Luke 23:33 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →At the place called Calvary they crucify Jesus, with one criminal on his right and the other on his left.
What Does Luke 23:33 Mean?
Luke records the central deed of the ages with stark brevity: there they crucified him. The place bore the name of a skull, and the cross of Jesus stands in the middle, a condemned man on either side.
The whole gospel gathers at this sentence. The middle cross holds the Mediator — between two sinners, just as he had always placed himself among us, giving “his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Luke spares the reader gruesome detail, because the meaning, not the gore, is the point: the Son of God, lifted up between earth and heaven, dying the death of the guilty in the place of the guilty.
Luke 23:33 in the Original Language
Kranion (Κρανίον), 'Calvary' -- Greek for 'the Skull'; the English name comes from the Latin form, calvaria.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 23:33
What does Luke 23:33 mean?
At the place called Calvary they crucify Jesus, with one criminal on his right and the other on his left.