Matthew 27:38

Matthew 27:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
• New International Version (NIV)Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

Context of Matthew 27:38

36Then the soldiers sat down and they watched Jesus carefully. 37Above his head they fixed a notice. This showed the reason why they were killing him. It said, ‘This man is Jesus, the king of the Jews.’ Then the soldiers also fixed two robbers to crosses near to Jesus. One robber was at Jesus' right side, and one was at his left side. 39The people who walked near there insulted Jesus. They laughed at him, 40and they said, ‘You said that you could destroy the temple and then build it again in three days. If you really are the Son of God, save yourself. Come down from the cross.’

Matthew 27:38 word by word

Τότε σταυροῦνται σὺν αὐτῷ δύο λῃσταί, εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύμων.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenτότεtote · thenG5119
• were thereσταυρόωstauroō · to crucifyG4717
• twoδύοduo · twoG1417
• thievesλῃστήςlēstēs · robber/rebelG3027
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• onἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the right handδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the leftεὐώνυμοςeuōnumos · left/southG2176

Cross-references for Matthew 27:38

• Matthew 27:44Then the two robbers who were on the crosses next to Jesus also insulted him.
• Isaiah 53:12So I will put him in a place of honour, as a great person deserves. He will share the good things that powerful men receive when they have won a battle. He deserves this, because he agreed to die as a sacrifice. People thought that he himself was a sinner when he took away the sins of many people. He prayed that God would forgive sinners.’
• Mark 15:27They also put two robbers on crosses near to Jesus. One robber was on Jesus' right side. The other robber was on his left side.
• Luke 22:37I tell you this: Long ago people wrote in the Bible what must happen to me. It says, “People will think that he is a wicked person.” And this must happen to me soon, so that it becomes true.’
• Luke 23:32The soldiers also took two other men out of the prison. These men had done bad things. The soldiers would kill them and Jesus together.
• John 19:18When they arrived there, the soldiers fixed Jesus to the cross. They put two other men on crosses near to him. They were on each side of him and Jesus was between them.
• John 19:31It was the day when the Jews prepare everything for their day of rest. The next day was the day for the Passover meal, so it was a very important day. The Jews did not want the men's bodies to stay on the crosses during that day of rest. So they asked Pilate to tell the soldiers to break the legs of those men. Then they could take the dead bodies down from the crosses.

Commentaries on Matthew 27:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38Two thieves - ͅϚ, robbers, or cutthroats: men who had committed robbery and murder; for it does not appear that persons were crucified for robbery only. Thus was our Lord numbered (his name enrolled, placed as it were in the death warrant) with transgressors, according to the prophetic declaration, Isaiah 53:12; and the Jews placed him between these two, perhaps to intimate that he was the worst felon of the three.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38Two thieves crucified … - Rather two “robbers.” Pilate did not reside in Jerusalem. When he came there on the great feasts, or at other times, it was, in part, to hold courts for the trial of criminals. These robbers had been probably condemned at that time; and to show greater contempt for Jesus, he was crucified between men of that abandoned character, and on a cross that should have been occupied by their companion and leader, Barabbas.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 35-44Verses 35-44 It was usual to put shame upon malefactors, by a writing to notify the crime for which they suffered. So they set up one over Christ's head. This they designed for his reproach, but God so overruled it, that even his accusation was to his honour. There were crucified with him at the same time, two robbers. He was, at his death, numbered among the transgressors, that we, at our death, might be numbered among the saints. The taunts and jeers he…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 38Jesus was crucified between two convicted revolutionaries. This increased his shame and made him appear guilty by association (linked with rebels).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 27:38

• Crucifixion
• Death
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Malefactors (Criminals)
• Punishment
• Theft and Thieves

In the dictionaries

• Accusation
• Notable
• Plat
• Seal
• Wag
• Watch
• Wont
• Jesus Christ
• Matthew, the Gospel of
• Thief

Commentaries on Matthew 27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings