23:1KJV And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.
B:E Project The whole crowd got up and marched Jesus off to Pilate, the Roman governor.
Context: This opens the trial narrative in Jerusalem, moving straight from the Jewish council's night session (end of chapter 22) to the Roman authority who alone could authorise execution.
Meaning: Under Roman occupation, local religious leaders had no power to execute anyone themselves, so they had to hand Jesus over to Pilate and dress up their religious objections as a political crime. It shows how quickly a movement built on compassion can be twisted into a "threat" by those who feel their power is at stake.
Lesson: I let myself be led away without a fight, because winning an argument with a mob was never the point - staying true to who I was mattered more than saving myself. When people gang up against you unfairly, you don't have to match their aggression to keep your integrity.
See Also: Matthew 27:1-2, Mark 15:1, and John 18:28 all record this same handover to Pilate - Luke keeps his account of the trial the most detailed of the four.
23:2KJV And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
B:E Project They started accusing him, saying he was stirring up trouble across the nation, telling people not to pay taxes to Rome, and claiming to be a king - "the Christ".
Context: This is the formal charge sheet the religious leaders present to Pilate, carefully reworded as treason (a Roman capital offence) rather than blasphemy (a religious matter Rome wouldn't care about).
Meaning: None of these charges were true as stated - Jesus had actually told people to pay their taxes (Luke 20:25) - but his accusers needed something that sounded like a threat to Caesar to get Pilate to act. It's an early, blunt example of how truth gets distorted when it's inconvenient to those in power.
Lesson: I never told anyone to dodge their taxes or plotted against Rome - my words got twisted because the truth I taught, that people matter more than power, was itself the real threat to those in charge. When you're misrepresented by people who feel threatened by you, know that distortion is often a sign you've touched something real.
See Also: Compare Luke 20:20-26, where Jesus is asked directly about paying tribute to Caesar and answers honestly - the very issue they now falsely claim he opposed.
23:3KJV And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.
B:E Project Pilate asked him directly, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "You say so."
Context: This is the pivotal legal question in a Roman trial - a claim to kingship is what Pilate actually has jurisdiction to punish.
Meaning: Jesus doesn't deny it, but his answer is deliberately open - it's true in a sense Pilate can't grasp (a kingdom not built on armies or conquest) and false in the sense Pilate assumes (a rival to Caesar's throne). It shows Jesus refusing to either lie or let his identity be reduced to a category his interrogator understands.
Lesson: I answered honestly without playing into the assumptions behind the question - my kingship was never about overthrowing Rome, so a simple yes or no would have misled Pilate either way. Sometimes the most truthful answer to a loaded question is one that refuses the frame it's asked in.
See Also: Matthew 27:11, Mark 15:2, and John 18:33-37 all record this exchange - John's version expands it into "My kingdom is not of this world."
23:4KJV Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.
B:E Project Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowd, "I find nothing wrong with this man."
Context: This is the first of several formal declarations of Jesus's innocence that Luke records from Roman officials during the trial.
Meaning: Luke, writing for a Roman audience, goes out of his way to show that the highest Roman authority present found no legal case against Jesus - this wasn't a guilty man getting what he deserved, but an innocent one being pressured into execution. It's a repeated, deliberate note in the text that the injustice here is plain even to a pagan judge.
Lesson: Even the man with the power to condemn me could see I'd done nothing wrong - being falsely accused doesn't mean you did anything to deserve it, and other people's fear or self-interest can override plain evidence. Don't let a mob's verdict convince you of a guilt that isn't actually there.
See Also: John 18:38 records Pilate's nearly identical statement "I find in him no fault at all" - both Gospels stress Rome's own verdict of innocence.
23:5KJV And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.
B:E Project But they pushed harder, saying he was stirring up the people with his teaching everywhere, from Galilee all the way to Jerusalem.
Context: Having failed to get a political charge to stick, the accusers escalate, hoping the word "Galilee" will shift the case.
Meaning: Their persistence shows how determined they are - one dismissal isn't enough, so they widen the accusation to make Jesus sound like the leader of a spreading uprising. It's a familiar pattern: when the first attack doesn't land, people who want to bring you down simply try a bigger one.
Lesson: They kept piling on accusations because the truth alone couldn't get me condemned - it took escalating exaggeration to make an innocent life-story sound dangerous. If you're being unfairly pursued, notice how the story about you grows more dramatic the less evidence there actually is.
See Also: Acts 10:37 later summarises Jesus's ministry as beginning "from Galilee" - the same geography used here as an accusation is used elsewhere as a simple historical marker.
23:6KJV When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.
B:E Project When Pilate heard the word "Galilee", he asked whether the man was a Galilean.
Context: This small detail becomes the hinge that sends Jesus to Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, who happens to be in Jerusalem for the festival.
Meaning: Pilate spots a convenient technicality - if Jesus is from Herod's territory, he can pass the decision (and the responsibility) to someone else. It's a very human moment: a person in authority looking for any excuse to avoid making a hard, unpopular call.
Lesson: Pilate looked for a way to hand the decision to someone else rather than face it himself - watch for that instinct in yourself too, the urge to dodge responsibility for a hard choice by passing it along. Courage often just means being willing to be the one who decides.
See Also: This detail is unique to Luke - Matthew, Mark, and John move straight from Pilate's questioning to the crowd's demand, without the Herod episode.
23:7KJV And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.
B:E Project Once Pilate learned Jesus belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at the time.
Context: This begins Luke's unique account of Jesus appearing before Herod Antipas, found in no other Gospel.
Meaning: Two rulers, two chances for a fair hearing - yet the outcome never really depends on the evidence, only on what's politically convenient for each of them. Luke, careful historian that he is, tracks exactly how the buck gets passed.
