Luke 23:34

Luke 23:34, in plain English

Jesus' first words on the cross are stunning: 'Father, forgive them — they don't know what they're doing.' While they're killing Him, He's praying for them.

Why it's here

This is the ultimate proof that Jesus meant everything He ever taught about loving your enemies. He lived it out to His last breath.

Who's speaking

Jesus speaks from the cross with supernatural love, asking His Father to forgive the very people who are taking His life.

Where it sits in the story

This might be the most remarkable sentence ever spoken. While nails are being driven through His flesh, Jesus looks at His executioners and prays for their forgiveness. Not revenge. Not justice. Forgiveness. This is love at its most extreme and beautiful.

The scholarly reading

Jesus' first word from the cross is a prayer of forgiveness: 'Pater, aphes autois, ou gar oidasin ti poiousin' (Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing). This prayer, unique to Luke, embodies Jesus' teaching on enemy-love (Luke 6:27-28).

Language and setting

This verse is textually disputed — absent from some early manuscripts — but is widely accepted as authentic, consistent with Luke's emphasis on forgiveness and Jesus' character. The soldiers cast lots for His garments (Psalm 22:18).

Voice

Jesus prays from the cross for the forgiveness of those who are crucifying Him, practicing the radical enemy-love He preached throughout His ministry.

Significance

While being nailed to the cross, Jesus' first words are not a cry of pain or a curse upon His killers but a prayer for their forgiveness. He practices what He preached — love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you — in the most extreme circumstances imaginable.

32Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.

33When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.

34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.

35The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

36The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.

Read all of Luke 23 — Pilate finds no fault. Herod finds entertainment. The crowd demands blood. And on a cross between two criminals, Jesus forgives.