Luke 11:47

47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them.

Luke 11:47 in Other Translations

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

47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.

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

47 "You're hopeless! You build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed.

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

47 "How horrible it will be for you! You build the monuments for the prophets. But it was your ancestors who murdered them.

47 "Woe to you! You build monuments to the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

47 "How terrible for you! You build tombs for the prophets. It was your people of long ago who killed 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 the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”

46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them.

48 So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.

49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’