Luke 23:39
What does Luke 23:39 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 23:39 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 23:39 means
One of the criminals joins the chorus of insults, saying, “Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us.” He embodies a heart that seeks rescue without repentance—deliverance from pain but not from sin. His words echo the soldiers’ and rulers’ taunts, demanding a display of power as the test of Messiahship. He stands next to the Savior yet hardens himself against grace. Even in extremity, unbelief can cling to pride and scorn. His attitude warns that proximity to Jesus is not the same as faith. The question is not whether Jesus can save, but whether we will receive Him as He saves.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And one of the evil-doers on the cross, with bitter feeling, said to him, Are you not the Christ? Get yourself and us out of this.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And one of the evil-doers who were hanged, was speaking evil of him, saying, `If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And one of those robbers who were hanged blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Now one of the malefactors who had been hanged spoke insultingly to him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us.
Context
With the title above Jesus’ head, the first criminal voices the common mockery. This provides a foil for the other criminal, whose heart responds differently. In the next verse, the second man will rebuke his companion, introducing fear of God and acknowledging shared guilt. Then he will affirm Jesus’ innocence and appeal to Him as King. These exchanges foreground the central theme: salvation comes not by demanding signs but by humble trust in the crucified Christ.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 23:37
and saying, If thou art the King of the Jews, save thyself.
- Luke 23:35
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also scoffed at him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen.
- Luke 17:34
I say unto you, In that night there shall be two men on one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
- Mark 15:32
Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reproached him.
- Matthew 27:44
And the robbers also that were crucified with him cast upon him the same reproach.
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