Luke 11:47

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

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 experts in Torah answered him, "Rabbi, by saying these things you are insulting us also."
46 Yeshua said, "Woe to you Torah experts too! You load people down with burdens they can hardly bear, and you won't lift a finger to help them!
47 "Woe to you! You build tombs in memory of the prophets, but your fathers murdered them!
48 Thus you testify that you completely approve of what your fathers did -- they did the killing, you do the building!
49 Therefore the Wisdom of God said, `I will send them prophets and emissaries; they will kill some and persecute others';
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.