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Luke 23:50
ESV Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man,
NIV Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man,
NASB And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man
CSB There was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin,
NLT Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council,
KJV And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor; and he was a good man, and a just:
NKJV Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.

What does Luke 23:50 mean?

Since His arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus has been treated horribly. He's been beaten, scourged, mocked, and blasphemed. He's been declared innocent yet crucified. Other than the last words of a thief, He is given respect only when He dies. The centurion admits He's innocent, the soldiers call Him the Son of God, and the people mourn His death (Luke 23:47–48; Matthew 27:54).

Now, Jesus' dead body receives the care His living body was denied. Joseph of Arimathea is a member of the Sanhedrin: the Jewish ruling council that presented Jesus to Pilate (Luke 22:66—23:1). He's also a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 27:57). He didn't agree with the other council members, but as one man he didn't have the power to stop them (Luke 23:51). Matthew mentions that he's rich (Matthew 27:57), which explains how he owns a new tomb in Jerusalem.

The term "righteous," like most adjectives, should be understood in context. In Romans 3:10, Paul says, "None is righteous, no, not one." That is during a discussion of how all people, everywhere, are sinners in need of redemption. Here, Joseph is called righteous; earlier, Zechariah and Elizabeth, and Simeon are called righteous (Luke 1:5–6; 2:25). In those contexts, these are people who sincerely and actively follow God—with a lifestyle to match. It may be that they are declared so because they follow the Mosaic law (Philippians 3:6). More likely, it's because of their faith. Joseph is "looking for the kingdom of God" (Luke 23:51).
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