Luke 23:2 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The leaders accuse Jesus before Pilate of subverting the nation, forbidding taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ, a King.
What Does Luke 23:2 Mean?
A charge of blasphemy would not move a Roman governor, so the accusers translate their case into politics: sedition, tax resistance, rival kingship. The middle charge is plainly false — Jesus had said, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's” (Luke 20:25).
Yet woven into the false accusations stands one unintended truth: he is Christ, a King. The court cannot condemn him without naming him. So it often goes with the world's verdicts on Jesus — even hostility ends up confessing his titles. The reader is left to decide what the accusers would not: whether to crown him or condemn him.
Luke 23:2 in the Original Language
diastrepho (διαστρέφω), 'perverting' -- to twist or turn aside; the charge means distorting the nation's loyalty.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 23:2
What does Luke 23:2 mean?
The leaders accuse Jesus before Pilate of subverting the nation, forbidding taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ, a King.