Luke 23:23 kjv
And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.
Luke 23:23 nkjv
But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.
Luke 23:23 niv
But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed.
Luke 23:23 esv
But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.
Luke 23:23 nlt
But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed.
Luke 23 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 27:22-23 | Pilate said... "What then shall I do with Jesus...?" They all said, "Let Him be crucified!" But he said, "Why...? They cried out all the more... "Let Him be crucified!" | The parallel account of the crowd's demand. |
| Mk 15:13-14 | They cried out again, "Crucify Him!" ... they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!" | Another Gospel detailing the intensifying cries. |
| Jn 19:6 | When the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" | Priestly influence leading the crucifixion demands. |
| Acts 3:13-15 | "The God of Abraham... glorified His Servant Jesus... you delivered Him up and denied Him... when Pilate had decided to release Him... you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Author of life..." | Peter's sermon highlighting the crowd's rejection of Jesus. |
| Acts 4:27-28 | "...both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur." | The pre-ordained nature of events involving various groups. |
| Prov 29:2 | When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. | Implies consequences when justice is swayed by wicked influence. |
| Ex 23:2 | "You shall not follow a multitude to do evil..." | Warning against mob mentality and yielding to unrighteous demands. |
| Deut 17:6 | On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death... | A contrast to Jesus' condemnation, based on the crowd not witnesses. |
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by men... | Prophecy of Messiah's rejection by His own people. |
| Jn 1:11 | He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. | The initial rejection of Christ by Israel. |
| Jn 19:12 | From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out... | Pilate's desire to release vs. the prevailing pressure. |
| Mt 27:24-25 | When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning... all the people answered, "His blood shall be on us and on our children!" | Pilate washing his hands and the crowd's self-incrimination. |
| Jer 22:2-3 | "Thus says the LORD: 'Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.'" | God's command for justice and not shedding innocent blood, violated here. |
| Ps 2:1-2 | Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire together against the LORD and against His Anointed. | Prophetic insight into the rulers and peoples conspiring against God's Messiah. |
| Ps 22:12-13 | Many bulls have surrounded me... A roaring lion tearing its prey opens its mouth wide against me. | Echoes the 'roaring' sounds of those assailing the innocent Christ. |
| Zec 12:10 | "They will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son..." | Future repentance for those who demanded His death. |
| Rom 1:18 | For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. | Divine response to those who suppress truth and reject righteousness. |
| Gal 1:4 | Who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. | Even though by human evil, crucifixion was for divine purpose. |
| Php 2:8 | And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Jesus' voluntary obedience unto crucifixion despite the demands. |
| 1 Cor 1:23 | But we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness. | The crucifixion as a central tenet of Christian proclamation. |
| Lk 23:4, 14, 22 | Pilate had declared Jesus innocent three times. | The immediate preceding context highlighting Jesus' innocence vs. demand. |
Luke 23 verses
Luke 23 23 Meaning
Luke 23:23 portrays the escalating and overwhelming pressure exerted by the Jewish crowd on Pontius Pilate, demanding the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Despite Pilate's repeated declarations of Jesus' innocence, the relentless and loud cries of the people ultimately overpowered his will, leading to his concession and Jesus' condemnation to death. The verse vividly captures the scene of collective hostility and the triumph of the mob's desire over justice.
Luke 23 23 Context
Luke 23:23 is set at the climax of Jesus' trial before Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. Immediately prior, Pilate had three times found no basis for a charge against Jesus (Luke 23:4, 14, 22), even after sending Him to Herod Antipas and receiving Him back without a guilty verdict. Pilate, seeking to release Jesus as was customary at the Passover feast (or as a specific concession in Matthew and Mark's accounts), proposed releasing Him or scourging and then releasing Him. However, influenced by the chief priests and scribes (Lk 23:18-21), the crowd vehemently demanded Barabbas, a murderer and insurrectionist, over Jesus, and incessantly clamored for Jesus' crucifixion. This verse describes the moment the crowd's persistent, loud demands overpowered Pilate's attempts at justice, sealing Jesus' fate to the cross.
Luke 23 23 Word analysis
- But: (Greek: Alla, ἀλλά) - A strong adversative conjunction indicating a sharp contrast or opposition. It highlights the drastic shift from Pilate's inclination to release Jesus to the prevailing demand for His crucifixion. This sets up the turning point in the narrative.