Lesson: I was shuffled between two rulers who each avoided real judgement - if people around you keep deflecting responsibility instead of dealing with you honestly, that says more about their character than yours. Don't mistake being passed around for being in the wrong.
See Also: Luke had earlier noted the historical setting of both rulers together in Luke 3:1; this is the only Gospel account of Jesus meeting Herod Antipas.
23:8KJV And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
B:E Project When Herod saw Jesus, he was delighted - he'd wanted to meet him for a long time, having heard a lot about him, and was hoping to see him perform some kind of miracle.
Context: Herod is the same ruler who earlier had John the Baptist beheaded (Luke 9:7-9) and had been curious about Jesus for some time.
Meaning: Herod's interest isn't real interest at all - he wants Jesus as entertainment, a magic trick to gawk at, not someone to actually listen to or take seriously. It's a sharp picture of curiosity without respect, treating a person's life and message as a spectacle.
Lesson: Herod wanted a show, not the truth - I refused to perform for anyone's amusement, because my life and words were never meant to entertain people who had no intention of actually hearing them. Be wary of people who are fascinated by you but unwilling to genuinely listen.
See Also: Luke 9:7-9 records Herod's earlier curiosity about Jesus and his role in John the Baptist's death, explaining why Herod was so eager to finally meet him.
23:9KJV Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.
B:E Project Herod questioned him at length, but Jesus gave him no answer at all.
Context: This is Jesus's total silence before Herod - in contrast to his willingness to answer Pilate directly.
Meaning: Jesus's silence isn't fear or confusion - it's a deliberate refusal to engage with someone who has no genuine interest in truth, only spectacle. Some conversations aren't worth having, and staying quiet can be its own clear statement.
Lesson: I said nothing to Herod, because words are wasted on someone who only wants a show - I chose silence over playing along with a game that wasn't really about truth. You don't owe an explanation to everyone who demands one, especially those who won't actually listen.
See Also: Isaiah 53:7 foretells the suffering servant who "openeth not his mouth" before his accusers, a passage early Christians saw fulfilled in moments like this.
23:10KJV And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
B:E Project Meanwhile the chief priests and the religious scholars stood there, hurling accusations at him with real intensity.
Context: The same accusers who pursued Jesus before Pilate follow him to Herod's court and keep pressing their case.
Meaning: Their aggression doesn't let up even when Jesus refuses to respond - if anything, his silence seems to provoke them further. It shows how a determined attack can carry on with real force even against someone offering no resistance at all.
Lesson: They shouted accusations at a man who wouldn't even answer back - real strength isn't in how loudly you can attack someone, and I never needed to match their volume to hold my ground. Your composure in the face of someone else's fury is not weakness.
See Also: Matthew 27:12 similarly notes Jesus's silence "when he was accused of the chief priests and elders" before Pilate.
23:11KJV And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
B:E Project Herod and his soldiers then treated him with contempt and mockery - they dressed him in an elaborate robe as a joke and sent him back to Pilate.
Context: This closes the Herod episode, with Jesus returned to Pilate no closer to a resolution, having been humiliated along the way.
Meaning: The "gorgeous robe" is cruel theatre - dressing him up as a mock king before sending him off, treating a human being's dignity as a punchline. It's a preview of the deeper humiliation still to come, and a reminder of how casually power can degrade someone it doesn't take seriously.
Lesson: They dressed me up to laugh at me, but their mockery couldn't touch who I actually was - real dignity doesn't depend on how other people choose to treat you. If you're ever mocked or humiliated unfairly, remember that their cruelty reflects them, not your worth.
See Also: Isaiah 53:3 describes the suffering servant as "despised and rejected of men" - a description that fits this scene closely.
23:12KJV And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
B:E Project That same day, Pilate and Herod became friends - they had previously been enemies.
Context: A brief but pointed aside noting an unexpected political side-effect of Jesus's trial.
Meaning: Two rival rulers bond over how they've each handled - or mishandled - this one man, showing how shared cynicism or shared injustice can strangely unite people who'd otherwise be at odds. It's an uncomfortable but honest detail about how convenient alliances can form around a wronged party.
Lesson: My mistreatment somehow made two enemies friends - it's uncomfortable, but people sometimes bond over shared indifference to someone else's suffering. Notice if your own peace with others is being built on agreeing to overlook an injustice.
See Also: Acts 4:27 later reflects on this moment, noting that "Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together" against Jesus.
23:13KJV And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
B:E Project Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people.
Context: Jesus has now returned from Herod, and Pilate assembles everyone to announce his findings and try to resolve the case.
Meaning: This is Pilate attempting to hold a proper, public hearing - gathering all the relevant parties rather than deciding quietly behind closed doors. It sets up his upcoming attempt to release Jesus, showing he is at least trying to follow some form of due process.
Lesson: I stood before a formal gathering meant to weigh the truth honestly - even in a broken system, there can be moments where people try to do things properly. Don't give up on fair process just because it's often abused; sometimes it still gives truth a chance to be heard.
See Also: Compare Matthew 27:17, where Pilate similarly gathers the crowd before offering them a choice between Jesus and Barabbas.
23:14KJV Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
B:E Project He told them, "You brought this man to me, saying he was leading the people astray. I've questioned him in front of you all, and I haven't found him guilty of anything you're accusing him of."
Context: Pilate delivers his second formal verdict of innocence, directly addressing the specific charges from verse 2.
Meaning: This is a judge stating, on the record, that a formal investigation turned up nothing - the accusation simply doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Luke keeps stacking up these declarations of innocence to make the injustice of what follows unmistakable.
