Therefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill 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 to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.
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Luke 11:49-51 sits inside this longer paragraph.
He said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. So you testify and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill 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 to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered.”
Parallel Translations
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Therefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill 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 to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.
-
Therfore sayde the wisdome of God: I will send them Prophetes and Apostles and of them they shall slee and persecute:
that the bloude of all Prophetes which was sheed from the beginninge of the worlde maye be requyred of this generacion
from the bloud of Abell vnto the bloud of zachary which perisshed bitwene the aulter and the temple. Verely I saye vnto you: it shalbe requyred of this nacion.
Show all 3 translations
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Therefore said the wisedome of God, I wil sende them Prophets and Apostles, and of them they shall slaie, and persecute away,
That the blood of all the Prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation,
From the blood of Abel vnto the blood of Zacharias, which was slaine betweene the altar and the Temple: verely I say vnto you, it shall be required of this generation.
Cross-references (37)
- 2 Chronicles 24:20-22 (v51) The Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people, and said to them, “God says, ‘Why do you…
- Matthew 23:35 (v51) that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of…
- Hebrews 11:4 (v51) By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God…
- Genesis 4:8-11 (v51) Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed…
- Zechariah 1:1 (v51) In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, Yahweh’s word came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, the prophet,…
Show all 37 cross-references
- 1 John 3:12 (v51) unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
- Genesis 9:5-6 (v50) I will surely require accounting for your life’s blood. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand…
- 1 Corinthians 1:30 (v49) Because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:
- 2 Kings 24:4 (v50) and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and Yahweh would not pardon.
- Colossians 2:3 (v49) in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.
- Hebrews 12:24 (v51) to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.
- Revelation 18:20-24 (v50) “Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her.” A mighty angel took up a stone…
- Numbers 35:33 (v50) “ ‘So you shall not pollute the land where you live; for blood pollutes the land. No atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that…
- 1 Corinthians 1:24 (v49) but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God;
- Ephesians 4:11 (v49) He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
- Psalms 9:12 (v50) For he who avenges blood remembers them. He doesn’t forget the cry of the afflicted.
- Proverbs 1:2-6 (v49) to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding; to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice,…
- Proverbs 9:1-3 (v49) Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars. She has prepared her meat. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her…
- Isaiah 26:21 (v50) For, behold, Yahweh comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also will disclose her…
- Jeremiah 7:28 (v51) You shall tell them, ‘This is the nation that has not listened to Yahweh their God’s voice, nor received instruction. Truth has perished,…
- Jeremiah 7:29 (v50) Cut off your hair, and throw it away, and take up a lamentation on the bare heights; for Yahweh has rejected and forsaken the generation of…
- Jeremiah 51:56 (v50) For the destroyer has come on her, even on Babylon. Her mighty men are taken. Their bows are broken in pieces, for Yahweh is a God of…
- Matthew 22:6 (v49) and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.
- Matthew 23:34-36 (v49) Therefore behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge…
- Luke 24:47 (v49) and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
- Acts 1:8 (v49) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and…
- Acts 7:57–8:1 (v49) But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears, then rushed at him with one accord. They threw him out of the city and stoned…
- Acts 8:3 (v49) But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house and dragged both men and women off to prison.
- Acts 9:1-2 (v49) But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked for letters from him…
- Acts 22:20 (v49) When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who…
- Acts 26:10-11 (v49) I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they…
- Exodus 20:5 (v50) you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on…
- Proverbs 8:1-12 (v49) Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice? On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.…
- Luke 21:16-17 (v49) You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death. You will be…
- John 16:2 (v49) They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.
- Acts 12:1-2 (v49) Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly. He killed James, the brother of John, with the…
- 2 Corinthians 11:24-25 (v49) Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv49–50 They shall so vex them and trouble them, that…
They shall so vex them and trouble them, that at length they shall banish them.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv49–51 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I…
49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
Ver. 49. Therefore also said the wisdom of God] That is, Christ himself, the essential wisdom of his Father, Mat 23:34.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv49–51 From the blood of Abel,.... "Righteous Abel", as in…
From the blood of Abel,.... "Righteous Abel", as in Mat 23:35 and so read the Arabic version here, and two manuscripts in the Bodleian library, and three of Stephens's copies; the Persic version renders it, "innocent Abel": he is mentioned because he was the first man that was slain, and he was slain because of his righteousness.
Unto the blood of Zacharias; in the Cambridge copy of Beza's, it is added, "the son of Barachias", as in Mat 23:35 and so the Arabic version, "the son of Barasciah"; who he was; see Gill on Mat 23:35.
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which perished between the altar and the temple; or "the house", that is, the holy place: and the Ethiopic version renders it, "the holy house"; here he died, being slain by the Jews; see the note, as before.
Verily I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation; as it was at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv49–51 The wisdom of God, agreeably to this, hath said…
The wisdom of God, agreeably to this, hath said - In many places of Scripture, though not in these very words, I will send them prophets - Chiefly under the Old Testament: and apostles - Under the New. Matt. xxiii, 34.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv49–51 Verse 49. The wisdom of God] These seem to…
Verse 49. The wisdom of God] These seem to be Luke's words, and to mean that Jesus, the wisdom of God, (as he is called, 1Co 1:24,) added the words which follow here, on that occasion: and this interpretation of the words is agreeable to that of Matthew, who makes Jesus speak in his own person: Wherefore behold, I send you prophets, &c., Mt 23:34. See the note there, and see Bishop PEARCE.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv49, 51 The wisdom of God said. In St. Matthew it…
The wisdom of God said. In St. Matthew it is, Behold I send to you prophets and wise men; and in this passage of St. Luke, the wisdom of God saith, I will send, &c.: thus is Christ truly the wisdom of the Almighty God. (St. Ambrose)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv49–51 said the wisdom, &c.--a remarkable variation of the words…
said the wisdom, &c.--a remarkable variation of the words in Mat 23:34, "Behold I SEND." As there seems plainly an allusion to ancient warnings of what God would do with so incorrigible a people, so here Christ, stepping majestically into the place of God, so to speak, says, "Now I am going to carry all that out." Could this be other than the Lord of Israel in the flesh?
