agree on innocence yet fail to protect it. Jesus’ path to the cross is not because of proven guilt but because human authority bows to pressure. His death will be judicially wrongful and redemptively purposeful, the Innocent suffering for the guilty according to God’s saving plan.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000no, nor yet Herod: for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him.
KJV
King James Version · 1611No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901no, nor yet Herod: for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And Herod is of the same opinion, for he has sent him back to us; for, you see, he has done nothing for which I might put him to death.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862no, nor yet Herod, for I sent you back unto him, and lo, nothing worthy of death is having been done by him;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752No, nor Herod neither. For, I sent you to him: and behold, nothing worthy of death is done to him.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890nor Herod either, for I remitted you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death is done by him.
Context
Having summarized his own finding, Pilate brings in Herod’s return of Jesus as corroboration. This is meant to give weight to releasing Him. The next step shows Pilate’s weakness: he offers to chastise Jesus before release, hoping to satisfy the crowd. That proposal leads into a textual gap in this edition (often a note about a Passover custom), then directly to the crowd’s demand for Barabbas instead of Jesus. Thus the scene shifts from legal reasoning to mob pressure.
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