Luke 23:13–25
The righteous King dies in place of the guilty.
13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,
14 and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and behold, having examined him before you, I found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him.
15 Neither has Herod, for I sent you to him, and see, nothing worthy of death has been done by him.
16 I will therefore chastise him and release him.”
17 Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast.
18 But they all cried out together, saying, “Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!”—
19 one who was thrown into prison for a certain revolt in the city, and for murder.
20 Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus,
21 but they shouted, saying, “Crucify! Crucify him!”
22 He said to them the third time, “Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him.”
23 But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. Their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed.
24 Pilate decreed that what they asked for should be done.
25 He released him who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus up to their will.
The righteous King dies in place of the guilty.
To demonstrate Christ’s innocence and portray substitution through the release of Barabbas.
Following hearings before Pilate and Herod (23:1–12), this section intensifies the judicial injustice. It transitions directly into the crucifixion narrative (23:26–43).
The Innocent King Condemned, Crucified with Transgressors, and Buried in Hope
The innocent King is condemned in place of the guilty, crucified among transgressors, grants forgiveness and paradise, dies trusting the Father, and is buried in hope before resurrection.