Luke 11:47

THE MESSAGE

"You're hopeless! You build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed. The tombs you build are monuments to your murdering ancestors more than to the murdered prophets. That accounts for God's Wisdom saying, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, but they'll kill them and run them off.' What it means is that every drop of righteous blood ever spilled from the time earth began until now, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was struck down between altar and sanctuary, is on your heads. Yes, it's on the bill of this generation and this generation will pay.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Woe to you! You build tombs

King James Version (1611)
Woe vnto you: for ye build the sepulchres of the Prophets, and your fathers killed them.

King James Version
Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

English Standard Version
Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.

New American Standard Bible
"Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them.

New Century Version
How terrible for you, because you build tombs for the prophets whom your ancestors killed!

Amplified Bible
"Woe to you! For you repair or build tombs for the prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and it was your fathers who killed them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, but your fathers killed them.

Berean Standard Bible
Woe to you! You build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them.

Contemporary English Version
Yes, you are really in for trouble. You build monuments to honor the prophets your own people murdered long ago.

Complete Jewish Bible
"Woe to you! You build tombs in memory of the prophets, but your fathers murdered them!

Darby Translation
Woe unto you, for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, but your fathers killed them.

Easy-to-Read Version
It will be bad for you, because you build tombs for the prophets. But these are the same prophets your ancestors killed!

Geneva Bible (1587)
Wo be to you: for ye builde the sepulchres of the Prophetes, and your fathers killed them.

George Lamsa Translation
Woe to you! for you build the tombs of prophets, whom your fathers killed.

Good News Translation
How terrible for you! You make fine tombs for the prophets—the very prophets your ancestors murdered.

Lexham English Bible
Woe to you, because you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them!

Literal Translation
Woe to you! Because you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

American Standard Version
Woe unto you! for ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

Bible in Basic English
A curse is on you! for you make resting-places for the bodies of the prophets, but your fathers put them to death.

Hebrew Names Version
Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

International Standard Version
How terrible it will be for you! For you build monuments for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them!Matthew 23:29;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Woe to you ! for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed:

Murdock Translation
Woe to you! who build the sepulchres of the prophets, whom your fathers slew.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wo vnto you, ye buylde the sepulchres of the prophetes, and your fathers kylled them.

English Revised Version
Woe unto you! for ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

World English Bible
Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Wo to you; for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets; whom your fathers killed.

Weymouth's New Testament
Alas for you! for you repair the tombs of the Prophets, whom your forefathers killed.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Wo to you, that bilden toumbis of profetis; and youre fadris slowen hem.

Update Bible Version
Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

Webster's Bible Translation
Woe to you! for ye build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

New English Translation
Woe to you! You build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed.

New King James Version
Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

New Living Translation
What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago.

New Life Bible
It is bad for you! For you make beautiful buildings for the graves of the early preachers your fathers killed.

New Revised Standard
Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Alas for you! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers slew them!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Woe to you who build the monuments of the prophets: and your fathers killed them.

Revised Standard Version
Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Wo be to you: ye bylde the sepulchres of the Prophetes and youre fathers killed the:

Young's Literal Translation
`Wo to you, because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wo vnto you, for ye buylde the sepulcres of the prophetes, but youre fathers put them to death.

Mace New Testament (1729)
wo unto you, for you rebuild the sepulchres of those prophets, whom your fathers put to death:

Simplified Cowboy Version
You're gonna get what's coming to ya! You build statues honoring the cowboys of God from the past, but you act like your ancestors who killed them in the first place.

Contextual Overview

³⁷When he finished that talk, a Pharisee asked him to dinner. He entered his house and sat right down at the table. The Pharisee was shocked and somewhat offended when he saw that Jesus didn't wash up before the meal. But the Master said to him, "I know you Pharisees burnish the surface of your cups and plates so they sparkle in the sun, but I also know your insides are maggoty with greed and secret evil. Stupid Pharisees! Didn't the One who made the outside also make the inside? Turn both your pockets and your hearts inside out and give generously to the poor; then your lives will be clean, not just your dishes and your hands. ⁴² "I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but manage to find loopholes for getting around basic matters of justice and God's love. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required. ⁴³"You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You love sitting at the head table at church dinners, love preening yourselves in the radiance of public flattery. Frauds! You're just like unmarked graves: People walk over that nice, grassy surface, never suspecting the rot and corruption that is six feet under." ⁴⁵ One of the religion scholars spoke up: "Teacher, do you realize that in saying these things you're insulting us?" ⁴⁶ He said, "Yes, and I can be even more explicit. You're hopeless, you religion scholars! You load people down with rules and regulations, nearly breaking their backs, but never lift even a finger to help. ⁴⁷"You're hopeless! You build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed. The tombs you build are monuments to your murdering ancestors more than to the murdered prophets. That accounts for God's Wisdom saying, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, but they'll kill them and run them off.' What it means is that every drop of righteous blood ever spilled from the time earth began until now, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was struck down between altar and sanctuary, is on your heads. Yes, it's on the bill of this generation and this generation will pay. ⁵² "You're hopeless, you religion scholars! You took the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking doors, you locked them. You won't go in yourself, and won't let anyone else in either." ⁵³As soon as Jesus left the table, the religion scholars and Pharisees went into a rage. They went over and over everything he said, plotting how they could trap him in something from his own mouth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

for: Matthew 23:29-33, Acts 7:51, 1 Thessalonians 2:15

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 24:19 - Yet he sent Psalms 49:13 - approve their sayings Isaiah 10:1 - Woe Jeremiah 2:30 - your own sword Lamentations 4:13 - that Ezekiel 20:4 - cause Ezekiel 20:18 - the statutes Daniel 9:16 - for the Matthew 5:12 - for so Mark 12:3 - they Luke 20:10 - beat Acts 7:52 - Which of Revelation 18:24 - in her

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Woe unto you,.... Meaning particularly the lawyers or Scribes, together with the Pharisees, and even the whole body of the people, who in general were of the cast and complexion here described:

for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets;

:-

and your fathers killed them; the prophets; "or whom your fathers killed", as read the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions; the one put them to death, and the other erected stately monuments over them, or adorned them; and yet both had the same malignant spirit against the faithful servants and messengers of God; and which showed their great hypocrisy.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 23:29-36.

Luke 11:49

The wisdom of God - By the “wisdom of God,” here, is undoubtedly meant the Saviour himself. What he immediately says is not written in the Old Testament. Jesus is called “the word of God” John 1:1, because he is the medium by which God “speaks” or makes his will known. He is called “the wisdom of God,” because by him God makes his wisdom known in creation (Colossians 1:13-18 and in redemption 1 Corinthians 1:30. Many have also thought that the Messiah was referred to in the Proverbs 8:1 of Proverbs, under the name of Wisdom.

I will send ... - See Luke 10:3; Matthew 10:16.

Shall slay ... - Compare John 16:2; Acts 7:52, Acts 7:59; James 5:10; Acts 12:2; Acts 22:19; 2 Corinthians 11:24-25; 2 Chronicles 36:15-16.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 47. Ye build the sepulchres — That is, ye rebuild and beautify them. Matthew 23:29; Matthew 23:29.