- they were urgent: (Greek: epikeinto, ἐπεκεῖντο) - Literally "they pressed upon Him," "they lay heavily upon Him." This signifies intense pressure, insistence, and aggressive persistence from the crowd. It denotes not just demanding but actively and violently leaning into their demand, showing a strong coercive force directed at Pilate.
- demanding: (Greek: aitoumenoi, αἰτούμενοι) - While aiteō can mean "to ask," in this context, coupled with epikeinto and "loud cries," it carries the weight of a forceful, unyielding request, virtually a command or imperative demand, not a humble petition. It signifies the authoritative tone of the crowd's clamor.
- with loud cries: (Greek: phōnais megallais, φωναῖς μεγάλαις) - Literally "with great voices" or "great sounds." This denotes not just noise, but a united, sustained, and intimidating roar from the multitude. Such volume from a large crowd creates an atmosphere of chaos and coercion, making it difficult for one to think or act rationally against it. It expresses a passionate, collective, and overriding will.
- that He should be crucified: (Greek: staurōthētō, σταυρωθήτω) - The specific and brutal method of execution reserved for the worst criminals and slaves in the Roman Empire. The explicit demand for crucifixion, a painful and humiliating death, highlights the depth of their animosity and rejection of Jesus, emphasizing their desire for His complete eradication. It reflects utter contempt.
- And their voices prevailed: (Greek: kai katischusan hai phōnai autōn, καὶ κατίσχυσαν αἱ φωναὶ αὐτῶν) - Katischuō means "to overpower," "to overcome," "to gain strength over," "to prevail by force." This is a crucial phrase. It means the sheer, collective power and loudness of their demand effectively conquered Pilate's will, judgment, and authority. Their persistent vocal pressure won the day, silencing dissent and coercing the Roman governor into an act he clearly tried to avoid. This phrase highlights the triumph of mobocracy and unrighteous pressure over official justice.
- "they were urgent, demanding... with loud cries": This phrase group collectively emphasizes the extreme persistence and coercive power of the crowd. It paints a picture of a relentless, unreasoning mob that used vocal volume and continuous pressure to force a desired outcome. This indicates the degree of spiritual blindness and demonic influence at play, driving the multitude against the Son of God. The physical action (urgent pressing) combines with the vocal (loud cries) to show a unified and overwhelming demand, symbolizing a deeper spiritual opposition to divine light.
- "that He should be crucified. And their voices prevailed": This second phrase group reveals the terrifying goal and tragic outcome. The specific, brutal method of execution demanded highlights the intense hatred against Jesus. The subsequent statement, "their voices prevailed," signifies a defeat of justice and righteousness, showcasing Pilate's moral weakness and the human will's triumph over a just verdict, even if ultimately God was using this for a greater redemptive purpose. This portrays the power of human rebellion and corporate sin pushing for the death of the innocent Son of God.
Luke 23 23 Bonus section
The triumph of the crowd's voices in Luke 23:23 is a stark illustration of human opposition to divine will and truth, demonstrating humanity's fallen nature that prefers a murderer (Barabbas) over the Christ. This act of "prevailing" human voices ironically served the eternal counsel and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23), as Jesus' crucifixion was part of the Father's sovereign plan for redemption. The episode underscores the dangerous power of spiritual deception and collective irrationality, which can lead entire groups to advocate for great injustice, highlighting the need for individuals to stand firm in truth rather than succumbing to popular sentiment.
Luke 23 23 Commentary
Luke 23:23 marks the pivotal moment in Jesus' trial where human will, incited by malevolent spiritual forces, triumphs over declared innocence and legal justice. The relentless "loud cries" of the mob, characterized by their "urgency" and specific demand for crucifixion, illustrate the depths of the crowd's rejection of Jesus, the Messiah. This scene encapsulates the perilous nature of mob mentality, where truth and justice are trampled under the collective, unreasoning passion of the masses. Pilate, the governing authority, succumbs to this overwhelming pressure, revealing his moral cowardice and placing worldly power above righteous judgment. Ultimately, while seemingly a victory for evil, this capitulation fulfills divine prophecy, paving the way for Christ's atoning death for the sins of humanity.