Luke 23:21 Meaning and Explanation
“But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The crowd shouts back, twice over: Crucify him, crucify him.
What Does Luke 23:21 Mean?
For the first time in Luke's account the word is spoken aloud. The crowd does not merely want Jesus removed; it names the manner — crucifixion, Rome's slow, public death for slaves and rebels.
Days earlier the city's roads had rung with “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Luke 19:38). Crowds turn, and the human heart is capable of both cries. Jesus heard the doubled shout and stayed; he had long since set his face toward this city (Luke 9:51). The word meant to seal his end instead names the very means by which he redeems.
Luke 23:21 in the Original Language
stauroo (σταυρόω), 'crucify' -- to fix to a cross or stake; the empire's harshest public execution.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 23:21
What does Luke 23:21 mean?
The crowd shouts back, twice over: Crucify him, crucify him.