Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Verse
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56

Luke 23:40
ESV But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
NIV But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
NASB But the other responded, and rebuking him, said, 'Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
CSB But the other answered, rebuking him: "Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment?
NLT But the other criminal protested, 'Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?
KJV But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
NKJV But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

What does Luke 23:40 mean?

Jesus is crucified with two thieves, one on either side of Him. Apparently, they both began the experience by heckling Him, taking their cues from the people, leaders, and soldiers who mock Jesus (Mark 15:29–32). One thief continues (Luke 23:39).

The other thief reconsiders. He starts with a realization: God is to be feared. Whatever choices brought them to commit the crimes they did no longer matter. Whatever abuses the Romans have committed against the Jews no longer matter. God is God and His authority and power are to be respected. He then applies that truth to their situation: he and the other thief deserve what they are experiencing. We don't know what they did, but it must have been serious (Luke 23:41).

Next, he sees the difference in Jesus' situation: He is innocent (Luke 23:41). He has done nothing wrong to deserve crucifixion. If God is to be feared and they deserve to be crucified, how could they ridicule an innocent man receiving the same punishment? It is a mockery of God's justice and authority.

The first thief cries out, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" (Luke 23:39). The second thief understands they don't deserve to be saved. And if the first thief is wrong about that, maybe he's wrong about the first part, too. Maybe this is the Christ!
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app:
BibleRef.com is part of Got Questions Ministries

For answers to your Bible questions, please visit