Luke 11:48

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

Luke 11:48 in Other Translations

KJV
48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.
ESV
48 So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs.
NLT
48 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!
MSG
48 The tombs you build are monuments to your murdering ancestors more than to the murdered prophets.
CSB
48 Therefore you are witnesses that you approve the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their monuments.

Luke 11:48 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:48

Truly ye bear witness, that ye allow the deeds of your
fathers
Or "ye bear witness, and ye allow"; that is, they both witnessed that their fathers killed the prophets, and they consented to what they did, and approved of their actions:

for they indeed killed them;
it must be owned, and not their sons:

and ye build their sepulchres;
which was a bearing and keeping up a testimony against them, and a continuing a remembrance of their crimes; and which looked as though they approved of them, or otherwise they should have been content to have the prophets lie buried in silence, and not erected stately monuments over them, which seemed to be raised more for the honour of those that put them to death, than of the prophets themselves. Or, whereas they did this under specious pretences of disliking their fathers' sins, which yet secretly they loved, and were of the same wicked disposition against the ministers of the word, and which they would quickly show; this discovered their hypocrisy, and confirmed the character Christ had before given of them; for it follows,

Luke 11:48 In-Context

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.’
50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,

Cross References 1

  • 1. Matthew 23:29-32; Acts 7:51-53
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.