Luke 23

Translator Notes

1. The phrase hapan to plēthos autōn ('the whole multitude of them') indicates a corporate decision by the full Sanhedrin. They bring Jesus to Pilate (Pontius Pilatus, Roman prefect of Judea, AD 26-36) because only the Roman governor had the authority to execute a death sentence (ius gladii). The transition from Jewish religious tribunal to Roman political court requires reframing the charges.

Translator Notes

1. The charges are three, and all are political rather than religious: (1) diastephonta to ethnos ('misleading/perverting the nation') — sedition; (2) kōlyonta phorous Kaisari didonai ('forbidding taxes to Caesar') — a direct lie, since Jesus said the opposite in 20:25; (3) legonta heauton christon basilea einai ('claiming to be Christ, a king') — technically true but framed as a political claim against Caesar's sovereignty. The Sanhedrin transforms a religious charge (blasphemy) into a political one (treason) to engage Roman jurisdiction.

Translator Notes

1. Pilate seizes on the only charge that matters to Rome: kingship. The question sy ei ho basileus tōn Ioudaiōn ('you are the king of the Jews?') is the charge that will appear on the cross (v. 38). Jesus's answer sy legeis ('you say so' or 'you are the one saying it') is identical in form to his answer before the Sanhedrin (22:70) — an acknowledgment that neither fully affirms nor denies, placing the characterization in the questioner's framework.

Translator Notes

1. This is the first of Pilate's three declarations of Jesus's innocence (see also vv. 14 and 22). The phrase ouden heuriskō aition ('I find nothing blameworthy, no cause for accusation') is a formal legal verdict of acquittal. Despite this, Pilate does not release Jesus — the political pressure overrides the judicial finding. Luke's emphasis on Pilate's repeated acquittals serves his broader theme of Jesus's innocence.

Translator Notes

1. The verb epischyon ('they were insistent, they pressed harder') shows escalating pressure. The verb anaseiei ('stirs up, incites, agitates') carries connotations of rebellion. The geographical sweep — 'from Galilee all the way here' — is designed to portray Jesus as a widespread, destabilizing influence. The mention of 'Galilee' (Galilaias) catches Pilate's attention, as the next verse shows.

Translator Notes

1. Pilate's question about Galilean origin is not mere curiosity but jurisdictional — if Jesus is from Galilee, he falls under Herod Antipas's authority, and the case can be transferred. This offers Pilate a political exit: he can defer the decision to someone else.

Translator Notes

1. Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea) was in Jerusalem for the Passover festival. The phrase ek tēs exousias Hērōdou ('from Herod's jurisdiction') refers to territorial authority. The Herod episode is unique to Luke and historically plausible — Roman officials sometimes deferred cases to local rulers. Pilate's referral is a political maneuver, not a legal requirement.

Translator Notes

1. Herod's reaction echarē lian ('he was very glad') is grotesque in context — he treats Jesus as an entertainer. His desire to see a sēmeion ('sign, miracle') reduces Jesus's ministry to spectacle. This connects to 9:9, where Herod expressed curiosity about Jesus and tried to see him. His 'joy' at meeting Jesus contrasts with Jesus's silence, creating a scene of failed encounter between the fascinated ruler and the silent prisoner.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase en logois hikanois ('with many words, at considerable length') indicates extensive questioning. Jesus's total silence (ouden apekrinat autō, 'he answered him nothing') echoes Isaiah 53:7 ('like a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth'). Jesus, who answered both the Sanhedrin and Pilate, says nothing to Herod — the man who killed John the Baptist (9:9) receives no word at all.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Isaiah 53:7. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. The adverb eutonōs ('vehemently, vigorously, with great intensity') indicates aggressive prosecution. The religious leaders have followed Jesus from Pilate to Herod to maintain the pressure. The verb katēgorountes ('accusing') is a legal term for formal prosecution.

