Luke 23:21 kjv
But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
Luke 23:21 nkjv
But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"
Luke 23:21 niv
But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
Luke 23:21 esv
but they kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!"
Luke 23:21 nlt
But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
Luke 23 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 27:22-23 | Pilate said... "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" And he said, "Why...?" But they kept shouting, "Let him be crucified!" | Parallel Gospel account. |
| Mark 15:13-14 | And again they cried out, "Crucify him!" And Pilate said to them, "Why...?" But they cried out all the more, "Crucify him!" | Parallel Gospel account, growing frenzy. |
| John 19:6 | When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves..." | Direct parallel, initiative from religious leaders. |
| John 19:15 | They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" | Repetition of the demand. |
| Lk 23:23 | But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their cries prevailed. | Continuation, persistence of the crowd. |
| Is 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by men... | Prophecy of Christ's rejection. |
| Is 53:7 | He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth... | His meek acceptance in the face of accusation. |
| Ps 22:6-7 | But I am a worm and no man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me... | Prophecy of public scorn. |
| Jn 1:11 | He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. | The tragic rejection of the Messiah. |
| Lk 19:14 | But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.' | Parable reflecting rejection of kingship. |
| Acts 2:23 | this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified... | Divine plan despite human wickedness. |
| Acts 3:13-15 | ...you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him... But you denied the Holy and Righteous One...and you asked for a murderer...and you killed the Author of life... | Peter's sermon, confronting the injustice. |
| Acts 4:27-28 | ...truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus...to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. | God's sovereignty over the events. |
| 1 Pet 2:23 | When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten... | Jesus's suffering and lack of retaliation. |
| Phil 2:8 | And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | The depth of Christ's obedience and sacrifice. |
| Heb 12:3 | Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or faint in your hearts. | Jesus as example of endurance against hostility. |
| Acts 7:51-52 | "You stiff-necked people... Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered." | Stephen's sermon, history of rejecting prophets. |
| Jas 5:6 | You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. | Echoes the unjust condemnation of Christ. |
| Matt 27:24-25 | So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing...he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood." And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" | Crowd's acceptance of consequences. |
| Jn 19:12 | From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend..." | Pilate's fear and the crowd's leverage. |
Luke 23 verses
Luke 23 21 Meaning
Luke 23:21 recounts the fervent and repeated cry of the crowd before Pontius Pilate, demanding the immediate crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Despite Pilate's declarations of Jesus's innocence, the people, incited by the religious leaders, vehemently insisted on the most brutal form of execution. This verse captures the apex of the crowd's rejection and hostility towards the Son of God.
Luke 23 21 Context
Luke 23:21 occurs during Jesus's trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. After Jesus was condemned by the Jewish Sanhedrin for blasphemy (claiming to be the Son of God, Luke 22:66-71), they brought Him to Pilate, re-framing the charges as political insurrection (Luke 23:2-5) to warrant a Roman death penalty, which the Jewish council could not issue.
Pilate, after interrogating Jesus and sending Him to Herod Antipas (who found no fault), repeatedly declares Jesus innocent (Luke 23:4, 14-15, 20). He tries to release Jesus according to a Passover custom of freeing a prisoner, offering to release either Jesus or Barabbas, a known murderer and rebel. It is in response to Pilate's attempts to free Jesus that the crowd, manipulated by the chief priests and scribes (Luke 23:18), cries out for Barabbas and then, most fiercely, for Jesus's crucifixion. The verse highlights the tragic culmination of rejection, judicial corruption, and mob mentality that led to Jesus's death.
Luke 23 21 Word analysis
- But (Δε - De): This conjunction signifies a strong contrast. Pilate, in the preceding verses (Lk 23:20), had once again pleaded with them, wanting to release Jesus. The "but" introduces the sudden and decisive turn in the crowd's response, directly opposing Pilate's intention and entreaty.
- they: This pronoun refers to "the whole multitude" (Lk 23:1) and specifically "the chief priests and the rulers and the people" (Lk 23:13), who were gathered and incited. It indicates a collective, agitated body, not merely a few individuals, although it doesn't represent every Jewish person.
- shouted (κραύγασαν - kkraugasan): This verb describes a loud, raw, and vehement cry. It's more than just speaking; it signifies a passionate, perhaps irrational, outburst characteristic of a mob. It conveys the idea of an intense, urgent, and unyielding demand, designed to overpower and intimidate. It denotes an aggressive, clamorous insistence.
- saying: A simple particple, introducing the specific words of their shout.
- Crucify him (Σταύρωσον αὐτόν - Staurosn auton): This is a direct, imperative command demanding the most excruciating and shameful form of execution known to the Romans.
- Crucify (Σταύρωσον - Staurosn): An Aorist Imperative, a sharp, immediate command. It highlights their demand for Jesus to die the death of a criminal, despite Pilate's verdict of innocence. This was a Roman execution, signifying utter rejection and public humiliation, reserved for rebels and slaves. It points to the ultimate penalty.
- him (αὐτόν - auton): Points directly to Jesus, indicating their focused hatred and resolve for His demise.
- Crucify him (Σταύρωσον αὐτόν - Staurosn auton): The repetition of the command, "Crucify him, crucify him!", dramatically intensifies the demand. This double emphasis portrays the crowd's increasing frenzy, unified purpose, and refusal to be swayed. It suggests an unbridled passion and a deafening roar, seeking to ensure their will is done through sheer volume and repetition, overriding reason and justice.
Luke 23 21 Bonus section
The rapid shift in the crowd's sentiment from welcoming Jesus triumphantly on Palm Sunday (Luke 19:37-38) to demanding His death just days later illustrates the fickle nature of popular opinion, often easily swayed by manipulative leaders. The crowd's insistent cry also carries echoes of a "divine permission," allowing human sin to fully manifest, yet paradoxically serving God's predetermined plan for salvation. The repetition of "crucify him" signifies a unanimous, aggressive consensus that pressured Pilate, exposing his moral cowardice and willingness to compromise justice for political peace (or fear of the crowd). It signifies the absolute demand for removal and utter humiliation, reflecting profound spiritual blindness and rejection of God's Anointed.
Luke 23 21 Commentary
Luke 23:21 encapsulates a pivotal and tragic moment in Christ's passion. It reveals the terrifying power of an incited mob, whose clamor drowned out reason and justice. Despite Pilate's repeated findings of innocence, the chief priests and elders successfully stirred the crowd into a relentless, bloodthirsty fervor. The chilling cry of "Crucify him, crucify him!" underscores not just the demand for execution, but a profound, almost primal, rejection of Jesus's person and authority. This verse exposes the depth of human sin and collective moral failure, where truth and innocence are trampled underfoot by prejudice, political expediency, and religious envy. It stands as a stark reminder of humanity's capacity to condemn the righteous and underscores the unjust suffering endured by Christ as part of God's redemptive plan.