Luke 23:27

A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jesus is led away to execution while a large crowd and mourning women follow Him. This occurs immediately after Simon of Cyrene is forced to carry the cross and just before Jesus turns to address the women directly.

The words — Ἠκολούθει (ēkolouthei) means "were following" and πλῆθος (plēthos) translates to "multitude." These terms establish the continuous, widespread movement of the group behind the condemned man.

The thread — Similar scenes of crowds or women witnessing Jesus amid mourning appear in Luke 8:52, Luke 8:2, and Mark 15:40. These passages consistently link groups of followers to moments of Jesus' suffering and public ministry.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that large groups were present to witness the crucifixion without romanticizing their grief. It requires the reader to note the factual sequence of events before Jesus redirects their focus to their own spiritual condition.

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The Greek words

ἨκολούθειĒkoloutheiWere following δὲdenow αὐτῷautōHim πολὺpolua great πλῆθοςplēthosmultitude τοῦtouof the λαοῦlaoupeople καὶkaiand γυναικῶνgunaikōnof women αἳhaiwho καὶkaialso ἐκόπτοντοekoptontowere mourning καὶkaiand ἐθρήνουνethrēnounthey were lamenting for αὐτόν.autonHim.

King James Version

And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.

Cross-references

Luke 8:52 Meanwhile, everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, “Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep.”
Luke 8:2 as well as some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Mark 15:40 And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
Luke 23:55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was placed.
Matthew 27:55 And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.