Matthew 23:31

New Revised Standard

Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

King James Version (1611)
Wherefore ye bee witnesses vnto your selues, that yee are the children of them which killed the Prophets.

King James Version
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

English Standard Version
Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

New American Standard Bible
"So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

New Century Version
But you give proof that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

Amplified Bible
"So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Legacy Standard Bible
So you bear witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Berean Standard Bible
So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Contemporary English Version
But you prove that you really are the relatives of the ones who killed the prophets.

Complete Jewish Bible
In this you testify against yourselves that you are worthy descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

Darby Translation
So that ye bear witness of yourselves that ye are sons of those who slew the prophets:

Easy-to-Read Version
So you give proof that you are descendants of those who killed the prophets.

Geneva Bible (1587)
So then ye be witnesses vnto your selues, that ye are the children of them that murthered the Prophets.

George Lamsa Translation
Now you testify concerning yourselves, that you are the children of those who killed the prophets.

Good News Translation
So you actually admit that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets!

Lexham English Bible
Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets!

Literal Translation
So you witness to yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

American Standard Version
Wherefore ye witness to yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets.

Bible in Basic English
So that you are witnesses against yourselves that you are the sons of those who put the prophets to death.

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the prophets.

International Standard Version
Therefore, you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets.Acts 7:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 2:15;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
thus bearing witness against yourselves, that you are the sons of them who killed the prophets.

Murdock Translation
Wherefore ye are witnesses, against yourselves, that ye are the children of them that killed the prophets.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And so ye be witnesses vnto your selues, that ye are the chyldren of them which kylled the prophetes.

English Revised Version
Wherefore ye witness to yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets.

World English Bible
Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the prophets.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Wherefore ye testify against yourselves, that ye are the sons of them who killed the prophets.

Weymouth's New Testament
"So that you bear witness against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the Prophets.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And so ye ben in witnessyng to you silf, that ye ben the sones of hem that slowen the prophetis.

Update Bible Version
Therefore you witness to yourselves, that you are sons of those that slew the prophets.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore ye are witnesses to yourselves, that ye are the children of them who killed the prophets.

New English Translation
By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

New King James Version
"Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

New Living Translation
"But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

New Life Bible
In this way, you are showing that you are the sons of those who killed the early preachers.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So that ye bear witness against yourselves, that ye are, sons, of them who murdered the prophets.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of them that killed the prophets.

Revised Standard Version
Thus you witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
So then ye be witnesses vnto youre selfes that ye are the chyldren of them which killed the prophetes.

Young's Literal Translation
So that ye testify to yourselves, that ye are sons of them who did murder the prophets;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore ye be wytnesses vnto youre selues, that ye are the children of them, which slew the prophetes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
whereby you yourselves own that ye are indeed the children of those who killed the prophets,

Simplified Cowboy Version
But you are proof that you are the sons of those posse riders.

Contextual Overview

¹³ "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.' You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.' How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; and whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors. You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation. "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'" ¹⁴Jesus Denounces Scribes and Pharisees Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. ¹⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. ¹⁶ "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.' ¹⁷ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? ¹⁸ And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.' ¹⁹ How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? ²⁰ So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; ²¹ and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; ²² and whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

witnesses: Joshua 24:22, Job 15:5, Job 15:6, Psalms 64:8, Luke 19:22

that: Acts 7:51, Acts 7:52, 1 Thessalonians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 2:16

Reciprocal: Numbers 12:6 - a prophet Numbers 32:14 - an increase Numbers 35:33 - it defileth 2 Kings 21:16 - Manasseh Job 21:19 - for his Psalms 69:27 - Add Psalms 78:8 - as their Psalms 109:14 - Let the Isaiah 30:9 - this is Isaiah 59:7 - and they Isaiah 65:7 - Your iniquities Jeremiah 26:8 - the priests Lamentations 4:13 - that Daniel 9:16 - for the Hosea 5:5 - testify Hosea 10:9 - did Zechariah 11:3 - a voice Matthew 5:12 - for so Matthew 21:35 - General Luke 3:20 - General Luke 6:23 - for in Romans 9:22 - fitted Hebrews 6:6 - they crucify

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves,.... Or "against yourselves", as the Syriac reads; for what they said was a plain acknowledgment, and a full confession, what their fathers had done, and whose offspring they were; and from whom better things were not to be expected; since they were their fathers' own children, and of the same temper and disposition with them:

that ye are the children of them that killed the prophets. They plainly owned, that their fathers killed the prophets, and that they descended from them; though they meant not so much to reproach, their ancestors, as to give themselves a greater character; yet it did not with those, that knew them; not with our Lord: for as their own words testified against them, that they were a seed of evildoers; their practices showed them to be of the same spirit and principles with their progenitors.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ye be witnesses unto yourselves - The emphasis, here, lies in the words “to yourselves.” It is an appeal to their conscience. It was not by their building the tombs that they were witnesses that they were the children of those who killed the prophets; but that, in spite of all this pretence of piety, under all this cloak of profession, they knew in their consciences, and were witnesses to themselves, that it was mere hypocrisy, and that they really approved the conduct of those who slew the prophets.

Children of them ... - Resembling them; approving their conduct; inheriting their feelings. See the notes at Matthew 1:1. They not only showed that they were descended from them, but that they possessed their spirit, and that, in similar circumstances, they would have done as they did.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 31. Ye be witnesses — Ye acknowledge that ye are the children of those murderers, and ye are about to give full proof that ye are not degenerated.

There are many who think that, had they lived in the time of our Lord, they would not have acted towards him as the Jews did. But we can scarcely believe that they who reject his Gospel, trample under foot his precepts, do despite to the Spirit of his grace, love sin, and hate his followers, would have acted otherwise to him than the murdering Jews, had they lived in the same times.