Luke 23 33

Luke 23:33 kjv

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

Luke 23:33 nkjv

And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

Luke 23:33 niv

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals?one on his right, the other on his left.

Luke 23:33 esv

And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

Luke 23:33 nlt

When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified ? one on his right and one on his left.

Luke 23 verses

Luke 23 33 Meaning

This verse precisely details the crucifixion event, stating that when Jesus and His captors arrived at the designated execution site, known as Calvary, they proceeded to crucify Him. Alongside Him, two criminals were also crucified, one positioned on His right side and the other on His left. This marked the fulfillment of prophecies and the climax of God's redemptive plan through the suffering of His Son.

Luke 23 33 Context

Luke 23 details the final hours leading to Jesus' crucifixion. It begins with His appearance before Pilate, who repeatedly declares His innocence but succumbs to the crowd's fervent demands for His crucifixion. After a brief appearance before Herod Antipas, Jesus is condemned, despite Pilate's attempts to release Him, and Barabbas is released instead. Jesus then carries His cross, addressing the weeping women of Jerusalem on the way. Verse 33 marks the physical arrival at the execution site, a place of immense shame and suffering outside Jerusalem's city walls, and the immediate commencement of the brutal execution by Roman soldiers. Historically, crucifixion was a highly public and torturous method of capital punishment primarily used by the Romans for slaves, rebels, and the lowest class of criminals. Placing Jesus between two kakourgoi (malefactors) was a deliberate act to dishonor Him and equate Him with the worst of offenders, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy.

Luke 23 33 Word analysis

• And when they were come (Greek: καὶ ὅτε ἦλθον - kai hote ēlthon): This signifies the culmination of the journey, the deliberate procession to the place of execution. It points to a planned, albeit horrifying, arrival at the site of ultimate sacrifice.
• to the place (Greek: ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον - epi ton topon): Implies a specific, designated location. It was not a random spot but the traditional Roman execution ground for Jerusalem.
• which is called Calvary (Greek: τὸν καλούμενον Κρανίον - ton kaloumenon Kranion):
  • Kranion (Κρανίον) literally means "skull" in Greek. The Latin equivalent is Calvaria, from which "Calvary" is derived.
  • This name is likely descriptive, either because of the physical appearance of a skull-shaped hill, or more probably, because it was a public execution ground where skeletal remains might be found, making it a "place of skulls."
  • It's the specific, infamous location ordained for Jesus' redemptive death, a site outside the city walls (Heb 13:12), highlighting His sacrifice "without the gate."
• there they crucified Him (Greek: ἐκεῖ ἐσταύρωσαν αὐτόν - ekei estaurōsan auton):
  • Estaurōsan (ἐσταύρωσαν) refers to the act of crucifixion, the Roman method of death by nailing or tying to a cross. It was agonizingly painful, public, and intended to cause maximum shame and deter rebellion.
  • "They" refers primarily to the Roman soldiers carrying out the sentence of Pilate, under pressure from the Jewish leadership.
  • "Him" (αὐτόν): The focus is squarely on Jesus, the central figure of this momentous event, the innocent Son of God.
• and the malefactors (Greek: καὶ τοὺς κακούργους - kai tous kakourgous):
  • Kakourgous (κακούργους) means "evildoers," "criminals," "wicked persons." This term emphasizes their guilt and criminality, distinguishing them sharply from the innocent Jesus.
  • This placement fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53:12, where the suffering servant is "numbered with the transgressors." It outwardly degraded Jesus by associating Him with common criminals.
• one on the right hand, and the other on the left (Greek: ὃν μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν ὃν δὲ ἐξ εὐωνύμων - hon men ek dexiōn hon de ex euōnymōn):
  • This describes their precise positioning relative to Jesus. "Right hand" traditionally denotes a place of honor or favor (e.g., Ps 110:1, Mt 25:33). "Left hand" often signifies disgrace or rejection.
  • Ironically, Jesus, the most dishonored figure in their eyes, is positioned centrally. Their positions flanking Him take on profound spiritual significance as one malefactor finds salvation and the other rejects it (Lk 23:39-43), illustrating Christ's ultimate authority even in apparent weakness.

Luke 23 33 Bonus section

The name "Calvary" or "Golgotha" (Aramaic/Hebrew for "skull place") is consistently used across the Gospels, cementing its identity as the place where the atoning work of Christ occurred. The deliberate association of Jesus with criminals was a profound irony that simultaneously exposed human depravity and demonstrated divine love; it showed the depths to which humanity fell by crucifying innocence and the lengths God would go to identify with humanity's sin, taking on the curse (Gal 3:13). The theological concept of Jesus becoming "a curse for us" is powerfully visualized by His being "lifted up on a tree," connecting His sacrifice back to Old Testament law and fulfilling its shadowy types. This verse is the physical instantiation of a cosmic battle for redemption.

Luke 23 33 Commentary

Luke 23:33 succinctly describes the culmination of Jesus' journey to the cross, a pivotal moment in human history. The scene is set at "Calvary," the "Place of a Skull," a somber execution ground outside Jerusalem, underscoring the public and shameful nature of crucifixion. The fact that Jesus was crucified alongside two common "malefactors" was a deliberate attempt by His accusers to discredit and dishonor Him further, equating the Holy One of God with notorious criminals. However, this act, orchestrated by human will, simultaneously fulfilled ancient prophecies, particularly Isaiah's prophecy that the Messiah would be "numbered with the transgressors." Jesus' central position, flanked by the two thieves, symbolically places Him as the ultimate Mediator and the central figure through whom salvation is offered to humanity, whether on His "right" or "left" of acceptance or rejection. His death was not an arbitrary act of violence, but a predetermined sacrifice that radically shifted the trajectory of divine justice and human redemption.