Lesson: A thorough, honest examination of my life found no wrongdoing - if you're doing right by others, don't be shaken when accusations come anyway; the truth of your character doesn't depend on winning every argument against you. Stand firm in what you know to be true about yourself.
See Also: John 18:38 records Pilate's parallel declaration "I find in him no fault at all," reinforcing this same point from a different angle.
23:15KJV No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
B:E Project "Nor did Herod, because he sent him back to us. Look - nothing this man has done deserves death."
Context: Pilate adds Herod's implicit verdict to his own, doubling down on the innocence claim before making his proposal.
Meaning: Two independent authorities, one Roman and one from Jesus's own region, both concluded there was no capital case here. It's Luke underlining, from every possible angle, that what's about to happen is a miscarriage of justice, not a fair verdict.
Lesson: Two separate rulers looked at my life and found nothing worth punishing - when the truth is examined properly and fairly, it holds up, even when the outcome still goes against you. Trust that your integrity is real even when the world's verdict doesn't reflect it.
See Also: Compare Luke 23:4, Pilate's first declaration of innocence - by this point in the chapter he has said it multiple times.
23:16KJV I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
B:E Project "So I will have him whipped, and then let him go."
Context: Pilate's proposed compromise - a punishment short of death, intended to satisfy the crowd's anger without executing an innocent man.
Meaning: Even here, Pilate is willing to inflict real, unjust suffering on someone he's just declared innocent, purely to appease a crowd - a chilling example of how "innocent but still punished" can pass as compromise. It shows the danger of trying to please everyone rather than simply doing what's right.
Lesson: Even the man who called me innocent still chose to have me beaten to keep the peace - watch for the moment when "compromise" quietly becomes injustice dressed up as fairness. Doing right sometimes means refusing a middle path that still harms someone undeserving.
See Also: Matthew 27:26 and Mark 15:15 both record Jesus actually being scourged before crucifixion, the punishment proposed here as a supposed alternative to death.
23:17KJV (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
B:E Project (Pilate was obligated to release one prisoner to the crowd at the festival, as a tradition.)
Context: This aside explains the custom - a Passover amnesty gesture - behind the Barabbas exchange about to unfold.
Meaning: This small explanatory note shows how a well-meaning tradition, a gesture of mercy at Passover, becomes the very mechanism used to condemn an innocent man instead. Good customs can be hijacked by a crowd whipped into the wrong decision.
Lesson: A tradition meant for mercy became the tool that condemned me instead - be alert to how good systems and good customs can be twisted by a crowd's mood rather than by justice itself. Question the outcome, not just the process, even when the process looks fair on paper.
See Also: Matthew 27:15, Mark 15:6, and John 18:39 all describe this same Passover custom of releasing a prisoner.
23:18KJV And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
B:E Project But they all shouted together, "Get rid of this man! Release Barabbas to us instead!"
Context: The crowd, stirred up by the chief priests, rejects Pilate's offer and demands the release of a known criminal instead of Jesus.
Meaning: A crowd's collective voice overrides an individual judge's careful assessment - group pressure proves stronger than reasoned judgement, choosing a violent criminal over an innocent teacher. It's a stark example of how mob dynamics can invert justice entirely.
Lesson: They chose a violent man over me, simply because the crowd's anger was louder than the truth - don't measure your worth by a crowd's verdict, because crowds can be swayed away from what's actually right. Stay anchored to truth even when the loudest voices go the other way.
See Also: Matthew 27:20-21, Mark 15:11, and John 18:40 all record this same demand for Barabbas's release over Jesus's.
23:19KJV (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)
B:E Project (Barabbas had been thrown in prison for starting a riot in the city and for murder.)
Context: Luke clarifies exactly who Barabbas was, sharpening the contrast between the innocent man being condemned and the violent criminal being freed.
Meaning: The irony is deliberate and stark - a convicted murderer walks free while a man Pilate has repeatedly called innocent is sent to die. It highlights just how upside-down this "justice" has become under mob pressure.
Lesson: A murderer went free while I was condemned - injustice can look exactly like this, the guilty rewarded and the innocent punished, and it doesn't mean the moral order has actually changed. What's right remains right even when the outcome says otherwise.
See Also: Mark 15:7 gives further detail on Barabbas, describing him as one of the rebels who had committed murder in an insurrection.
23:20KJV Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
B:E Project Pilate spoke to them again, still wanting to release Jesus.
Context: Pilate makes a further attempt to sway the crowd, showing his continued reluctance to condemn an innocent man.
Meaning: This brief verse captures a man trying, and failing, to do the right thing under mounting pressure - his good intention is real, but it isn't enough on its own to stand against the momentum of the crowd. Wanting to do right and actually doing it aren't always the same thing.
Lesson: Pilate wanted to release me but kept negotiating instead of simply acting - good intentions alone don't change an outcome; there's a moment when wanting to do right has to become actually doing it. Don't let hesitation become complicity.
See Also: Matthew 27:22-23 shows a similar back-and-forth, with Pilate repeatedly asking the crowd what he should do.
23:21KJV But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
B:E Project But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
Context: The crowd's demand escalates from wanting Barabbas released to explicitly calling for Jesus's execution by crucifixion.
Meaning: The repetition ("crucify him, crucify him") captures the rhythmic, almost chant-like intensity of a crowd that has stopped thinking and started reacting. It's a vivid, disturbing snapshot of how quickly a group can commit itself to cruelty once it's moving in one direction.
Lesson: The crowd's chant grew louder the less justified it became - I didn't answer their hatred with hatred, because meeting cruelty with more cruelty only multiplies it. When you're targeted unfairly, refusing to become like your accusers is itself a quiet kind of victory.
See Also: John 19:6 and 19:15 record this same repeated cry, "Crucify him, crucify him," in nearly identical terms.