Translator Notes

1. The verb exouthenēsas ('having treated with contempt, having despised') is the same word used in 18:9 for those who 'despised' others. The esthēta lampran ('bright/splendid garment') is a mock-royal robe, a parody of kingly attire. Herod's mockery is political theater: by dressing Jesus as a pretend king, he dismisses the charge as ridiculous. He does not condemn Jesus — his sending him back constitutes an implicit acquittal.

Translator Notes

1. This detail is unique to Luke and deeply ironic: the trial of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, reconciles two political enemies. Their enmity (echthra) may have stemmed from the incident described in 13:1 (Pilate's slaughter of Galileans, which would have offended Herod as ruler of Galilee). The joint handling of the Jesus case creates a political bond: both can share responsibility while neither takes full blame.

Translator Notes

1. Pilate reassembles all parties — religious leaders, civic leaders, and the general public. The inclusion of ton laon ('the people') is significant: Pilate makes his second acquittal public, presumably hoping popular opinion will support release.

Translator Notes

1. The verb anakrinas ('having examined, having conducted a judicial investigation') is a legal technical term for a formal hearing. Pilate's second declaration of innocence is more detailed than the first (v. 4) — he specifies that the examination was thorough (enōpion hymōn, 'in your presence') and that none of the specific charges (hōn katēgoreite, 'of which you accuse') has substance.

Translator Notes

1. Pilate appeals to Herod's verdict as corroboration: two independent authorities have found no capital offense. The phrase ouden axion thanatou ('nothing worthy of death') is a formal legal assessment. The perfect participle pepragmenon ('having been done') indicates a thorough review of Jesus's entire record, not just the current charges. The double acquittal should, in any fair legal system, result in release.

Translator Notes

1. The verb paideusas ('having disciplined, having punished, having flogged') is a euphemism for a severe beating that typically preceded release in Roman provincial justice. Pilate's proposal is a compromise: punish Jesus enough to satisfy the accusers without executing an innocent man. The injustice is already apparent — Pilate proposes to flog someone he has just declared innocent.

Translator Notes

1. Verse 17 is absent from the SBLGNT and most critical editions. It appears in some later manuscripts as an explanatory gloss about the custom of releasing a prisoner at the festival, drawn from Mark 15:6/Matthew 27:15. We follow the SBLGNT in omitting it from the rendering. The custom is referenced in verse 18 without this explanatory note.

Translator Notes

1. The adverb pamplēthei ('all together, with the whole multitude') indicates a unified crowd reaction. The verb aire ('take away, remove, destroy') expresses violent rejection. The name Barabbas (Barabbas) means 'son of the father' (bar-abba) in Aramaic — an ironic name, as the crowd demands the release of 'the son of the father' while calling for the death of the Son of the Father. The crowd's demand for Barabbas is not explained in Luke — the reader must accept this sudden reversal from the people who 'hung on his words' (19:48).

Translator Notes

1. Luke specifies Barabbas's crimes: stasin ('insurrection, revolt, sedition') and phonon ('murder'). The irony is devastating: Jesus, falsely accused of inciting revolt (v. 2), is condemned, while Barabbas, who actually committed insurrection and murder, is released. The charges the authorities fabricated against Jesus accurately describe Barabbas.

Translator Notes

1. Luke emphasizes Pilate's desire (thelōn, 'wanting, wishing') to release Jesus — the Roman governor is portrayed as reluctantly pushed toward crucifixion rather than eagerly pursuing it. The verb prosephōnēsen ('called out to, addressed') suggests Pilate is trying to persuade the crowd.

Translator Notes

1. The imperfect epephōnoun ('they kept shouting') indicates sustained, repeated demands. The doubled imperative staurou staurou ('crucify, crucify') is a demand for the most degrading Roman punishment — reserved for slaves, pirates, and those convicted of treason. The crowd's chant drowns out Pilate's appeal.

