Luke 23:39
New International Version
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

New Living Translation
One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

English Standard Version
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

Berean Standard Bible
One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”

Berean Literal Bible
And one of the criminals having been hanged was railing at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!"

King James Bible
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

New King James Version
Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

New American Standard Bible
One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”

NASB 1995
One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”

NASB 1977
And one of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”

Legacy Standard Bible
And one of the criminals hanging there was blaspheming Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”

Amplified Bible
One of the criminals who had been hanged [on a cross beside Him] kept hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us [from death]!”

Christian Standard Bible
Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!”

American Standard Version
And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us.

Contemporary English Version
One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!"

English Revised Version
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
One of the criminals hanging there insulted Jesus by saying, "So you're really the Messiah, are you? Well, save yourself and us!"

Good News Translation
One of the criminals hanging there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"

International Standard Version
Now one of the criminals hanging there kept insulting him, "You are the Messiah, aren't you? Save yourself…and us!"

Majority Standard Bible
One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. ?if You are the Christ,? he said, ?Save Yourself and us!?

NET Bible
One of the criminals who was hanging there railed at him, saying, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

New Heart English Bible
One of the criminals who hung there insulted him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us."

Webster's Bible Translation
And one of the malefactors, who were hanged, railed on him, saying, If thou art Christ, save thyself and us.

Weymouth New Testament
Now one of the criminals who had been crucified insulted Him, saying, "Are not you the Christ? Save yourself and us."

World English Bible
One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And one of the evildoers who were hanged was slandering Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

Berean Literal Bible
And one of the criminals having been hanged was railing at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!"

Young's Literal Translation
And one of the evil-doers who were hanged, was speaking evil of him, saying, 'If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And one of the evil doers hanged, blasphemed him, saying, If thou art Christ, save thyself and us.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And one of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And one of those robbers who were hanging blasphemed him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.”

New American Bible
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.”

New Revised Standard Version
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now one of the malefactors who were crucified with him, blasphemed against him, saying, If you are the Christ, save yourself and save us also.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But one of those evildoers who were crucified with him was blaspheming him and he said, “If you are The Messiah, save yourself and save us also.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And one of the evil-doers that were hanged reviled him, saying: If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.

Godbey New Testament
And one of the malefactors having been hung up, continued to blaspheme Him, saying, If thou art the Christ, save thyself and us.

Haweis New Testament
Then one of the suspended malefactors blasphemed him, saying, If thou art the Messiah, save thyself and us.

Mace New Testament
Now one of the malefactors, that was crucified with him, impiously said, if thou art the Christ, save thy self, and us.

Weymouth New Testament
Now one of the criminals who had been crucified insulted Him, saying, "Are not you the Christ? Save yourself and us."

Worrell New Testament
And one of the suspended malefactors kept reviling Him, saying, "Art not Thou the Christ? Save Thyself and us!"

Worsley New Testament
And one of the malefactors that were executed with Him reviled Him, saying, If thou be the Messiah, save thyself and us.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Crucifixion
38Above Him was posted an inscription: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!” 40But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment?…

Cross References
Matthew 27:44
In the same way, even the robbers who were crucified with Him berated Him.

Mark 15:32
Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” And even those who were crucified with Him berated Him.

Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

Psalm 22:7-8
All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: / “He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.”

Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

1 Peter 2:23
When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

Proverbs 1:22
“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?

John 19:18
There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle.

Matthew 27:38
Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on His right and the other on His left.

Mark 15:27-28
Along with Jesus, they crucified two robbers, one on His right and one on His left. / So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “And he was numbered with the transgressors.”

John 19:32-33
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and those of the other. / But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

2 Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Hebrews 12:3
Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Psalm 69:20-21
Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one. / They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.

Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.


Treasury of Scripture

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If you be Christ, save yourself and us.

Luke 17:34-36
I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left…

Matthew 27:44
The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Mark 15:32
Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

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Abuse Bitter Christ Criminals Cross Crucified Evil Evil-Doers Feeling Hanged Hung Hurled Hurling Insulted Insults Malefactors Railed Save Speaking Thyself
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Luke 23
1. Jesus is accused before Pilate, and sent to Herod.
8. Herod mocks him.
12. Herod and Pilate become friends.
13. Barabbas is desired of the people,
24. and is released by Pilate, and Jesus is given to be crucified.
26. He tells the women, that lament him, the destruction of Jerusalem;
34. prays for his enemies.
39. Two criminals are crucified with him.
46. His death.
50. His burial.














