Luke 11:47

47 “How terrible for you! You built memorials to the prophets, whom your ancestors killed.

Luke 11:47 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:47

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;
(See Gill on Matthew 23:29)

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.

Luke 11:47 In-Context

45 One of the legal experts responded, "Teacher, when you say these things, you are insulting us too."

46 Jesus said, “How terrible for you legal experts too! You load people down with impossible burdens and you refuse to lift a single finger to help them.

47 “How terrible for you! You built memorials to the prophets, whom your ancestors killed.

48 In this way, you testify that you approve of your ancestors' deeds. They killed the prophets, and you build memorials!

49 Therefore, God's wisdom has said, ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them and they will harass and kill some of them.'