23:22KJV And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.
B:E Project For the third time Pilate said to them, "Why? What crime has he committed? I've found no reason to sentence him to death. So I'll have him whipped and then release him."
Context: This is Pilate's third and final formal declaration of Jesus's innocence, emphasising just how repeatedly and clearly the case against Jesus fails to hold up.
Meaning: Three separate times, on the record, the presiding judge states there is no legal basis for execution - and three times, the crowd's pressure will win out anyway. Luke wants his readers to be absolutely certain: this was not justice, but capitulation.
Lesson: Even after three honest verdicts of innocence, the outcome was decided by pressure, not truth - I know what it is to have the facts on your side and still lose to a louder crowd. Hold on to what you know is true, even when the world around you votes differently.
See Also: This is the culmination of Pilate's repeated declarations seen in Luke 23:4, 23:14, and 23:15 - four total statements of innocence across the chapter.
23:23KJV And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.
B:E Project But they kept pressing, shouting loudly, demanding he be crucified - and their voices, along with the chief priests', won out.
Context: The mob's persistence finally overwhelms Pilate's resistance, marking the moment the crowd's will replaces legal judgement.
Meaning: "The voices... prevailed" is a chilling phrase - not evidence, not justice, just volume and persistence winning the day. It's a sobering study of how organised pressure can override even a system meant to protect the innocent.
Lesson: Sheer noise and persistence won out over truth that day - I didn't fight to be heard over them, because some battles aren't won by shouting louder. Your quiet conviction can hold firm even when it's outvoted in the moment.
See Also: Matthew 27:23-25 gives the fullest account of the crowd's insistence, including their notorious cry that his blood be "on us, and on our children."
23:24KJV And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
B:E Project So Pilate gave the ruling they demanded.
Context: This is the formal moment Pilate abandons his own three-times-stated judgement and sentences Jesus to death.
Meaning: A judge convinced of someone's innocence still hands down a death sentence, purely because it's easier than resisting the crowd - a stark warning about what happens when authority bends to popularity instead of conviction. Luke records it plainly, letting the injustice speak for itself.
Lesson: The man who knew I was innocent condemned me anyway rather than pay the cost of standing firm - I don't hold that against him with bitterness, because bitterness would have changed nothing and healed no one. Choosing what's popular over what's right always has a cost, even if it's someone else who pays it.
See Also: Matthew 27:24-26 adds the detail of Pilate washing his hands, symbolically (but not actually) distancing himself from the responsibility.
23:25KJV And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.
B:E Project He released the man they wanted - the one jailed for rioting and murder - and handed Jesus over to be dealt with however they pleased.
Context: This closes the trial sequence, confirming the substitution: a guilty man freed, an innocent man condemned, exactly as demanded.
Meaning: "Delivered Jesus to their will" is a striking phrase - it's not Roman law that ultimately decides this, but the will of an angry crowd, which Pilate simply rubber-stamps. It's the final, formal seal on the injustice the whole chapter has been building towards.
Lesson: I was handed over to the will of people who wanted me gone, not because justice demanded it but because fear and anger did - even now, I don't meet that with resentment. Sometimes the outcome you face isn't about what you deserve at all, and you can still choose how you carry it.
See Also: Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, and John 19:16 each record this same final handover for crucifixion.
23:26KJV And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
B:E Project As they led him away, they grabbed a man named Simon, from Cyrene, who happened to be coming in from the countryside, and forced him to carry the cross behind Jesus.
Context: This begins the journey to the execution site, introducing a bystander suddenly conscripted into the story.
Meaning: Simon is an ordinary man with no connection to any of this, abruptly pulled into carrying another person's burden - a small, human detail amid the larger injustice. It's a quiet picture of how we're all sometimes called, unexpectedly, to help carry someone else's weight.
Lesson: A stranger ended up carrying my cross, and I let him - accepting help isn't weakness, and sometimes the people who show up for us are the ones we least expect. Don't be too proud to let someone else share a load that's become too heavy to carry alone.
See Also: Matthew 27:32 and Mark 15:21 both name Simon of Cyrene; Mark even names his sons, Alexander and Rufus, suggesting they became known in the early Christian community.
23:27KJV And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
B:E Project A large crowd followed him, including women who were weeping and mourning for him.
Context: This introduces a group unique to Luke's account - women publicly grieving as Jesus is led to execution.
Meaning: True to Luke's consistent focus throughout his Gospel, it's the ordinary people and the women who show real compassion here, while the powerful have already condemned him. Their open grief stands in stark contrast to the crowd's earlier shouts for his death.
Lesson: These women wept for me openly, without shame, and I turned to speak to them rather than ignore their compassion - never be embarrassed by genuine grief or empathy for someone who's suffering. Real feeling for another person's pain is never wasted.
See Also: This detail is unique to Luke - it fits his broader pattern (seen also at Luke 7:13, 8:2-3) of highlighting women's presence and compassion throughout Jesus's ministry.
23:28KJV But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
B:E Project But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me - weep for yourselves and for your children."
Context: Jesus's final recorded words before the crucifixion address not his own suffering but a coming tragedy for the city itself.
Meaning: Even in his own agony, Jesus turns outward, redirecting attention to a genuine future catastrophe (the coming destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70) rather than accepting sympathy for himself. It's a striking example of concern for others persisting right through personal suffering.
Lesson: Even carrying my own cross, I turned my attention to warn them about what was coming for them and their children - real love keeps looking outward, even under the weight of your own pain. Don't let your own suffering close you off from caring what happens to the people around you.
See Also: Luke 19:41-44 records Jesus weeping over Jerusalem earlier, foreseeing this same coming destruction of the city.
