Luke 23:46 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.

NIV: Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

NASB: And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I ENTRUST MY SPIRIT.' And having said this, He died.

CSB: And Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit." Saying this, he breathed his last.

NLT: Then Jesus shouted, 'Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!' And with those words he breathed his last.

KJV: And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

NKJV: And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.

Jesus has been hanging on the cross for six hours. Before that, He was beaten and scourged. His body is failing. His spirit holds the sins of the world and God's wrath against them. People have passed His cross and made crass, blasphemous comments (Matthew 27:39–40). He has looked down and seen His mother, Mary, looking up at Him (John 19:25–27). The land has gone dark in the middle of the afternoon (Luke 23:44). The final moment has come.

Earlier, when Jesus was teaching His disciples about how He is a good shepherd, He said, "For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father" (John 10:17–18).

Jesus chooses this moment. He quotes Psalm 31:5 and dies. After six hours on the cross, it is time to shed the pain of sin and His broken body. He trusts that the Father will accept His sacrifice. He will meet the thief in paradise (Luke 23:43) and, three days later, return from the grave.

The Gospel writers include different details. Matthew 27:50 and Mark 15:37 say He cries out; John 19:30 explains Jesus cries, "It is finished." Matthew says that it is at this point that the temple veil tears, the earth quakes, rocks are split, and the tombs of Jesus' followers open. Those followers come back to life (Matthew 27:52–53). The people affirm, "Truly this was the Son of God" (Matthew 27:54) and beat their breasts in mourning as they turn away (Luke 23:48). The centurion overseeing the crucifixion proclaims, "Certainly this man was innocent!" (Luke 23:47).

The King James Version uses "gave up the ghost" instead of "breathed his last," much like "gave up his spirit" in John 19:30.

Luke 23:44–49 reports how the land turned dark and the temple veil was torn as Jesus gave His spirit to God and died. The centurion recognizes that Jesus is righteous, and the people go home, mourning. Jesus' acquaintances, including many of the women who support Him, look on from a distance. Matthew 27:45–56, Mark 15:33–41, and John 19:28–30 also record the death of Jesus.

Luke 23 records the remaining trials, death, and burial of Jesus Christ. He is examined by the Roman governor and the local appointed King, neither of whom are interested in passing a death sentence. Local religious leaders incite the crowd, pressuring the governor, Pilate, to authorize crucifixion. Jesus accepts the faith of another condemned man and dies. Joseph of Arimathea asks for Jesus body and buries it in a tomb cut from rock.

Luke 23 records Jesus' civil trials, crucifixion, and burial. The members of the Sanhedrin have put Jesus through three trials in their attempt to convince Pilate He's a threat (Luke 22:47–71). Their case is weak, but their political influence is powerful enough to force Pilate's hand. Jesus is executed. Three days after Joseph of Arimathea buries Jesus, Jesus reappears on the road to Emmaus where He explains Messianic prophecies in Jewish Scriptures. After spending time with His followers, Jesus ascends into heaven (Luke 24) and the disciples build the church (Acts).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.