What Are The Names of the Thieves Crucified With Christ?

Last updated on April 8th, 2026 at 02:14 pm

The Two Men at Golgotha

Three crosses stood on the hill outside Jerusalem on the day that changed history. On the center cross hung Jesus of Nazareth. On either side hung two convicted criminals, their names unknown to most modern readers — because the Bible never actually gives them.

And yet billions of people have heard of Dismas, the Good Thief, and a great many know the name Gestas for the unrepentant one. Where do those names come from? What do we actually know about these men? And what does their brief appearance in the Passion narrative teach us?

This article draws on the four canonical Gospels, the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, early Church Fathers, and multiple Christian traditions to give you the most complete picture possible of the two thieves crucified with Christ.

Understanding this is not about doubting the Gospels — it is about understanding what the Gospels say versus what tradition has added. And the tradition itself is rich, ancient, and spiritually meaningful. To explore over 6,000 years of biblical and world history in context, visit Amazing Bible Timeline with World History.

What the Four Gospels Say

All four Gospels confirm that Jesus was crucified alongside two others. They agree on the basic facts but vary significantly in the details they include. Here is a side-by-side comparison:

Note that Mark and Matthew record both criminals mocking Jesus, while Luke records one rebuking the other. This apparent contradiction is commonly explained as Luke focusing on a later stage of the crucifixion, during which one criminal had a change of heart — perhaps moved by witnessing Jesus’ composure and his words, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

The Names: Dismas & Gestas — Where Do They Come From?

The names Dismas and Gestas originate almost entirely from a single apocryphal source: the Gospel of Nicodemus.

The Gospel of Nicodemus (Acts of Pilate)

This text — also called the Acts of Pilate — dates in its current form to approximately the 4th or 5th century AD. It purports to be an eyewitness account derived from official records found in the Jerusalem praetorium. While rejected from the biblical canon, it was enormously influential in medieval Christianity and remains widely referenced in Catholic and Orthodox tradition.

The Gospel of Nicodemus is notable for naming several “background” figures in the Passion narrative who remain anonymous in the Gospels — including Longinus (the soldier who pierced Jesus’ side) and the two criminals.

Chapter 10 reads:

A sentence in Pilate’s judgment also identifies the men directly: “two criminals with thee, whose names are Dimas and Gestas.”

Name Meanings at a Glance

Were They Really “Thieves”?

The traditional English word “thieves” — used in the King James Version — is actually a somewhat mild translation of the original Greek. The precise word choice matters, because crucifixion in the Roman Empire was not a punishment for petty theft. Roman law typically handled ordinary theft with fines, repayment, and lesser punishments. Crucifixion was reserved for the most serious crimes: murder, treason, rebellion, and insurrection.

Several biblical scholars suggest that Dismas and Gestas may have been part of the same insurrectionist network as Barabbas — the man released by Pilate in Jesus’ place. Barabbas is explicitly described in Scripture as a murderer and an insurrectionist (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19). The connection strengthens when Mark 15:27 links the two criminals to the same context.

Dismas — The Good Thief

Dismas is one of the most theologically striking figures in the entire New Testament. In the space of a few agonizing moments — nailed to a cross, dying — he makes a complete spiritual transformation.

His Words in the Gospel of Luke

In this short exchange, Dismas does something extraordinary:

• He rebukes his companion for mocking an innocent man
• He acknowledges his own guilt and the justice of his punishment
• He proclaims Jesus innocent
• He addresses Jesus directly as a king with a coming kingdom — a remarkable profession of faith from a dying man
• He receives the most direct promise of salvation in the entire New Testament: “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

This exchange — counted as the Second Word of Christ from the Cross among the Seven Last Words — has made Dismas a powerful symbol of last-minute conversion and divine mercy. He is often described in popular tradition as the first saint, on the grounds that Jesus personally promised him paradise — though he was never formally canonized through the Church’s standard process (see the saint section below).

Gestas — The Impenitent Thief

Gestas had the same opportunity as Dismas — he was literally in the same place, at the same moment, next to the same person. Yet he chose differently.

All three Synoptic Gospels note that the criminals joined in mocking Jesus — though only Luke focuses on the final contrast between the two. Gestas is portrayed as a man whose suffering produced no repentance. He wanted rescue from his physical pain, not forgiveness. He mocked Jesus as he had been mocked by others. His story is a sobering complement to Dismas’s: proximity to Jesus is not the same as surrender to Jesus.

Names in Other Traditions

The names Dismas and Gestas are far from the only ones assigned to the two criminals across Christian traditions. Here is a comparison of how different sources name them:

Saint Dismas in Church History and Tradition

Dismas holds a unique place in Christian history. He was never formally canonized through the Catholic Church’s standard process — but he is listed in the Roman Martyrology, the official register of saints and martyrs, and is widely venerated across Catholic, Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox traditions. The Roman Martyrology entry describes him as one who “confessed to Christ and was canonized by Jesus himself on the cross” — reflecting the theological view that Jesus’ direct promise of paradise constitutes the ultimate declaration of sainthood, even without a formal Church proceeding.

Places and Institutions Named for Saint Dismas

• San Dimas, California — the city takes its name from the Spanish form of Dismas
• Church of the Good Thief, Kingston, Ontario, Canada — built by prisoners at the Kingston Penitentiary
• Saint Dismas Church, Clinton Correctional Facility, New York — a prison chapel
• Saint Dismas Church, Waukegan, Illinois
• Old Catholic Parish of St Dismas, Coseley, England

It is notable that many institutions dedicated to Dismas are connected to prisons and rehabilitation — a fitting tribute to a man who found redemption in his final hour.

The Apocryphal Legend: The Holy Family in Egypt

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Dismas tradition is a legend circulating in early apocryphal sources that places the Good Thief in a much earlier encounter with Jesus. The story appears in the Arabic Infancy Gospel — where the thieves are called Titus (good) and Dumachus (impenitent) — and a version of the legend is also referenced by Augustine of Hippo. A distinct but related tradition is found in the Syriac Infancy Gospel. It is important to note that none of these sources uses the names Dismas or Gestas for the Egypt encounter; the names Dismas and Gestas attach to the crucifixion scene through the separate Gospel of Nicodemus tradition.

According to this legend, when Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt with the infant Jesus after the Magi’s visit (Matthew 2:13–15), they were waylaid by a band of robbers in the desert. The Good Thief was among them. When the robbers searched the Holy Family, they were astonished to find the Magi’s gifts — gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

However, the infant’s presence deeply affected the Good Thief. He bribed his companion to let the family go and, upon their departure, Augustine records him saying to the child:

Separately, John Chrysostom wrote that the Good Thief had lived as a violent desert robber who murdered travelers — not specifically about the Egypt encounter, but consistent with a life of serious crime before his conversion on the cross.

The echo of that desert plea in Luke 23:42 — “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” — has profound symbolic weight for those who hold this tradition. Thirty-three years after a desert mercy, the same request is made again, and finally answered.

Golgotha: The Three Crosses — A Visual Overview

Golgotha (“Place of the Skull”) — Jerusalem, c. AD 30–33  |  Dismas (right) · Jesus (center) · Gestas (left)

Timeline: From the Crucifixion to the Written Record

From the unnamed criminals in the Gospels to Dismas and Gestas in tradition

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