Luke 23:12 kjv
And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
Luke 23:12 nkjv
That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.
Luke 23:12 niv
That day Herod and Pilate became friends?before this they had been enemies.
Luke 23:12 esv
And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
Luke 23:12 nlt
(Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.)
Luke 23 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 2:1-2 | Why do the nations rage... rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed... | Prophecy of rulers uniting against Messiah |
| Acts 4:27-28 | Truly in this city were gathered against Your holy Servant Jesus, both Herod and Pontius Pilate... | Fulfilment of Ps 2, divine plan in opposition |
| Lk 13:1 | There were present at that season some that told Him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled... | Example of Pilate's brutality, potential friction with Herod's jurisdiction |
| Lk 23:11 | Herod with his soldiers treated Him with contempt... and sent Him back to Pilate. | Herod's mockery and inability to condemn Jesus |
| Mk 15:15 | So Pilate... delivered Jesus, having scourged Him, to be crucified. | Pilate's ultimate yielding to political pressure |
| Jn 18:28 | Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium... | Jesus' trial before secular authorities |
| Jn 19:10 | Pilate therefore said to Him, "Do You not speak to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You..." | Pilate's claim of authority |
| 1 Pet 2:23 | When He was reviled, He did not revile in return... but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. | Jesus' silent endurance of unjust treatment |
| Rom 1:30 | ...malicious gossips, slanders, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil... | Humanity's depravity and unity in rejecting good |
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief... | Prophecy of Messiah's rejection |
| Isa 53:7 | He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb... dumb... | Jesus' quiet submission to suffering |
| Zech 11:12-13 | They weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver... | Betrayal for a price, part of unified opposition |
| 1 Cor 1:27-28 | But God has chosen the foolish things of the world... weak things... despised things... | God uses unlikely means, even human alliances against Him, to achieve His purposes |
| Phil 2:8 | ...He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. | Jesus' ultimate submission to God's plan |
| 2 Tim 3:12 | Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. | Principle of persecution against God's followers |
| Jas 4:4 | Friendship with the world is enmity with God? | Illustrates principle of alliances based on shared worldly opposition to God |
| Prov 29:25 | The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. | Political maneuvering often driven by fear of man, not God |
| Eccl 4:9-10 | Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls... | The general wisdom of alliance ironically applies to the unity in injustice |
| Amos 3:3 | Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? | Agreement of Pilate and Herod against Jesus is ironic fulfillment |
| Mt 14:1-12 | Herod Antipas had arrested John the Baptist and eventually had him executed... | Prior insight into Herod's ruthlessness and disregard for prophetic truth |
| Lk 23:4-5 | Pilate said... I find no guilt in this Man. But they were the more fierce, saying, "He stirs up the people..." | Pressure on Pilate and rejection of Jesus' innocence |
Luke 23 verses
Luke 23 12 Meaning
Luke 23:12 records a significant political development during Jesus' trial: Pilate and Herod, who had previously been adversaries, became friends on the very day Jesus stood before them. This alliance was forged out of their shared handling of Jesus, highlighting the unusual circumstances that united two estranged rulers against a common, innocent "threat."
Luke 23 12 Context
Luke 23 details Jesus' trials before Pilate and Herod Antipas. After Jesus' arrest and initial questioning by the Jewish Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66-71), He is handed over to Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, on charges of subverting the nation, forbidding tribute to Caesar, and claiming to be a king (Luke 23:1-2). Pilate finds no basis for these charges (Luke 23:4, 14, 22). When Pilate learns Jesus is a Galilean, falling under Herod Antipas's jurisdiction (Herod being in Jerusalem for Passover), he sends Jesus to Herod (Luke 23:6-7). Herod, eager to see a miracle from Jesus, questions Him but receives no answer (Luke 23:8-9). After Herod and his soldiers mock and dress Jesus in royal garb, they send Him back to Pilate (Luke 23:10-11). It is after this exchange that Luke records the reconciliation mentioned in verse 12. This verse marks the resolution of a known historical tension between these two leaders, directly precipitated by the trial of Jesus.
