Luke 11:47

47 Alas for you! for you repair the tombs of the Prophets, whom your forefathers 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 Hereupon one of the expounders of the Law exclaimed, "Rabbi, in saying such things you reproach us also."

46 "Alas too for you expounders of the Law!" replied Jesus, "for you load men with cumbrous burdens which you yourselves will not touch with one of your fingers.

47 Alas for you! for you repair the tombs of the Prophets, whom your forefathers killed.

48 It follows that you bear testimony to the actions of your forefathers and that you fully approve thereof. They slew, you build.

49 "For this reason also the Wisdom of God has said, `I will send Prophets and Apostles to them, of whom they will kill some and persecute others,'