Translator Notes

1. Luke explicitly notes this is the third time (triton) Pilate declares Jesus's innocence, creating a structural parallel with Peter's three denials. The question ti gar kakon epoiēsen houtos ('what evil has this man done?') demands a specific crime, which is never provided. Pilate repeats his compromise offer (flogging and release) word for word from verse 16, but the crowd's response will be different this time.

Translator Notes

1. The verb epekeinto ('they pressed upon, they were insistent, they bore down') describes overwhelming pressure. The verb katischyon ('prevailed, won out, gained strength') is a legal term indicating that the crowd's demand overcame Pilate's resistance. Luke's account makes clear that Pilate capitulated to pressure rather than reaching a judicial decision — the voices (phōnai), not evidence, determined the outcome.

Translator Notes

1. The verb epekrinen ('he pronounced judgment, he decided, he decreed') is a judicial term — Pilate formally grants the crowd's aitēma ('demand, request'). The sentence is technically illegal by Roman standards: the governor condemns a man he has three times declared innocent. Luke does not soften this injustice.

Translator Notes

1. Luke restates Barabbas's crimes (stasis and phonos) to maximize the irony of the exchange. The phrase paredōken tō thelēmati autōn ('he handed over to their will') uses paradidōmi, the same verb used for Judas's betrayal and for God's sovereign handing-over. Pilate surrenders Jesus not to justice but to 'their will' — mob desire replaces legal verdict.

Translator Notes

1. Roman practice required the condemned to carry the horizontal crossbeam (patibulum) to the execution site. Jesus's inability to carry it suggests extreme physical weakness from the flogging. Simon of Cyrene (a city in modern Libya) was likely a Jewish pilgrim in Jerusalem for Passover. The phrase pherein opisthen tou Iēsou ('to carry behind Jesus') takes on symbolic meaning in light of Jesus's teaching: 'Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple' (14:27). Simon literally fulfills the discipleship metaphor.

Translator Notes

1. This scene is unique to Luke. The women who mourn (ekoptonto, 'were beating their breasts') and wail (ethrēnoun, 'were lamenting with funeral dirges') perform the traditional Jewish mourning rites while Jesus is still alive. The distinction between 'the people' (tou laou) and 'women' (gynaikōn) may indicate that Luke sees the women as a distinct group within the larger crowd. Their grief is genuine, unlike the crowd's demand for crucifixion.

Translator Notes

1. The address thygateres Ierousalēm ('daughters of Jerusalem') echoes the Song of Solomon (1:5, 2:7, 3:5, 5:8, 8:4) and the prophets. Jesus redirects their grief from himself to what awaits Jerusalem — the coming destruction he prophesied in 19:41-44 and 21:20-24. Even on the way to his own execution, Jesus is concerned for others. The phrase 'your children' (ta tekna hymōn) connects to 19:44 ('they will dash you to the ground — you and your children within you').

Translator Notes

1. This is a devastating inversion of the normal beatitude: in Jewish culture, barrenness was considered a curse (cf. Elizabeth's 'disgrace' in 1:25), but Jesus declares that the coming siege will be so horrific that childless women will be the fortunate ones — they will have no children to watch suffer. Josephus records instances of cannibalism during the siege of Jerusalem (War 6.3.4), making this prophecy terrifyingly specific.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus quotes Hosea 10:8, the prophet's description of Israel's desperate flight from divine judgment. The plea for mountains to crush them and hills to cover them expresses a preference for death over the horrors that are coming. This passage is later echoed in Revelation 6:16, where the kings of the earth cry the same words at the cosmic judgment.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Hosea 10:8 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. This proverb is unique to Luke and enigmatic. The 'green wood' (hygō xylō) is fresh and difficult to burn; the 'dry wood' (xērō) catches fire easily. If Rome does this to an innocent man (the green wood, full of life), what will Rome do to a guilty, rebellious nation (the dry wood, ready to burn)? The proverb warns that the suffering Jesus endures is mild compared to what Jerusalem will face.

