Devine Scripture

Luke 24:20

What does Luke 24:20 mean?

A plain-English look at Luke 24:20 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Luke 24:20 means

They recount how the chief priests and rulers delivered Jesus up to be condemned to death and crucified Him. This highlights the tragic guilt of Israel’s leadership and the apparent triumph of injustice. From their vantage point, power and piety conspired to silence a righteous man. Yet the very betrayal and execution they lament were foretold and necessary, as Jesus will soon insist. Human evil did its worst, but it could not thwart God’s purpose. This verse preserves the historical reality of Jesus’ death under legal sentence, anchoring the resurrection hope that will follow in concrete suffering and public shame.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And how the chief priests and our rulers gave him up to be put to death on the cross.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

how also the chief priests and our rulers did deliver him up to a judgment of death, and crucified him;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And how our chief priests and princes delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified him.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to [the] judgment of death and crucified him.

Context

Continuing their summary (v. 19), the disciples move to the darkest moment: the condemnation and crucifixion at the hands of the chief priests and rulers. This sets up their dashed hopes in verse 21 and their confusion about reports of the empty tomb and angels in verses 22–24. The narrative lets their grief have its say before Christ reinterprets it. By allowing these facts to stand, Luke ensures that the resurrection claim does not float free from the hard reality of the cross. Soon, Jesus will weave necessity and glory through this very thread of suffering.

v.19And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

v.20This passage

v.21But we hoped that it was he who should redeem Israel. Yea and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things came to pass.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Acts 4:8

    Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders,

  • Acts 5:30

    The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree.

  • Matthew 27:20

    Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

  • Acts 3:13

    The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Servant Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.

  • Acts 4:27

    for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together,

  • Luke 22:66

    And as soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people was gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away into their council, saying,

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