23:29KJV For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
B:E Project "Look - the days are coming when people will say, 'Blessed are the women who never had children, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed a baby.'"
Context: Jesus continues his warning, describing a coming disaster so severe that childlessness - normally seen as a hardship - will be considered a blessing by comparison.
Meaning: This is a sobering prophecy about the devastation coming to Jerusalem, where having no children to watch suffer would be counted as fortunate. It's a jarring reversal that shows just how seriously Jesus takes the coming consequences of the city's choices.
Lesson: I warned them plainly rather than softening a hard truth to make them feel better in the moment - real care sometimes means telling people what they don't want to hear, because avoiding a hard truth doesn't protect anyone from what's actually coming. Honesty, even painful honesty, can be an act of love.
See Also: Luke 21:23 uses almost identical language, "woe unto them that are with child," in Jesus's earlier prophecy about Jerusalem's destruction.
23:30KJV Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
B:E Project "Then people will start saying to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Bury us.'"
Context: This continues the same prophecy, using vivid imagery of people preferring death by natural disaster to what's coming.
Meaning: The imagery of longing for mountains to collapse on you, rather than face what's ahead, communicates the depth of the coming catastrophe. Jesus is speaking as someone who genuinely grieves for the suffering his own city is bringing on itself.
Lesson: I spoke of coming devastation not to frighten them for no reason, but because I genuinely grieved over what their choices were leading to - warning someone about consequences, even severe ones, can be a form of love rather than cruelty. Don't mistake honesty about hard outcomes for a lack of compassion.
See Also: Hosea 10:8 and Revelation 6:16 both use this same striking image of people begging mountains and rocks to fall on and hide them.
23:31KJV For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
B:E Project "Because if they do this to a green, living tree, what will happen to a dry one?"
Context: Jesus closes this warning with a proverb-like saying, comparing himself (the "green tree") to what's coming for the nation (the "dry tree").
Meaning: If the innocent, "green" (living, thriving) one is treated this harshly, what will happen to a nation already dried out by its own corruption and rebellion? It's a warning that current injustice is a preview of far worse consequences still to come.
Lesson: I used my own unjust suffering as a warning about what happens when a whole community loses its way - even my own pain became something I offered as a lesson for others, not just something to be pitied. Let your hardest moments teach something true, rather than only asking to be comforted.
See Also: Ezekiel 20:47 uses similar green-tree/dry-tree imagery for judgement by fire; the underlying logic also echoes Proverbs 11:31.
23:32KJV And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
B:E Project Two other men, criminals, were also led out to be executed along with him.
Context: This introduces the two men who will be crucified alongside Jesus, setting up the exchange that follows later in the chapter.
Meaning: Jesus is executed in the company of common criminals, not among the powerful or the respected - a final, physical expression of his lifelong association with outcasts and the condemned. Luke, ever attentive to the marginalised, makes sure we see exactly who he died beside.
Lesson: I was placed among the condemned, not the respectable, because that's exactly where my whole life had already been pointed - towards the people everyone else wrote off. Wherever you feel most cast aside is not too far gone for compassion to reach you.
See Also: Isaiah 53:12 foretells the suffering servant being "numbered with the transgressors"; Matthew 27:38 and Mark 15:27 also record the two criminals crucified with him.
23:33KJV 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.
B:E Project When they arrived at the place called Calvary (or "The Skull"), they crucified him there, along with the two criminals - one on his right, the other on his left.
Context: This is the central moment of the chapter and arguably the entire Gospel - the actual crucifixion, told with restrained, unembellished detail.
Meaning: Luke narrates the most brutal moment in the story with striking simplicity, no dramatic flourish, just the bare fact of what happened. The understatement is deliberate - the horror doesn't need exaggeration to land.
Lesson: I was placed at the centre, between two condemned men, exactly where I'd spent my whole life - beside those the world had given up on. Wherever you feel positioned between judgement on every side, know that's precisely where I chose to be.
See Also: Matthew 27:33-35, Mark 15:22-24, and John 19:17-18 all record the crucifixion at Golgotha/Calvary; the name means "place of a skull."
23:34KJV Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
B:E Project Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they're doing." Meanwhile, the soldiers divided up his clothes among themselves by casting lots.
Context: This is one of Jesus's most famous sayings, spoken in the very act of being executed, and is unique to Luke's account.
Meaning: In the middle of unbearable pain, Jesus's first recorded words are a prayer of forgiveness for the very people killing him - not because what they did was acceptable, but because he chooses mercy over resentment even here. It's arguably the single clearest demonstration in the entire Bible of forgiving people who have not asked for it and do not deserve it.
Lesson: I forgave the people nailing me to a cross while they were still doing it, because holding onto resentment would have only added more suffering to an already unbearable moment - forgiveness was my choice, not their achievement. You don't need someone to deserve forgiveness, or even to ask for it, before you can choose to let go of the weight of hating them.
See Also: This is unique to Luke among the Gospels; the casting of lots for his garments fulfils Psalm 22:18, and Stephen echoes this same prayer for his own killers in Acts 7:60.
23:35KJV And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
B:E Project The people stood watching. The leaders sneered at him, saying, "He saved others - let him save himself if he really is the Christ, God's chosen one."
Context: This records the mockery Jesus faces from onlookers and religious leaders even as he's dying.
Meaning: The cruel irony is that his mockers use his own compassion for others ("he saved others") as the very grounds for their taunt, missing that his refusal to save himself was precisely the point. They wanted proof through power; he was demonstrating something else entirely - love that doesn't demand rescue for itself.
Lesson: I could have saved myself and silenced every mocking voice, but that was never what my life was actually about - real strength sometimes looks like enduring mockery rather than proving yourself to people who've already decided not to believe you. Don't waste your energy trying to win over those who are determined to misunderstand you.