Translator Notes

1. The word kakourgoi ('criminals, evildoers') is more general than Mark's lēstai ('revolutionaries, bandits'). The phrase syn autō ('with him') fulfills the Isaiah 53:12 quotation from 22:37: 'he was counted among the lawless.' The grammatical structure heteroi kakourgoi duo ('two other criminals') could be read as classifying Jesus as a criminal too — some manuscripts adjust the word order to avoid this implication.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Isaiah 53:12. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. The Greek Kranion ('Skull') translates the Aramaic Golgotha (which only Mark and Matthew transliterate; Luke gives only the Greek). The traditional site was a rocky outcrop outside the city walls. Luke's account of the crucifixion itself is understated: estayrōsan auton ('they crucified him') — four words in Greek for the most agonizing form of execution the Roman world knew. The positioning of the two criminals on either side physically enacts Isaiah 53:12.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 53:12 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. TEXTUAL NOTE: The first sentence ('Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing') is absent from P75, the original hand of Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus, and other early witnesses. It is present in the corrected Sinaiticus, Codex Bezae, and most later manuscripts. The SBLGNT includes it in double brackets. The saying is consistent with Luke's portrait of Jesus (cf. the prayer for persecutors and Stephen's echo in Acts 7:60) and may have been removed by scribes who thought it inappropriate after the destruction of Jerusalem. We include it but note the disputed evidence. The imperfect elegen ('he was saying, he kept saying') may indicate repeated prayer. The casting of lots for garments echoes Psalm 22:18.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Psalm 22:18. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. Luke distinguishes between the people (ho laos) who simply watch (theōrōn, 'observing') and the rulers (hoi archontes) who actively mock (exemyktērizon, 'were sneering, were turning up their noses'). The taunt 'he saved others' (allous esōsen) is unwittingly true — Jesus did save others, and the irony is that saving himself would make saving others impossible. The title ho eklektos ('the Chosen One') echoes the divine voice at the transfiguration (9:35), spoken by God in affirmation and now by the rulers in mockery.

Translator Notes

1. The soldiers' mockery adds a military dimension to the religious rulers' scorn. The oxos ('vinegar, sour wine') was posca, the cheap wine-vinegar mixture that Roman soldiers drank. Offering it to a crucified man was a form of taunting — the soldiers' drink, not a prisoner's comfort. The scene echoes Psalm 69:21 ('they gave me vinegar for my thirst').
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Psalm 69:21. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. The soldiers' mockery parallels the rulers' (v. 35) but uses the political title 'King of the Jews' (ho basileus tōn Ioudaiōn) rather than the religious title 'Christ.' Three groups now mock: rulers (v. 35), soldiers (vv. 36-37), and one of the criminals (v. 39). The conditional ei ('if') challenges Jesus to prove his claim through self-rescue — the fundamental misunderstanding of his mission.

Translator Notes

1. The epigraphē ('inscription, titulus') was the charge plaque (titulus crucis) that Roman practice required to be displayed above the condemned, stating the crime. Luke's version is the shortest of the four Gospels. The charge — basileus tōn Ioudaiōn ('King of the Jews') — was political treason against Rome. Ironically, the inscription is theologically true: the crucified man is indeed the King of the Jews, enthroned on a cross.

Translator Notes

1. The verb eblasphēmei ('was blaspheming, was reviling') is strong — the criminal does not merely ask for help but insults Jesus. The participle kremasthentōn ('hanging') uses a verb associated with the curse of Deuteronomy 21:23 ('cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree'). His demand echoes the rulers' and soldiers' mockery, adding 'and us' — he wants rescue without repentance.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Deuteronomy 21:23. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. The second criminal's response is unique to Luke and theologically remarkable. He rebukes (epitimōn) the first criminal — the same verb used for rebuking demons and storms. His question 'Do you not fear God?' (oude phobē sy ton theon) identifies the fundamental problem: even facing death, the first criminal lacks reverence for God. The phrase en tō autō krimati ('under the same judgment/condemnation') acknowledges that they share Jesus's fate.