Luke 23 12 Word analysis
- And the same day (καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ - kai en autē tē hēmera): "And in that very day." The temporal specificity emphasizes the direct cause-and-effect relationship between Jesus' trial and their reconciliation. It highlights the immediacy and ironic circumstances.
- Pilate (Πιλᾶτος - Pilatos): Pontius Pilate, the fifth Roman prefect (governor) of the Roman province of Judaea. He was a non-Jewish authority with ultimate judicial and executive power, often clashing with Jewish religious sensitivities (e.g., Lk 13:1). He represented Roman legal authority.
- and Herod (καὶ ὁ Ἡρῴδης - kai ho Hērōdēs): Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great. He was the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, Jewish in origin (Idumaean) but ruling by Roman appointment. He represented Jewish political authority under Roman dominion.
- were made friends together (ἐγένοντο φίλοι - egenonto philoi): This is a passive construction, implying they "became friends" or "were rendered friendly." It suggests a newly established relationship of cordiality, a practical or political rapprochement rather than deep personal affection. Their shared interest in handling Jesus provided common ground and dissolved previous animosity. The political motive overrides personal history.
- for before (προϋπῆρχον γὰρ - prouparchon gar): "for they previously existed/were." The conjunction "gar" (for) introduces the reason or explanation for their newfound friendship, pointing to their prior state of hostility.
- they were at enmity (ἐν ἔχθρᾳ ὄντες - en echthra ontes): "being in hostility."
- enmity (ἔχθρα - echthra): This Greek term signifies deep-seated hatred, hostility, antagonism, or resentment. It denotes an active state of ill-will and mutual opposition. The exact source of this prior enmity is not specified by Luke but is often attributed to events like Pilate's slaughter of Galileans (Lk 13:1) or other disputes over authority or religious matters, common between Roman governors and regional rulers.
- between themselves (πρὸς ἀλλήλους - pros allēlous): "towards one another," emphasizing the mutual nature of their former antagonism.
Luke 23 12 Bonus Section
- Political Implications: The gesture by Pilate to send Jesus to Herod can be interpreted as an attempt by Pilate to show respect to Herod's jurisdiction and perhaps mend their strained relations. Herod, in turn, sent Jesus back without condemning Him, indicating he also found no guilt worthy of death. This back-and-forth ultimately highlights how both secular and regional rulers acknowledged Jesus' innocence, yet capitulated to popular or political pressure rather than administer justice.
- Unity in Sin: While the New Testament promotes reconciliation and peace, this verse presents a perverse reconciliation—a friendship formed not on a foundation of righteousness, but on a shared involvement in an act of injustice and rejection of the Son of God. This serves as a potent reminder that unity itself is not inherently good; its moral quality depends entirely on the purpose and character of the parties involved and the object of their unity.
- Divine Sovereignty: This seemingly trivial detail of their reconciliation carries deep theological weight, showing how God works all things, even the machinations of sinful humanity, to bring about His perfect plan. As later affirmed in Acts 4:27-28, Herod and Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, gathered "to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done."
Luke 23 12 Commentary
Luke 23:12 is a concise yet profoundly significant verse within the Passion narrative. It serves as a commentary on the peculiar dynamics of power and politics converging around Jesus. Pilate and Herod, who had a history of bitter antagonism, find common ground and forge a friendship on the very day they examine Jesus. This reconciliation, ironic in its timing and motivation, underscores several key points. Firstly, it highlights the perceived "threat" that Jesus, though innocent, represented to established earthly powers; their unified rejection of Him was a sign of the world's natural opposition to divine truth. Secondly, it contributes to Luke's persistent theme of Jesus' innocence—even hostile secular authorities find no fault in Him, yet their shared political expedience leads them to an unjust verdict. Thirdly, and most importantly, it showcases God's sovereign hand in human affairs. The very actions of rulers conspiring against the Messiah (as prophesied in Psalm 2:1-2) unwittingly serve God's redemptive plan, fulfilling His purpose to send His Anointed to the cross. Their friendship was forged not in shared virtue, but in shared opposition to the Anointed One of God, exemplifying how worldly alliances, driven by fear, control, or pride, can align themselves against God's will.