See Also: Psalm 22:7-8 prophetically describes this exact scene of mockery; Matthew 27:39-43 and Mark 15:29-32 record similar taunts.
23:36KJV And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
B:E Project The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine.
Context: This continues the mockery, this time from the Roman soldiers carrying out the execution.
Meaning: Even the men simply doing their job add their own layer of cruelty, treating a dying man's suffering as an opportunity for a joke. It's a small, grim detail showing how mockery can become almost casual once it's socially permitted.
Lesson: Even the soldiers, who had no personal grudge against me, joined in mocking me simply because everyone else was doing it - be careful not to pile onto someone's suffering just because it's the mood of the crowd around you. Kindness is often just choosing not to join in when cruelty becomes casual.
See Also: Psalm 69:21 foretells being given vinegar to drink; John 19:29 records a similar detail involving hyssop and vinegar near the end.
23:37KJV And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
B:E Project They said, "If you're really the King of the Jews, save yourself."
Context: This continues the soldiers' taunting, echoing the same challenge the religious leaders had already made.
Meaning: The taunt repeats a theme running through the whole crucifixion scene - everyone assumes real power means self-preservation, and they can't conceive of strength expressed through endurance and sacrifice instead. Jesus's silence in response says as much as any words could.
Lesson: They dared me to prove my power by saving myself, but true strength was never about escaping suffering - it was about staying faithful to love even through it. Don't let anyone convince you that enduring hardship with integrity is somehow weaker than avoiding it altogether.
See Also: Matthew 27:40-42 records nearly identical taunts from onlookers, challenging Jesus to "save thyself" and come down from the cross.
23:38KJV And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
B:E Project Above him was a sign, written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, that read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Context: This records the official notice Pilate had placed over Jesus, stating the charge for which he was executed.
Meaning: Meant as mockery or a warning to others, the sign in three languages - the languages of religion, government, and everyday trade in that region - ends up proclaiming an unintended truth to everyone who could read any of them. Even Pilate's cynicism accidentally announces something real.
Lesson: They meant it as an insult, but the words over my head were simply true - sometimes what people intend as mockery ends up revealing something genuine about who you actually are. Don't let an insult define you when it might, despite itself, be pointing at the truth.
See Also: Matthew 27:37, Mark 15:26, and John 19:19-22 all record this superscription, with John adding that the chief priests objected to its wording.
23:39KJV And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
B:E Project One of the criminals hanging there hurled insults at him, saying, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
Context: This introduces the first of the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus, setting up the contrast with the second criminal in the verses that follow.
Meaning: Even in his final hours, facing the same execution, this man's response to Jesus is bitterness and demand rather than reflection - suffering doesn't automatically make someone humble or open. It's a reminder that shared hardship doesn't guarantee shared understanding.
Lesson: Even dying beside me, this man chose bitterness over honesty with himself - I didn't argue with him or condemn him further, because some people need to arrive at truth in their own time, if they arrive at all. You can't force someone else's change of heart; you can only remain who you are.
See Also: Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32 both note that the criminals reviled him, though only Luke distinguishes between the two men's responses.
23:40KJV But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
B:E Project But the other criminal rebuked him, saying, "Don't you fear God at all? You're under the same sentence as he is."
Context: This introduces the second criminal, whose very different response becomes one of the most moving moments in the Gospel.
Meaning: Facing his own death, this man has a moment of honest self-awareness that the first criminal lacks - he recognises the situation for what it truly is rather than lashing out. It shows that even at the very end of a life, a genuine change of heart is still possible.
Lesson: This man found honesty with himself in his final hours, and it wasn't too late for that to matter - I want you to know that no one is ever too far along, or too close to the end, for a genuine turn towards truth to count. It's never too late to see clearly.
See Also: This exchange between the two criminals is unique to Luke's Gospel; no parallel account appears in Matthew, Mark, or John.
23:41KJV And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
B:E Project "And we deserve it - we're getting exactly what our actions earned. But this man hasn't done anything wrong."
Context: The penitent criminal continues, admitting his own guilt honestly while defending Jesus's innocence.
Meaning: This is a remarkable moment of clear-eyed self-accountability from a man with nothing left to gain by it - he isn't bargaining or making excuses, just stating the plain truth about himself and about Jesus. It's honesty stripped of all pretence, right at the end of a life.
Lesson: This man owned his own wrongdoing without excuse, right at the very end, and in doing so also saw the truth about me - real change often starts with simply being honest about where you actually stand, no self-justification needed. Owning your mistakes isn't weakness; it's often the first genuinely brave thing you do.
See Also: Compare the tax collector's honest prayer in Luke 18:13-14, another figure Luke highlights for humble, unflinching honesty rather than self-justification.
23:42KJV And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
B:E Project Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Context: This is the criminal's turn to Jesus directly, asking for nothing more than to be remembered.
Meaning: He asks for the smallest, humblest thing imaginable - not rescue, not escape, just to be remembered - and yet it reflects genuine trust that Jesus's kingdom is real and still coming, even as they're both dying. It's one of the purest expressions of trust found anywhere in the Gospels, offered by the least likely person imaginable.
Lesson: This man asked for almost nothing, just to be remembered, and that small, honest request was more than enough - you don't need grand credentials or a perfect record to be worth remembering; you just need to be honest and turn towards what's good. However small your reaching out feels, it counts.
See Also: Compare Luke 22:29-30, where Jesus had earlier spoken to his disciples of his coming kingdom - language this dying man now applies to himself with striking confidence.
23:43KJV And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
B:E Project Jesus told him, "I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise."
Context: This is Jesus's response and one of his final recorded statements before his death, offered to a man with nothing to offer in return.
