The words Jesus addressed to the criminal crucified at his side — “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23.43) — have given rise to many exegetical discussions. This question is notably linked to the fact that the oldest Greek manuscripts contained no punctuation. The placement of the comma in modern translations is therefore the result of an interpretive choice.
The traditionally accepted reading is the following: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” In this understanding, the word “today” relates to the fulfillment of the promise. Jesus then announces to the criminal that he will be with him in paradise from that very day. This interpretation is the one adopted by the great majority of Christian translations and is generally considered the most natural in light of Greek syntax. Indeed, the term sēmeron (“today”) is placed close to the verb esai (“you will be”), which favors their association.
However, another reading has also been proposed: “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise.” According to this interpretation, the word “today” qualifies the moment when the promise is made rather than that of its fulfillment. Jesus would thus solemnly affirm, on this day of suffering and condemnation, the certainty of the salvation granted to the criminal. This reading is generally defended by authors who consider that the final reward of believers comes at the future resurrection rather than immediately after death.
The debate therefore goes beyond the simple question of punctuation and belongs to a broader reflection on the state of the dead and on the moment when salvation is fully accomplished. On one side, several passages are interpreted as suggesting immediate communion with God after death (Luke 23.43 ; Philippians 1.23 ; 2 Corinthians 5.8). On the other, many texts emphasize the hope of the coming resurrection as the culmination of salvation (Daniel 12.2 ; John 5.28-29 ; 1 Corinthians 15.20-23 ; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-17).
Consequently, it must be acknowledged that the traditional reading remains the most widely accepted by translators and exegetes. Nevertheless, the absence of punctuation in the original manuscripts leaves open the possibility of an alternative interpretation. The choice between these two readings depends largely on the overall understanding one adopts concerning the condition of the dead and the nature of the Christian hope.
We develop in greater detail, in our study ANN110: Death, What the Bible Says, the conclusions we reached after analyzing and synthesizing all the biblical texts relating to this question.