Translator Notes

1. The criminal confesses his own guilt (dikaiōs, 'justly, rightly') and declares Jesus's innocence (ouden atopon epraxen, 'he has done nothing out of place, nothing wrong'). The word atopon ('out of place, wrong, improper, evil') is a litotes — a profound understatement. This criminal becomes the fifth witness to Jesus's innocence in Luke's passion narrative (after Pilate three times and Herod). A condemned criminal sees what the religious and political authorities refuse to acknowledge.

Translator Notes

1. The criminal addresses Jesus by name (Iēsou) without a title — an intimacy that goes beyond formality. The plea mnēsthēti mou ('remember me') echoes the language of the Psalms (Psalm 25:7, 106:4), where 'remember' means to act in someone's favor. The phrase hotan elthēs eis tēn basileian sou ('when you come into your kingdom') is astonishing: hanging beside a dying man, the criminal confesses faith in Jesus's kingship and future reign. This is perhaps the most radical act of faith in the Gospels.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Psalm 25:7. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The response exceeds the request: the criminal asked to be remembered in a future kingdom; Jesus promises presence with him today (sēmeron) in paradise (paradeisō). The word paradeisos (borrowed from Persian, meaning 'enclosed garden, park') is used in the Septuagint for the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8) and in Jewish apocalyptic literature for the dwelling of the righteous dead. Luke's characteristic sēmeron ('today') — the same word used at Jesus's birth (2:11), in the Nazareth sermon (4:21), and at Zacchaeus's house (19:9) — marks the present moment as the time of salvation. The promise met' emou esē ('you will be with me') defines paradise not as a place but as communion with Jesus.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Genesis 2:8 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The 'sixth hour' (hōra hektē) is noon; the 'ninth hour' (hōras enatēs) is 3 PM — three hours of midday darkness. The darkness (skotos) echoes the plague of darkness over Egypt (Exodus 10:21-23) and the prophetic warnings of Amos 8:9 ('I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight'). The phrase eph' holēn tēn gēn ('over the whole land/earth') is ambiguous — it could mean the land of Israel or the entire earth. The phenomenon was not a normal solar eclipse (impossible during Passover's full moon).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Exodus 10:21-23. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Amos 8:9. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. The verb eklipontos ('failing, being eclipsed') is the same root used in 22:32 for faith 'failing.' Luke places the tearing of the temple curtain before Jesus's death (unlike Mark, who places it after), making it a sign that accompanies the dying rather than follows it. The katapetasma tou naou ('curtain of the sanctuary') most likely refers to the inner curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Exodus 26:33). Its tearing meson ('in the middle, in two') symbolizes the removal of the barrier between God and humanity — access to God's presence is opened through Jesus's death.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Exodus 26:33 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. Luke's Jesus dies with the words of Psalm 31:5 on his lips — a psalm of trust in God's protection. This replaces Mark's cry of dereliction ('My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' from Psalm 22:1). Luke's last word is 'Father' (Pater), maintaining the intimate filial relationship that characterized Jesus's prayer life throughout the Gospel (10:21, 11:2, 22:42, 23:34). The verb paratithēmai ('I entrust, I commit, I deposit for safekeeping') is a banking term for depositing something valuable with a trusted guardian. The verb exepneusen ('he breathed out, he expired') is a dignified description of death — Jesus releases his spirit actively rather than having it taken from him.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Psalms 31:5. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Psalm 22:1. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. Luke's centurion declares Jesus dikaios ('righteous, innocent') rather than Mark's 'Son of God' (huios theou). This serves Luke's apologetic purpose: even the Roman executioner acknowledges Jesus's innocence. The verb edoxazen ('he was glorifying, praising') is a Lukan term — the centurion does not merely express an opinion but praises God. This is the sixth witness to Jesus's innocence in the passion narrative. The word ontōs ('truly, certainly, in reality') expresses firm conviction.

