Luke 23:54 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

This happened on the Day of Preparation [for the Passover Festival], as the Sabbath day was about to begin [i.e., shortly before 6 PM on Friday].

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

It was the day of Preparation [for the Sabbath], and the Sabbath was dawning (approaching).

American Standard Version (1901)

And it was the day of the Preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

Common English Bible

It was the Preparation Day for the Sabbath, and the Sabbath was quickly approaching.

Catholic Public Domain Version

And it was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

And it was the day of the Parasceve, and the sabbath drew on.

Luke 23:54 Cross References

Matthew 27:62

Now on the following day, which was the day after the Preparation [for the Passover Festival], the leading priests and Pharisees assembled in front of Pilate

Mark 15:42

When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation [for the Passover Festival], being the day before the [special] Sabbath Day,

Luke 23:53

[Upon receiving permission] he took it down [from the cross] and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a grave site, cut out of [a ledge of] rock, where no one had ever been buried.

John 19:14

Now it was about six o’clock in the morning [Note: This was according to Roman time, but if Jewish time were meant, it would have been 12 noon] on the Day of Preparation for the Passover Festival. [Note: This would be the day before the Passover Festival]. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Look, [here is] your king!”

John 19:31

Now it was the Day of Preparation [Note: This was the day before the Passover Festival began, and fell on a Friday that year], and the Jews did not permit bodies to remain on a cross over the Sabbath day. (Besides, that Sabbath day was a special day [i.e., since it was both the Passover and the regular weekly Sabbath, as well]). So, they asked Pilate to have Jesus’ and the criminals’ legs broken [i.e., to speed up their deaths] and then have their bodies taken away.

John 19:42

So, they placed Jesus’ body there, for it was the Day of Preparation and that was the closest grave site. [Note: Since this was the day before the Passover Festival, and the next day was also the regular weekly Sabbath, they had to bury the body before sundown to comply with Jewish restrictions against working on a Sabbath day].