Luke 23 34

Luke 23:34 kjv

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Luke 23:34 nkjv

Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Luke 23:34 niv

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Luke 23:34 esv

And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Luke 23:34 nlt

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

Luke 23 verses

Luke 23 34 Meaning

This profound utterance from Jesus on the cross reveals His ultimate character of sacrificial love and mercy. Even in unimaginable suffering, Jesus intercedes on behalf of His persecutors, asking His Father to forgive them for their actions, which they commit without full comprehension of His divine identity and the magnitude of their sin. It embodies divine love for enemies and provides the foundational plea for humanity's reconciliation with God, highlighting both humanity's spiritual blindness and God's readiness to pardon.

Luke 23 34 Context

Luke 23:34 is uttered by Jesus during the height of His crucifixion, specifically after He has been nailed to the cross. Chapters 22 and 23 detail Jesus' arrest, trials before the Sanhedrin, Pilate, and Herod, His condemnation, scourging, and the journey to Golgotha. The preceding verses (23:32-33) describe Him being led with two criminals and crucified between them at a place called "The Skull." This prayer immediately follows His physical agony of crucifixion and precedes further mockery from the crowd and rulers. It stands as Jesus' first saying from the cross in Luke's Gospel, setting the tone for His final, redemptive acts. Historically, Roman crucifixion was a public, agonizing, and humiliating form of execution, designed to deter dissent, inflicted upon criminals, rebels, and slaves. The people involved—Roman soldiers, Jewish leaders, and the crowds—each played a part, many acting from a place of spiritual or willful ignorance, failing to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah.

Luke 23 34 Word analysis

• Father (Greek: Πάτερ, Pater):
  • Direct, intimate address to God. Shows Jesus' unique and unbroken relationship with God even in suffering.
  • Signifies divine authority to whom the plea is made, emphasizing God's role in ultimate forgiveness.
  • Echoes Jesus' characteristic way of addressing God, common in Luke's Gospel (e.g., Lk 11:2; 22:42).
• forgive (Greek: ἄφες, aphes):
  • An aorist active imperative verb, meaning "release," "send away," "remit," or "cancel a debt."
  • Highlights Jesus' initiative in seeking pardon for others. It is an immediate, direct command to the Father.
  • Not merely a wish, but a definitive intercession based on Jesus' divine authority.
• them (Greek: αὐτοῖς, autois):
  • Broad and inclusive. Refers to all directly or indirectly responsible for His crucifixion.
  • This includes the Roman soldiers executing orders, the Jewish leaders who engineered His death, and the crowds who mocked and demanded His crucifixion.
  • Spiritually, it can extend to all humanity, whose sins necessitated His sacrifice.
• for (Greek: γάρ, gar):
  • A conjunction indicating the reason or explanation for the request for forgiveness.
  • Connects the act of forgiveness directly to their state of ignorance.
• they know not (Greek: οὐκ οἴδασιν, ouk oidasing):
  • "οἴδασιν" (oidasin) is a form of οἶδα (oida), meaning "to know" by direct acquaintance, insight, or intuitive understanding. Coupled with the negative "οὐκ" (ouk), it signifies a lack of comprehension or spiritual blindness.
  • It doesn't imply total innocence but a profound failure to grasp the true identity of Jesus and the cosmic significance of their actions. They are unaware of their role in killing the Son of God, not simply committing a random crime.
  • Distinguishes this act from willful, rebellious sin against known truth (cf. Heb 10:26).
• what they do (Greek: τί ποιοῦσιν, ti poiousin):
  • Refers to the entire complex of actions leading to and during the crucifixion: the betrayal, false accusations, mockery, scourging, and ultimately, killing the Christ.
  • Emphasizes their unawareness of the magnitude and consequences of killing the Messiah and Son of God, the One through whom all are saved.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "Father, forgive them": Demonstrates Jesus's role as the Great Intercessor and the Son's submission and appeal to the Father's mercy, setting a divine precedent for extending mercy to enemies. It underscores God's attribute of being merciful.
  • "for they know not what they do": This phrase explains the basis for the plea for mercy. It appeals to their ignorance (both intellectual and spiritual) rather than a willful, clear-eyed rejection of known divine truth. It's a key distinction that opens the door for grace, suggesting that there are levels of culpability and that sins committed in ignorance, while still sins, can be met with profound compassion.

Luke 23 34 Bonus section

This verse stands as a foundational ethic for Christian behavior, modeling perfect forgiveness in the face of extreme injustice. It suggests that even the most heinous acts, when committed out of profound spiritual ignorance regarding the identity of Christ, are susceptible to God's mercy if met with intercession. This prayer provides insight into the nature of God's justice, which differentiates between willful, defiant rejection of truth and actions stemming from spiritual blindness, though both still require atonement. Furthermore, Jesus' example in this prayer directly contrasts with historical patterns of seeking vengeance and highlights a radical new paradigm of restorative justice and unmerited favor. This specific prayer is exclusive to Luke's Gospel, emphasizing Luke's theme of universal salvation and compassion, even for the marginalized and despised.

Luke 23 34 Commentary

Jesus’ prayer from the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," is a pivotal declaration revealing the heart of the Gospel. It’s a plea for divine mercy extended to those actively engaged in His execution and the leaders orchestrating it. This profound act of intercession immediately follows His torture, not in a moment of peace, but amid agony, mockery, and the weight of the world's sin. It demonstrates an absolute, unconditional love and forgiveness that surpasses human comprehension. His rationale, "they know not what they do," is not an excuse for sin, but an appeal to the Father's understanding of humanity's spiritual blindness. While the persecutors indeed committed grievous sins, their actions were performed without fully grasping Jesus' divine identity as the Christ, the Son of God. This prayer, therefore, bridges human culpability with divine grace, providing the very first step toward reconciliation available to those who repent. It sets an unparalleled example for believers to love and pray for their enemies and solidifies Jesus' role as the ultimate intercessor and redeemer.