Translator Notes

1. The crowds who had demanded crucifixion now return home typtones ta stēthē ('beating their chests') — a gesture of grief, mourning, and possibly repentance. Luke's portrait of the crowd is more nuanced than often recognized: they are not uniformly hostile but move from demand (v. 21) to grief (v. 48). The word theōrian ('spectacle, sight') reduces the crucifixion to public entertainment, which makes the crowd's emotional reversal all the more striking.

Translator Notes

1. The 'acquaintances' (gnōstoi) and the Galilean women remain — they are witnesses who will bridge the gap between crucifixion and resurrection. Their position apo makrothen ('from a distance') echoes the ten lepers' position (17:12) and Peter's following (22:54). The women are named in 24:10 (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James). Their faithful watching (horōsai, 'seeing, observing') contrasts with the disciples' absence — Luke does not record any male disciple at the cross.

Translator Notes

1. Joseph of Arimathea is described as a bouleutēs ('councilor'), meaning he was a member of the Sanhedrin — the very body that condemned Jesus. Luke's description of him as agathos kai dikaios ('good and righteous') uses the same language applied to Simeon (2:25) and to Barnabas (Acts 11:24). The dash at the end indicates the description continues.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase ouk ēn synkatatetheimenos ('had not agreed, had not voted with') is a legal term indicating dissent from the Sanhedrin's verdict. This detail is unique to Luke and establishes Joseph's moral integrity — he opposed the plot. Arimathea (probably Ramathaim, Samuel's hometown in 1 Samuel 1:1) was a town in the Judean hills. The phrase prosedecheto tēn basileian tou theou ('was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God') links Joseph to Simeon (2:25, 'waiting for the consolation of Israel') and Anna (2:38, 'looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem').
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes 1 Samuel 1:1. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. Requesting the body of a crucified criminal required courage — it identified Joseph publicly as an associate of a condemned man. Under Roman law, the bodies of the executed usually belonged to the state; release to family or friends required special permission. Joseph's willingness to approach Pilate marks him as willing to bear the social cost of association with Jesus.

Translator Notes

1. The verb kathelōn ('having taken down') implies Joseph personally removed the body from the cross — an act of extraordinary devotion. The sindoni ('linen cloth, linen shroud') was used for burial wrapping. The mnēmati laxeutō ('tomb hewn/cut from rock') was an expensive, newly excavated burial cave. The detail 'where no one had yet been laid' (hou ouk ēn oudeis oupō keimenos) ensures that the subsequent resurrection cannot be confused with another body's presence.

Translator Notes

1. The paraskeuē ('Preparation') was Friday, the day before the Sabbath, when all work for the Sabbath had to be completed before sunset. The verb epephōsken ('was dawning, was beginning') refers to the Jewish reckoning where a new day began at sunset, not sunrise — the Sabbath was 'dawning' as the sun set on Friday evening. The urgency of the burial is explained: once the Sabbath began, no burial work could be performed.

Translator Notes

1. The women serve as witnesses to both the death (v. 49) and the burial — they know exactly where the tomb is and how the body was positioned. The verb etheasanto ('they observed carefully, they saw with attention') indicates deliberate observation, not a passing glance. This eyewitness knowledge will be critical when they return after the Sabbath (24:1) and find the tomb empty. Their role as witnesses is legally significant in Luke's narrative, even though women's testimony was not accepted in Jewish courts.

Translator Notes

1. The women's preparation of arōmata kai myra ('spices and ointments') for proper burial anointing demonstrates both their devotion and their expectation that Jesus is permanently dead — they are preparing for a body, not awaiting a resurrection. The final clause kata tēn entolēn ('according to the commandment') refers to the Sabbath law of Exodus 20:8-11. Even in grief, they observe Torah. The chapter ends on the Sabbath rest — silence, stillness, waiting. Luke places the reader in the suspended moment between death and resurrection.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Exodus 20:8-11. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.