Luke 11:51

51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation!

Luke 11:51 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:51

From the blood of Abel
"Righteous Abel", as in ( Matthew 23:35 ) and so read the Arabic version here, and two manuscripts in the Bodleian library, and three of Stephens's copies; the Persic version renders it, "innocent Abel": he is mentioned because he was the first man that was slain, and he was slain because of his righteousness.

Unto the blood of Zacharias;
in the Cambridge copy of Beza's, it is added, "the son of Barachias", as in ( Matthew 23:35 ) and so the Arabic version, "the son of Barasciah"; who he was, (See Gill on Matthew 23:35)

which perished between the altar and the temple;
or "the house", that is, the holy place: and the Ethiopic version renders it, "the holy house"; here he died, being slain by the Jews; see the note, as before.

Verily I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation;
as it was at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem.

Luke 11:51 In-Context

49 For this [reason] also the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and apostles, and [some] of them they will kill and persecute,'

50 so that the blood of all the prophets that has been shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,

51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation!

52 Woe to you, legal experts, because you have taken away the key to knowledge! You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering!"

53 And [when] he departed from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly hostile, and to question him closely about many [things],

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "the house," here a reference to the temple