Meaning: With no time left for good deeds, no chance to prove himself further, this man receives an immediate, unconditional promise - proof that acceptance isn't earned through a lifetime of achievement but can be found the moment someone turns towards truth, however late. It's one of the most hope-filled verses in the whole Bible for anyone who feels they've left it too late.
Lesson: I gave this man everything, immediately, with nothing required of him but honesty in his final hour - you are never too far gone, never too late, and never too flawed for this kind of welcome. Whatever mistakes sit behind you, a genuine turn towards what's true is always met, not measured against your past.
See Also: 2 Corinthians 12:4 and Revelation 2:7 both use the same word "paradise" to describe the presence of God - a term of Persian origin meaning a beautiful garden or park.
23:44KJV And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
B:E Project By around midday, darkness fell over the whole land and lasted until about three in the afternoon.
Context: This describes the unnatural darkness that covered the land during the final hours of Jesus's crucifixion.
Meaning: The physical world itself seems to respond to what's happening - daylight failing at the very time death is closing in, as if creation is marking the weight of the moment. Luke, the careful historian, records it as an observed, dated event, not vague symbolism.
Lesson: Even the sky seemed to darken with the weight of what was happening - some moments in life are genuinely heavy, and it's honest to let them be heavy rather than pretending everything is fine. Don't rush past grief or gravity; some things deserve to be felt fully.
See Also: Matthew 27:45 and Mark 15:33 both record this same darkness "from the sixth hour unto the ninth hour"; compare Amos 8:9, which foretells the sun going down at noon.
23:45KJV And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
B:E Project The sunlight failed, and the curtain in the Temple was torn right down the middle.
Context: This records two dramatic events occurring at the moment of Jesus's death - cosmic darkness and the tearing of the Temple's inner curtain.
Meaning: The Temple curtain separated the innermost sacred space from everyone else, symbolising a barrier between ordinary people and the divine - its tearing, from top to bottom, pictures that barrier being removed entirely. Whatever your view of the supernatural claim, the symbolism is unmistakable: nothing is left permanently shut off any more.
Lesson: The barrier that once kept people at a distance came down at the very moment I gave up my life - I didn't die to build walls between people and what's good, but to take them down. Nothing about your past or your status should convince you that you're permanently on the outside of anything worthwhile.
See Also: Matthew 27:51 and Mark 15:38 both record the veil being torn; Hebrews 10:19-20 later interprets this as open access previously restricted.
23:46KJV And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
B:E Project Jesus cried out loudly, "Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit" - and having said this, he died.
Context: This is Jesus's final words and the moment of his death, closing the crucifixion narrative.
Meaning: Rather than a cry of despair, this is an act of deliberate trust - even at the absolute end, choosing to hand himself over rather than clinging on in fear. It's a striking model of facing death, or any final loss, with composure and trust rather than terror.
Lesson: My very last act was an act of trust, letting go rather than clinging on in fear - however hard an ending feels, there is a way to meet it with peace rather than dread. You don't have to have all the answers to face what's coming with quiet confidence.
See Also: Psalm 31:5 is the exact source of these words, "into thine hand I commit my spirit"; John 19:30 records Jesus's other final words, "It is finished."
23:47KJV Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
B:E Project When the centurion in charge saw what had happened, he praised God, saying, "This man really was innocent."
Context: This is the response of the Roman officer overseeing the execution - an outsider's verdict on what he's just witnessed.
Meaning: The one person with no reason to be biased in Jesus's favour, a Roman soldier just doing his job, ends up giving one of the clearest testimonies in the whole scene. It's a fitting close to a chapter full of official declarations of Jesus's innocence - even the executioner agrees.
Lesson: The man carrying out my execution ended up recognising the truth about me more clearly than the crowd that condemned me - people's real character sometimes comes through most clearly in how they respond to a moment they didn't expect. Stay open to having your assumptions overturned by what you actually witness.
See Also: Matthew 27:54 and Mark 15:39 both record the centurion's declaration, with Mark's version reading "Truly this man was the Son of God."
23:48KJV And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
B:E Project All the people who'd gathered to watch, seeing what had taken place, went home beating their chests in grief.
Context: This describes the crowd's reaction immediately after Jesus's death - a marked shift from earlier mockery to visible sorrow.
Meaning: Beating one's chest was a traditional gesture of mourning and grief - suggesting that at least some of the crowd, having watched the whole thing unfold, are struck with a change of heart or at least deep unease about what they've just witnessed. It's a quiet suggestion that truth can dawn on people even after they've done the wrong thing.
Lesson: Even people who'd mocked me earlier walked away in genuine grief once they saw the whole thing through - it's never too late for a change of heart, and I don't hold someone's earlier cruelty against them if real remorse follows. People can and do come around, even after getting it badly wrong.
See Also: This detail of the crowd's grief is unique to Luke, fitting his consistent emphasis on genuine repentance and change of heart throughout the Gospel (compare Luke 18:13, 19:8).
23:49KJV And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
B:E Project All those who knew him, and the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching everything.
Context: This closes the crucifixion scene, noting who remained present, even from a distance, through to the end.
Meaning: Where the male disciples are largely absent from this account, it's the women - consistent, faithful followers since Galilee - who Luke specifically notes stayed watching to the very end. It's another instance of Luke's deliberate attention to the women whose loyalty often gets overlooked elsewhere.
Lesson: The people who stayed to witness the hardest moment were the ones who'd quietly and faithfully followed all along - notice and value the people who show up for you in your hardest hours, even if they can only stand at a distance. Their presence, even silent, means more than they may realise.
See Also: Matthew 27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41, and John 19:25-27 all note women present at the cross, with John specifically mentioning Jesus's mother and the beloved disciple.
