Luke 23:21
What does Luke 23:21 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 23:21 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 23:21 means
The crowd now fixes on one demand: “Crucify, crucify him.” No charges, no evidence—only the call for death. Crucifixion was Rome’s cruelest punishment, reserved for the worst offenders. The insistence shows that hatred has overtaken reason. They will not be satisfied with chastisement or imprisonment; only Jesus’ death will do. This cry stands in contrast to His mercy and truth. The One who healed their sick and taught them life is rejected with violence. Yet even this does not derail God’s purpose. Through their rejection, the Lamb will be slain for the salvation of many.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000but they shouted, saying, Crucify, crucify him.
KJV
King James Version · 1611But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901but they shouted, saying, Crucify, crucify him.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But crying out they said, To the cross with him!
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862but they were calling out, saying, `Crucify, crucify him.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752But they cried again, saying: Crucify him, Crucify him.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But they cried out in reply saying, Crucify, crucify him.
Context
Pilate’s attempt to release Jesus meets a fierce and unanimous response. The crowd’s chant drowns out justice. Next, Pilate will make a third appeal, asking what evil Jesus has done and again declaring the absence of any capital crime. But the voices will only grow louder. The narrative rhythm emphasizes threefold innocence and threefold appeal, followed by threefold insistence. The stage is set for the decisive collapse of legal integrity under public pressure.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 23:23
But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed.
- Matthew 27:22
Pilate saith unto them, What then shall I do unto Jesus who is called Christ? They all say, Let him be crucified.
- John 19:15
They therefore cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Cæsar.
- Mark 15:13
And they cried out again, Crucify him.
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