^11:47Woe to you! You build¹⁴⁷ the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors¹⁴⁸ killed. ^11:48So you testify that you approve of¹⁴⁹ the deeds of your ancestors,¹⁵⁰ because they killed the prophets¹⁵¹ and you build their¹⁵² tombs!¹⁵³^11:49For this reason also the wisdom¹⁵⁴ of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ ^11:50so that this generation may be held accountable¹⁵⁵ for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning¹⁵⁶ of the world,¹⁵⁷^11:51from the blood of Abel¹⁵⁸ to the blood of Zechariah,¹⁵⁹ who was killed¹⁶⁰ between the altar and the sanctuary.¹⁶¹ Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against¹⁶² this generation.

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Footnotes

147 The effect of what the experts in the law were doing was to deny the message of the prophets and thus honor their death by supporting those who had sought their removal. The charge that this is what previous generations did shows the problem is chronic. As T. W. Manson said, the charge here is “The only prophet you honor is a dead prophet!”( The Sayings of Jesus, 101).
148 Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
149 Grk “you are witnesses and approve of.”
150 Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
151 Grk “them”; the referent (the prophets) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
152 “Their,” i.e., the prophets.
153 The majority of list a specific object (“their tombs”), filling out the sentence (although there are two different words for “tombs” among the , as well as different word orders: αὐτῶν τὰ μνημεῖα (autōn ta mnēmeia; found in A C W Θ Ψ 33 𝔐) and τοὺς τάφους αὐτῶν (tous taphous autōn; found in f1, [13] 2542 ). This suggests that early copyists had no term in front of them but felt the verb needed an object. But since a wide distribution of early Alexandrian and Western lack these words (𝔓75 א B D L 579 1241 it sa), it is likely that they were not part of the original text of Luke. Nevertheless, the words “their tombs” are inserted in the translation because of requirements of English style.
154 The expression the wisdom of God is a personification of an attribute of God that refers to his wise will.
155 Or “that this generation may be charged with”; or “the blood of all the prophets … may be required from this generation.” This is a warning of judgment. These people are responsible for the shedding of prophetic blood.
156 Or “foundation.” However, this does not suggest a time to the modern reader.
157 The order of the clauses in this complicated sentence has been rearranged to simplify it for the modern reader.
158 Gen 4:10 indicates that Abel’s blood cried out for justice.
159 It is not clear which Zechariah is meant here. It is probably the person mentioned in 2 Chr 24:20–25.
160 Or “who perished.”
161 Or “and the temple”; Grk “and the house,” but in this context a reference to the house of God as a place of sanctuary.
162 Or “required from.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 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.’ Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“Woe to you! You build tombs for the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Therefore, you are witnesses that you approve the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their monuments. Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ so that this generation may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world—from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.

“Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible.

NLTNew Living Translation

What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago. But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building the monuments! This is what God in his wisdom said about you: ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.’

“As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world—from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Woe to you, because you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them! As a result you are witnesses, and you approve of the deeds of your fathers, because they killed them and you build their tombs! 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,’ so that the blood of all the prophets that has been shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, 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!

KJV 1900King James Version

Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

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