Luke 23:56
What does Luke 23:56 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 23:56 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 23:56 means
They return, prepare spices and ointments, and rest on the Sabbath according to the commandment. Obedience marks their grief; hope has not yet dawned, but love still serves and law still guides. Their preparation shows intention to honor Jesus in death, not yet grasping the victory to come. The rest creates a holy pause—a day between cross and resurrection, sorrow and joy. In that stillness, God’s plan moves unseen. The spices will be carried to a tomb that cannot hold Him. Faithful waiting becomes the threshold for the greatest news the world will ever hear.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. And on the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. And on the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And they went back and got ready spices and perfumes; and on the Sabbath they took their rest, in agreement with the law.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and having turned back, they made ready spices and ointments, and on the sabbath, indeed, they rested, according to the command.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And returning, they prepared spices and ointments: and on the sabbath day they rested, according to the commandment.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And having returned they prepared aromatic spices and ointments, and remained quiet on the sabbath, according to the commandment.
Context
This closing verse completes the burial narrative. With the Sabbath approaching, the women do all they can, then they stop as commanded. The tension remains: Jesus is dead and buried; witnesses know the place; preparations are made. The stage is set for chapter 24, when the first day of the week will bring angels and an empty tomb. Luke’s careful detail ensures readers can follow the sequence and trust the testimony that the crucified Lord is the risen Lord.
v.55And the women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and beheld the tomb, and how his body was laid.
v.56This passage
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Deuteronomy 5:14
but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou.
- Mark 16:1
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.
- Exodus 31:14
Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that profaneth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
- Jeremiah 17:24
And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith Jehovah, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
- Exodus 20:8
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Isaiah 58:13
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, and the holy of Jehovah honorable; and shalt honor it, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
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