23:50KJV And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
B:E Project Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the council, who was good and fair-minded.
Context: This introduces Joseph of Arimathea, a previously unmentioned figure who now steps forward to ensure Jesus receives a proper burial.
Meaning: Joseph is a member of the very council that condemned Jesus, yet he's described as genuinely good and just - a reminder that not everyone in a corrupt system is themselves corrupt, and moral courage can appear from unexpected places. His introduction here signals a shift from cruelty back towards basic human decency.
Lesson: Joseph found the courage to act rightly even from within a system that had just done wrong - you don't have to leave every flawed institution to still do good within it; sometimes staying and acting with integrity matters more. Being surrounded by bad decisions doesn't excuse you from making a good one.
See Also: Matthew 27:57, Mark 15:43, and John 19:38 all introduce Joseph of Arimathea at this same point in the burial narrative.
23:51KJV (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
B:E Project (He hadn't agreed with the council's decision or actions.) He was from the town of Arimathea, and he was someone looking forward to God's kingdom.
Context: Luke clarifies that Joseph, despite being on the council, had dissented from the vote against Jesus.
Meaning: This detail matters - Joseph isn't a bystander suddenly showing up, but someone who quietly disagreed with the injustice all along and now acts on that conviction. It shows that genuine integrity sometimes means standing apart from your own group when they get something badly wrong.
Lesson: Joseph had disagreed with the decision from the start, even without making a public scene of it - sometimes the right response to injustice is quiet dissent followed by concrete action when the moment calls for it, rather than empty protest. Let your convictions show through what you actually do, not just what you say.
See Also: Mark 15:43 similarly notes Joseph "waited for the kingdom of God," a phrase echoing the same hope the penitent criminal expressed in Luke 23:42.
23:52KJV This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
B:E Project This man went to Pilate and asked for Jesus's body.
Context: This describes Joseph taking concrete, courageous action to secure a dignified burial for Jesus.
Meaning: Asking a Roman governor for the body of an executed "criminal" was a genuinely bold, risky move - it meant publicly associating himself with someone the authorities had just condemned. Joseph's quiet dissent becomes visible, costly action at exactly the moment it mattered.
Lesson: Joseph risked his own standing to make sure I was treated with dignity after my death - real respect for another person sometimes costs you something, and it's worth paying that cost when someone deserves basic dignity. Don't wait for it to be safe or convenient to do the right thing.
See Also: Matthew 27:58, Mark 15:43-45, and John 19:38 all record Joseph's request to Pilate for Jesus's body.
23:53KJV And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
B:E Project He took the body down, wrapped it in linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock, one that had never been used before.
Context: This describes the actual burial, carried out with care and respect despite the manner of Jesus's death.
Meaning: Despite everything, Jesus receives a proper, respectful burial in a brand-new tomb - a detail Luke notes carefully, perhaps to make clear there's no possibility of confusion about whose body was later found missing. It's a quiet act of dignity closing out a day of brutality.
Lesson: Joseph handled my body with real care and respect, even though the world had just treated me with utter contempt - dignity given to someone, even after the worst has happened, still matters and still means something. Never think an act of kindness or respect is wasted just because it comes at the end.
See Also: Matthew 27:59-60, Mark 15:46, and John 19:39-42 all describe the burial, with John adding that Nicodemus assisted with spices.
23:54KJV And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
B:E Project It was the day of preparation, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
Context: This notes the timing - Friday, just before sundown, when Sabbath observance would begin and no more work could be done.
Meaning: The burial has to be completed quickly, under real time pressure, before Sabbath restrictions take effect at sundown. It's a small but telling detail of the practical constraints even sacred moments are subject to.
Lesson: Even this most sacred task had to fit within the ordinary limits of time and custom - meaningful, respectful work doesn't need grand ceremony to matter; sometimes doing what you can, quickly and carefully, within real constraints is exactly enough. Don't wait for ideal conditions to do something that matters.
See Also: John 19:42 similarly notes the burial was rushed "because of the Jews' preparation day" and the tomb's convenient proximity.
23:55KJV And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
B:E Project The women who had come with him from Galilee followed along and saw the tomb, and how his body had been placed inside.
Context: This notes the women carefully observing the burial location and process, setting up their return in the next chapter.
Meaning: Their careful attention here isn't incidental - it becomes crucial evidence that they were at the right tomb when they return days later to find it empty. Luke shows these women as reliable, attentive witnesses, not passive bystanders.
Lesson: These women paid careful attention, not out of idle curiosity but out of love and faithfulness - the small, attentive things you do out of care for someone often turn out to matter far more than you expect at the time. Don't underestimate the value of simply paying close attention when someone you love is going through something hard.
See Also: Matthew 27:61 and Mark 15:47 similarly record the women observing where Jesus was laid, a detail that becomes essential in the resurrection accounts that follow.
23:56KJV And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
B:E Project Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumed oils, and rested on the Sabbath, as the law required.
Context: This closes chapter 23, with the women preparing to properly anoint Jesus's body once the Sabbath ends - setting up their return in chapter 24.
Meaning: Even in grief, they honour the Sabbath rest rather than rushing ahead of it, showing a quiet, faithful patience even in the depths of loss. Their careful preparation, paused out of respect for custom, sets up the dramatic discovery that opens the very next chapter.
Lesson: These women paused their grief to honour a day of rest, trusting there would be time enough afterwards to finish what love required - even sorrow doesn't have to override every boundary or every rhythm of rest. Grief and faithfulness can hold together; you don't have to abandon one for the other.
See Also: Mark 16:1 records the same detail of spices being prepared; the Sabbath commandment they observe traces back to Exodus 20:8-10.