Bible Strands
Luke 23:43
And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus, on the cross, speaks to the thief crucified at his side, who has just asked to be remembered in his kingdom (Luke 23:42). The moment falls between the plea and the darkness that covers the land (Luke 23:44).
The words — ἀμὴν (amēn), "Amen," functions here as a solemn oath, not a closing doxology; it is the same formula Jesus uses to mark his weightiest declarations. Paired with λέγω (legō, "I say"), it frames the promise as an unrevocable word from the speaker himself.
The thread — Revelation 2:7 promises the overcomer the right to eat from the tree of life in God's paradise, the same "Paradise" Jesus names here. 1 Timothy 1:15 grounds the claim in the broader pattern: Christ came to save sinners, of whom the thief is the most immediate example.
Why it lands — The thief offered no works, no credentials, no time to repent; he received the full promise in a single word. It asks the reader to examine what they believe they must bring before they are admitted.
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 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Cross-references
- Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.
- Psalms 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
- 1 Timothy 1:15 This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
- Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
- Psalms 32:5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
- John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.
- Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- John 17:24 Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
- Philippians 1:23 I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.
- 2 Corinthians 12:3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows—