Luke 23:1-25

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Luke 23:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
2. Luke 23:1 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3. Luke 23:1 sn Pilate was the Roman prefect (procurator) in charge of collecting taxes and keeping the peace. His immediate superior was the Roman governor (proconsul) of Syria, although the exact nature of this administrative relationship is unknown. Pilate’s relations with the Jews had been rocky (v. 12). Here he is especially sensitive to them.
4. Luke 23:2 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
5. Luke 23:2 sn They began to accuse him. There were three charges: (1) disturbing Jewish peace; (2) fomenting rebellion through advocating not paying taxes (a lie—20:20-26); and (3) claiming to be a political threat to Rome, by claiming to be a king, an allusion to Jesus’ messianic claims. The second and third charges were a direct challenge to Roman authority. Pilate would be forced to do something about them.
6. Luke 23:2 tn On the use of the term διαστρέφω (diastrephō) here, see L&N 31.71 and 88.264.sn Subverting our nation was a summary charge, as Jesus “subverted” the nation by making false claims of a political nature, as the next two detailed charges show.
7. Luke 23:2 tn Grk “and forbidding.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated to suggest to the English reader that this and the following charge are specifics, while the previous charge was a summary one. See the note on the word “misleading” earlier in this verse.
8. Luke 23:2 tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence—‘tribute tax.’”
9. Luke 23:2 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
10. Luke 23:2 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”sn See the note on Christ in 2:11.
11. Luke 23:3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the charges brought in the previous verse.
12. Luke 23:3 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13. Luke 23:3 sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested only in the third charge, because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.
14. Luke 23:3 sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership in 22:70.
15. Luke 23:4 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
16. Luke 23:4 tn Grk “find no cause.” sn Pilate’s statement “I find no reason for an accusation” is the first of several remarks in Luke 23 that Jesus is innocent or of efforts to release him (vv. 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 22).
17. Luke 23:5 tn Or “were adamant.” For “persisted in saying,” see L&N 68.71.
18. Luke 23:5 sn He incites the people. The Jewish leadership claimed that Jesus was a political threat and had to be stopped. By reiterating this charge of stirring up rebellion, they pressured Pilate to act, or be accused of overlooking political threats to Rome.
19. Luke 23:5 tn Grk “beginning from Galilee until here.”
20. Luke 23:7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
21. Luke 23:7 sn Learning that Jesus was from Galilee and therefore part of Herod’s jurisdiction, Pilate decided to rid himself of the problem by sending him to Herod.
22. Luke 23:7 sn Herod was Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great. See the note on Herod in 3:1.
23. Luke 23:7 sn Herod would probably have come to Jerusalem for the feast, although his father was only half Jewish (Josephus, Ant. 14.15.2 [14.403]). Josephus does mention Herod’s presence in Jerusalem during a feast (Ant. 18.5.3 [18.122]).
24. Luke 23:8 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
25. Luke 23:8 tn Grk “to see some sign performed by him.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style.
26. Luke 23:8 sn Herod, hoping to see him perform some miraculous sign, seems to have treated Jesus as a curiosity (cf. 9:7-9).
27. Luke 23:9 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the previous statements in the narrative about Herod’s desire to see Jesus.
28. Luke 23:9 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
29. Luke 23:9 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
30. Luke 23:10 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
31. Luke 23:10 sn Luke portrays the Jewish leadership as driving events toward the cross by vehemently accusing Jesus.
32. Luke 23:11 tn This is a continuation of the previous Greek sentence, but because of its length and complexity, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying “then” to indicate the sequence of events.
33. Luke 23:11 sn This mockery involved putting elegant royal clothes on Jesus, either white or purple (the colors of royalty). This was no doubt a mockery of Jesus’ claim to be a king.
34. Luke 23:11 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
35. Luke 23:12 sn Herod and Pilate became friends with each other. It may be that Pilate’s change of heart was related to the death of his superior, Sejanus, who had a reputation for being anti-Jewish. To please his superior, Pilate may have ruled the Jews with insensitivity. Concerning Sejanus, see Philo, Embassy 24 (160-61) and Flaccus 1 (1).
36. Luke 23:12 tn Grk “at enmity with each other.”
37. Luke 23:13 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
38. Luke 23:13 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
39. Luke 23:14 tn This term also appears in v. 2.
40. Luke 23:14 tn Grk “behold, I” A transitional use of ἰδού (idou) has not been translated here.
41. Luke 23:14 tn Grk “nothing did I find in this man by way of cause.” The reference to “nothing” is emphatic.
42. Luke 23:15 sn With the statement “he has done nothing,” Pilate makes another claim that Jesus is innocent of any crime worthy of death.
43. Luke 23:15 tn Grk “nothing deserving death has been done by him.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style.
44. Luke 23:16 tn Or “scourged” (BDAG 749 s.v. παιδεύω 2.b.γ). This refers to a whipping Pilate ordered in an attempt to convince Jesus not to disturb the peace. It has been translated “flogged” to distinguish it from the more severe verberatio.
45. Luke 23:16 tc Many of the best mss, as well as some others (P⁷⁵ A B K L T 070 1241 sa), lack 23:17 “(Now he was obligated to release one individual for them at the feast.)” This verse appears to be a parenthetical note explaining the custom of releasing someone on amnesty at the feast. It appears in two different locations with variations in wording, which makes it look like a scribal addition. It is included in א (D following v. 19) W Θ Ψ ƒ^1,13 M lat. The verse appears to be an explanatory gloss taken from Matt 27:15 and Mark 15:6, not original in Luke. The present translation follows NA²⁸ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.
46. Luke 23:18 tn Grk “together, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated here.
47. Luke 23:18 tn Grk “this one.” The reference to Jesus as “this man” is pejorative in this context.
48. Luke 23:19 tn Grk “who” (a continuation of the previous sentence).
49. Luke 23:19 sn Ironically, what Jesus was alleged to have done, started an insurrection, this man really did.
50. Luke 23:19 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
51. Luke 23:20 sn The account pictures a battle of wills—the people versus Pilate. Pilate is consistently portrayed in Luke’s account as wanting to release Jesus because he believed him to be innocent.
52. Luke 23:21 tn Grk “shouting, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated here.
53. Luke 23:21 tn This double present imperative is emphatic.sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.
54. Luke 23:22 tn Grk “no cause of death I found in him.”
55. Luke 23:22 sn The refrain of innocence comes once again. Pilate tried to bring some sense of justice, believing Jesus had committed no crime deserving death.
56. Luke 23:22 tn Or “scourge” (BDAG 749 s.v. παιδεύω 2.b.γ). See the note on “flogged” in v. 16.
57. Luke 23:23 tn Though a different Greek term is used here (BDAG 373 s.v. ἐπίκειμαι), this remark is like 23:5.
58. Luke 23:24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the crowd’s cries prevailing.
59. Luke 23:24 sn Finally Pilate gave in. He decided crucifying one Galilean teacher was better than facing a riot. Justice lost out in the process, because he did not follow his own verdict.
60. Luke 23:24 tn Although some translations render ἐπέκρινεν (epekrinen) here as “passed sentence” or “gave his verdict,” the point in context is not that Pilate sentenced Jesus to death here, but that finally, although convinced of Jesus’ innocence, he gave in to the crowd’s incessant demand to crucify an innocent man.
61. Luke 23:25 tn Or “delivered up.”
62. Luke 23:25 sn He handed Jesus over to their will. Here is where Luke places the major blame for Jesus’ death. It lies with the Jewish nation, especially the leadership, though in Acts 4:24-27 he will bring in the opposition of Herod, Pilate, and all people.