Luke 23:28

But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

But {G1161} Jesus {G2424} turning {G4762} unto {G4314} them {G846} said {G2036}, Daughters {G2364} of Jerusalem {G2419}, weep {G2799} not {G3361} for {G1909} me {G1691}, but {G4133} weep {G2799} for {G1909} yourselves {G1438}, and {G2532} for {G1909} your {G5216} children {G5043}.

Yeshua turned to them and said, “Daughters of Yerushalayim, don’t cry for me; cry for yourselves and your children!

But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

Commentary

Luke 23:28 captures a poignant moment during Jesus' arduous journey to the cross, known as the Via Dolorosa. As He is led to Golgotha, a group of women from Jerusalem follow Him, openly weeping and lamenting His suffering. In a remarkable display of His enduring compassion and prophetic insight, Jesus turns to them and redirects their sorrow from His immediate plight to the far greater future distress awaiting them and their descendants.

Context

This verse occurs amidst the climactic events of Jesus' passion. He has been condemned, mocked, and is now carrying (or having Simon of Cyrene carry) His cross to the place of execution. The "Daughters of Jerusalem" were likely women accustomed to public mourning, perhaps professional mourners, or simply devout women deeply moved by the injustice and suffering they witnessed. While their tears were for Him, Jesus' response shifts the focus, indicating that His suffering, though immense, was part of God's redemptive plan, whereas their future suffering would be a consequence of the nation's rejection of Him.

Key Themes

  • Prophetic Warning: Jesus' words are a stark prophecy concerning the impending judgment and destruction that would fall upon Jerusalem and its inhabitants, particularly referencing the Roman siege of A.D. 70. This judgment was a direct consequence of the city's rejection of its Messiah.
  • Shift from Sympathy to Self-Examination: Jesus doesn't dismiss their compassion but urges them to look inward. He implies that while His suffering is unjust, theirs (or their children's) will be a deserved outcome of the nation's spiritual condition.
  • Consequences of Rejection: The verse powerfully underscores the severe consequences of failing to recognize and receive God's saving grace embodied in Jesus. It highlights the principle that ignoring divine truth leads to profound suffering.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "weep not for me" (Greek: mē klaiete ep' eme) uses a present imperative with a negative, indicating a command to stop an action already in progress or not to begin it. The contrast with "weep for yourselves, and for your children" (Greek: klaiete eph' heautais kai epi tois teknois hymōn) emphasizes a redirection of their lament. Jesus is inviting them to a deeper, more necessary form of sorrow: repentance over their own spiritual state and the future of their nation, rather than merely superficial mourning for His physical pain.

Related Scriptures

Jesus' warning here echoes His earlier lament over the city of Jerusalem, where He wept and foretold its destruction due to its failure to recognize "the time of thy visitation" (Luke 19:41-44). This prophecy is further elaborated upon in His Olivet Discourse, where He describes the signs and severity of the coming judgment, including the specific woes to pregnant women and nursing mothers, aligning with the "weep for yourselves, and for your children" sentiment (Luke 21:20-24; also Matthew 24:19).

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful reminder that true spiritual concern often involves examining our own lives and the spiritual state of our communities, rather than merely sympathizing with external suffering. It calls us to consider the long-term consequences of our choices, particularly our response to God's truth and His Son. Just as the "Daughters of Jerusalem" were urged to weep for their spiritual condition, we are called to repent and turn to Christ, recognizing that our ultimate well-being depends on our relationship with Him. It prompts us to reflect on whether we are grieving over temporary circumstances or the eternal implications of our actions and the spiritual state of those around us.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Song Of Solomon 3:5

    I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, till he please.

  • Song Of Solomon 1:5

    I [am] black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

  • Song Of Solomon 2:7

    I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, till he please.

  • Song Of Solomon 5:16

    His mouth [is] most sweet: yea, he [is] altogether lovely. This [is] my beloved, and this [is] my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

  • Song Of Solomon 8:4

    I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake [my] love, until he please.

  • Song Of Solomon 5:8

    I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I [am] sick of love.

  • Song Of Solomon 3:10

    He made the pillars thereof [of] silver, the bottom thereof [of] gold, the covering of it [of] purple, the midst thereof being paved [with] love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.
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