Luke 23:19 kjv
(Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
Luke 23:19 nkjv
who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.
Luke 23:19 niv
(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
Luke 23:19 esv
a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder.
Luke 23:19 nlt
(Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.)
Luke 23 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Barabbas Narrative | ||
| Matt 27:16 | At that time they had a notable prisoner called Barabbas. | Barabbas was a known prisoner. |
| Matt 27:20 | But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds... | Leaders influenced the choice. |
| Matt 27:21 | "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" They said, "Barabbas." | Crowd chose Barabbas. |
| Mark 15:7 | And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection.. | Describes Barabbas as a murderer and rebel. |
| John 18:40 | They cried out again, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber. | Crowd chose Barabbas over Jesus. |
| Injustice & Exchange | ||
| Isa 53:8 | By oppression and judgment he was taken away... | Unjust judgment on the innocent. |
| Isa 53:12 | He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors... | Christ identified with criminals. |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him... | Innocent suffered for the guilty. |
| Rom 5:6-8 | While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. | Christ died for sinners. |
| Gal 3:13 | Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us... | Redemption through Christ's sacrifice. |
| Rebellion & Violence | ||
| Judg 9:22-24 | Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years. Then God sent an evil spirit.. | Consequences of rebellious leadership. |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness as iniquity.. | God's condemnation of rebellion. |
| Acts 21:38 | "Are you not the Egyptian, who recently stirred up a revolt... | Roman concern over insurrections. |
| Ps 2:2-3 | The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together | Rebellion of humanity against God and Christ. |
| Jas 4:1 | What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not desires... | Roots of conflict and rebellion. |
| Consequences of Sin | ||
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life... | Sin leads to spiritual death. |
| Eph 2:1 | You were dead in the trespasses and sins | Humanity's spiritual state due to sin. |
| Gal 5:19-21 | Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality | Murder as a work of the flesh. |
| Christ's Innocence | ||
| Luke 23:4 | Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no guilt in this man." | Pilate declared Jesus innocent. |
| Luke 23:14 | "You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion... | Jesus was falsely accused. |
| 1 Pet 2:22 | He committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth. | Christ's sinless nature. |
Luke 23 verses
Luke 23 19 Meaning
This verse details the specific reasons for Barabbas's imprisonment: he had participated in an uprising within Jerusalem and was also guilty of murder. This background explains why he was a well-known criminal and why the Roman authorities had apprehended him. The verse sets the stage for the dramatic choice presented to the crowd: between the innocent Jesus and this violent revolutionary and murderer.
Luke 23 19 Context
Luke 23:19 is set within the Passion narrative, specifically during Jesus's trial before Pontius Pilate. Pilate, finding no fault in Jesus and desiring to release Him, attempts to appeal to the crowd by offering to release a prisoner according to a Passover custom. The verse immediately explains who Barabbas is, a criminal jailed for serious offenses. This choice is presented right after Pilate’s repeated declaration of Jesus’s innocence (Luke 23:4, 14, 22), highlighting the contrast between Jesus's blamelessness and Barabbas's proven guilt. Historically, Judea was under Roman occupation, and Roman authorities were vigilant against any form of rebellion (stasis), which threatened their rule, making Barabbas a truly dangerous and politically sensitive prisoner.
Luke 23 19 Word analysis
- He: Refers to Barabbas, an individual whose name means "son of the father" or "son of a master." This irony contrasts his rebellious identity with Jesus, the true Son of the Father, sent in submission.
- had been thrown: Indicates a completed action in the past, a state of being incarcerated. His arrest was a fact, not a pending judgment.
- into prison: Greek: phylakēn (φυλακήν), meaning a guard-house, dungeon, or place of detention. It denotes official incarceration.
- for: Greek: dia (διά), indicating the cause or reason for his imprisonment.
- an insurrection: Greek: staseōs (στάσεως). This is a strong term denoting rebellion, uprising, riot, or sedition. It signifies a public disturbance or revolt against established authority. This wasn't a mere protest but a violent attempt to overthrow. The political undertones are significant, portraying Barabbas as a freedom fighter or a zealot from a particular Jewish perspective, but a serious criminal from Rome's viewpoint.
- made in the city: Specifies Jerusalem, the capital and religious center. This amplifies the gravity of the act, as a revolt in the heart of the city was a direct challenge to Roman peace and order. It suggests the insurrection was not obscure but a known event.
- and for: Again, kai dia (καὶ διά), connecting murder as a distinct, yet related, charge.
- murder: Greek: phonon (φόνον), meaning homicide, killing, slaughter. This moves Barabbas beyond a mere political agitator to a violent killer. His actions were not just against authority but directly took human life, escalating the capital offense from sedition to bloodshed.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "He had been thrown into prison": Establishes Barabbas's current status as a confirmed prisoner, setting the stage for his release. It confirms he is not just accused but incarcerated.
- "for an insurrection made in the city": Defines Barabbas's primary public crime as political rebellion. This act challenged Roman rule, a highly sensitive issue for Pilate. This specific phrasing highlights the deliberate and disruptive nature of the event.
- "and for murder": Adds a crucial, graver layer to Barabbas's criminality. This indicates violence and bloodshed directly linked to the rebellion, portraying him not just as a political dissident but a perpetrator of deadly violence. This combination makes him a capital criminal in both Roman and Jewish law (murder).
Luke 23 19 Bonus section
The name "Barabbas" is transliterated from Aramaic "Bar Abba" (בר אבא), literally "Son of the Father." This makes the choice presented to the crowd even more poignant and spiritually significant: "the Son of the Father (Barabbas)"—a rebel and murderer—versus "the Son of the Father (Jesus Christ)"—the innocent Redeemer. The irony is profound in that humanity rejected the true "Son of the Father" who came to offer reconciliation with God and chose instead a counterfeit who embodied worldly rebellion and violence. Some ancient manuscripts for Matthew 27:16 even preserve a reading that identified him as "Jesus Barabbas," further intensifying the choice as being between "Jesus Barabbas" (Son of the Father, criminal) and "Jesus Christ" (the Lord and Messiah). The stasis (insurrection) was often a tool of the Zealot movement in Roman Judea, making Barabbas potentially a popular, anti-Roman figure among certain Jewish factions. His choice by the crowd suggests that some longed for a Messiah who would overthrow Roman rule through force, rather than the peaceful, spiritual kingdom Jesus proclaimed.
Luke 23 19 Commentary
Luke 23:19 starkly profiles Barabbas as a notorious criminal, specifically linking him to a violent insurrection and murder in Jerusalem. This explicit detail about Barabbas's grave offenses—sedition and homicide—is crucial for understanding the stark contrast Pilate presented to the crowd. While Pilate repeatedly found Jesus innocent of any wrongdoing, Barabbas was undeniably guilty of capital crimes that threatened Roman stability and cost lives. The crowd's eventual choice to release Barabbas over Jesus is deeply ironic and tragically symbolic: they chose a violent earthly king figure, a destroyer of life and order, over the innocent King of peace who offers true life and order. This perverse substitution, freeing a criminal and condemning the blameless Son of God, powerfully underscores the depth of human sin and the divine necessity of Christ's sacrifice—the innocent dies for the truly guilty.