That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies.
Parallel translations
- WEB Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before that they were enemies with each other.
- KJV And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
- NKJV That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.
- NASB And so Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for previously, they had been enemies toward each other.
- NLT (Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Herod and Pilate, formerly enemies, became friends that day. Their reconciliation over Jesus shows how the world unites in opposition to God's Anointed.
Overview
Luke notes the irony that the trial of the innocent Jesus healed a political rivalry. Psalm 2 speaks of rulers gathering together against the LORD and His Anointed, and here that prophecy is enacted. Their newfound friendship, forged over shared rejection of Christ, exposes how human enmity is often set aside only to oppose the truth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Acts 4:27In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.
- Rev 17:13–14These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.
- Matt 16:1Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
- Ps 83:4–6saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 23:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.