Bible Strands
Luke 23:26
As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and they put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The soldiers execute the order to escort Jesus away for execution. They intercept Simon of Cyrene returning from rural work and force him to bear the cross behind Jesus.
The words — ἐπιλαβόμενοι (epilabomenoi) translates literally as "having laid hold on," and ἀπήγαγον (apēgagon) denotes "they led away" or escorted under guard.
The thread — The same event is recorded in Matthew 27:32 and Mark 15:21, while Luke 9:23 later frames cross-bearing as a daily requirement for followers.
Why it lands — The text states that Jesus' procession required another man to physically carry the execution instrument. It requires the reader to acknowledge the forced nature of the crucifixion and the concrete reality of bearing a burden.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
Cross-references
- Matthew 27:32 Along the way they found a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.
- Mark 15:21 Now Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.
- Luke 9:23 Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
- Luke 14:27 And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.
- John 19:16 Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified, and the soldiers took Him away.
- Acts 2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome,
- Acts 6:6 They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
- Acts 6:9 But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They disputed with Stephen,
- Acts 13:1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.