One of the criminals
This phrase introduces us to the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus. The Greek word used here is "κακούργων" (kakourgōn), which means "evildoer" or "criminal." Historically, crucifixion was a Roman method of execution reserved for the most heinous offenders, indicating the severity of their crimes. This setting emphasizes the stark contrast between the innocence of Jesus and the guilt of those around Him.

who hung there
The act of hanging on a cross was a brutal form of execution, designed to maximize suffering and humiliation. The Greek word "κρεμάμενος" (kremamenos) implies being suspended, which in the context of crucifixion, was a public display meant to deter others from similar crimes. This phrase underscores the physical and emotional agony endured by those crucified.

heaped abuse on Him
The Greek word "ἐβλασφήμει" (eblasphēmei) is used here, meaning to blaspheme or speak evil against. This indicates not just verbal insult but a deeper spiritual offense, as blasphemy involves speaking irreverently about God or sacred things. The criminal's words reflect a heart hardened against recognizing Jesus' divine nature and mission.

'Are You not the Christ?'
This rhetorical question challenges Jesus' identity as the Messiah. The term "Christ" comes from the Greek "Χριστός" (Christos), meaning "Anointed One," equivalent to the Hebrew "Messiah." The criminal's question is laden with sarcasm and disbelief, reflecting a common misunderstanding of the Messiah's role as a political liberator rather than a spiritual savior.

he said
This simple phrase indicates direct speech, drawing attention to the personal nature of the interaction. It highlights the criminal's audacity in addressing Jesus, even in his own suffering, and sets the stage for the contrasting responses of the two criminals.

'Save Yourself and us!'
The demand for salvation here is both literal and ironic. The Greek word "σῶσον" (sōson) means "save" or "rescue." The criminal seeks immediate physical deliverance, missing the deeper spiritual salvation Jesus offers. This plea reflects a common human desire for temporal relief over eternal redemption, highlighting the misunderstanding of Jesus' mission to save humanity from sin rather than merely from earthly suffering.

(39) And one of the malefactors.--The incident that follows is singularly characteristic of St. Luke. If we ask how he came to know what the other Gospels pass over, we may, I think, find his probable informants once more in the devout women who followed Jesus to the place of Crucifixion, and who stood near enough to the cross to hear what was then spoken. The word for "hanged" is used by St. Luke (Acts 5:30; Acts 10:39) and St. Paul (Galatians 3:13) as applied to crucifixion.

Railed on him.--Literally, was blaspheming, but in the sense in which that word signifies the "reviling" of which man, and not God, may be the object. He, too, catches up the taunt of the rulers and the soldiers.

Verses 39, 40. - And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God? In the first two synoptists we read how, shortly after they were nailed to their crosses, both thieves "reviled" Jesus. The Greek word, however, used by SS. Matthew and Mark is ὠνείδιζον (reproached). The word used by St, Luke in this place of the impenitent one is ἐβλασφήμει, "began to use injurious and insulting language" - a much stronger term. Farrar suggests that at first, during the early hours of the Crucifixion, in the madness of anguish and despair, they both probably joined in the reproaches levelled by all classes alike at One who might seem to them to have thrown away a great opportunity. They, no doubt, knew something, possibly much, of Jesus' career, and how he had deliberately prevented more than once the multitude from proclaiming him King. Watching him as he hung bravely patient on his cross, only breaking the dread silence with a low-muttered prayer for his murderers to his Father, one of these misguided men changed his opinion of his fellow-Sufferer, changed his opinion, too, of his own past career. There, dying with a prayer for others on his lips, was the Example of true heroism, of real patriotism. If thou be Christ. The more ancient authorities read, Art thou not the Christ? But the other. In the Apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus the names of the two are given as Dysmas and Gysmas, and these names appear still in Calvaries and stations in Roman Catholic lands. Seeing thou art in the same condemnation. His words might be paraphrased, "How canst thou, a dying man, join these mere lookers-on at our execution and agony? we are undergoing it ourselves. Dost thou net fear God? In a few hours we shall be before him. We have at all events deserved our doom; but not this Sufferer whom you revile. What has he done?"

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
One
Εἷς (Heis)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

of the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

criminals
κακούργων (kakourgōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2557: (lit: an evil-worker), a criminal. From kakos and the base of ergon; a wrong-doer, i.e. Criminal.

who hung [there]
κρεμασθέντων (kremasthentōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2910: To hang, hang up, suspend; mid: To be hanging, hang. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to hang.

heaped abuse on
ἐβλασφήμει (eblasphēmei)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 987: From blasphemos; to vilify; specially, to speak impiously.

Him.
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“Are You
σὺ (sy)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

not
Οὐχὶ (Ouchi)
IntPrtcl
Strong's 3780: By no means, not at all. Intensive of ou; not indeed.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Christ?”
Χριστός (Christos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

he said.
λέγων (legōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“Save
σῶσον (sōson)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4982: To save, heal, preserve, rescue. From a primary sos; to save, i.e. Deliver or protect.

Yourself
σεαυτὸν (seauton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4572: Of yourself.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

us!”
ἡμᾶς (hēmas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Gospels: Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who was hanged (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 23:38
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