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v49 49. The wisdom of God—The wisdom of God, speaking…
49. The wisdom of God—The wisdom of God, speaking in 2Ch_24:19, of which Jesus here gives an amplification in the same spirit of divine or avenging wisdom.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv49, 51 49. the wisdom of God] There is an allusion…
49. the wisdom of God] There is an allusion to 2Ch_24:20-22 (comp, 2Ch_36:14-21), but as the exact passage nowhere occurs in the O. T. some suppose that our Lord quotes (1) from a lost book called ‘The Wisdom of God’ (Ewald, Bleek, &c.); or (2) from previous words of His own; or (3) from the Gospel of St Matthew (see Mat_23:34); or (4) from the Book of Proverbs (Luk_1:20-31). It is a general paraphrase of the tenor of several O. T. passages.
some of them they shall slay and persecute] See on Luk_6:23.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv49–51 (49-51) Therefore also said the wisdom of God.—The words…
(49-51) Therefore also said the wisdom of God.—The words that follow are in the main the same as those of Mat_23:34-36, where see Notes. There are, however, some remarkable variations, each of which suggests some questions of interest. (1) The words here appear at first sight as if they were a quotation from a book recognised as of divine authority, and not a few critics have supposed that there was such a book, bearing the title of “The Wisdom of God,” either when our Lord spoke, or when St. Luke wrote. On the other hand there is no trace of the existence of a book with that name; and if it had been prominent enough to be quoted, as it seems to be quoted here, it could scarcely have failed to have left its impress elsewhere. On the whole, then, it seems best to look on the words as a solemn utterance which our Lord’s human soul had received as an oracle from God, and which was therefore proclaimed by Him as coming from His Wisdom. His words that “Wisdom is justified of her children” (Mat_11:19), present, it is obvious, another example of the same way of speaking of the divine purpose. (2) For “the prophets, and wise men, and scribes” of St. Matthew, we have here “prophets and apostles.” The combination points to a Christian, not a pre-Christian, terminology, and is the first example of the union of the two terms that afterwards became normal. (See Note on Luk_10:1.) It goes some way, it may be remarked, to confirm the view suggested in that Note, that two distinct bodies, known respectively as “Prophets” and “Apostles,” had already been appointed, and that as the Twelve answered to the latter, so did the Seventy to the former.
Some of them shall they slay and persecute.—Note, as perhaps characteristic of St. Luke, the absence of the specific forms of persecution, “crucifying” and “scourging in the synagogues.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv49–51 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will…
Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets. in other words, "Because of the determined, irreconcilable hatred of you Pharisees, and the people whom you guide, to all that is noble and true and real; because, in spite of your seeming piety, you are fast rooted in impietyTherefore said the wisdom of God, I will send. The expression, "wisdom of God," has been a difficulty to commentators. The words have been referred
(1) to a quotation of the Lord"s from a lost apocryphal book of that name; but we have no instance of Jesus ever quoting from an apocryphal book, known or unknown.
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(2) St. Luke is here quoting from the similar passage in St. Matthew"s Gospel, which, when he was compiling his Gospel, lay before him, and alludes to the earlier memoir as "The Wisdom of God." Against this we have no proof that St. Luke ever saw St. Matthew"s Gospel, but a strong probability exists to the contrary; besides which, the expression is never used by an apostolic writer in such a sense.
(3) A reference is here intended to the Book of Proverbs, which in the early Church was known by the title of "The Wisdom of God," and the passage referred to is Luk_1:20 and Luk_1:31. Putting aside all these, it seems best to consider the expression simply as a solemn utterance of the Lord, in which he identifies himself with the "Wisdom of God." And this certainly is borne out by a comparison with the report of St. Matthew of a similar announcement made by Jesus on another occasion. (Mat_23:34) There we read that the Master said, "Behold, I send unto you prophets," etc. The I is emphatic, and betrays the Divine self-consciousness of Jesus. For a moment the poor Rabbi of Galilee is forgotten, and in his lofty indignation, in his profound sorrow over the stubborn heart of Israel, on both the occasions in which he is reported to have spoken these words of awful prophecy, the Redeemer identifies Himself with God. St. Matthew, "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets," etc.; St. Luke, "Therefore also said the Wisdom of God, I will send them prophets," etc. The form of the prediction and the original thought were both, no doubt, derived by Jesus from the solemn passage in 2Ch_24:19, "Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; ... but they would not give ear," etc. This was followed immediately by the account of the preaching of Zechariah (the instance chosen here by the Lord, ver. 51), and how the faithful witness was stoned by the people in the court of the house of the Lord. (2Ch_24:20, 2Ch_24:21) And apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute. The title "apostle" is joined here with the well-known title of "prophet." The earthly reward that these his servants, the apostles, will meet with at the hands of the people of Israel will be the same as that meted out to those old martyr-prophets, viz. persecution and death.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v49 The last woe and its effect:
The last woe and its effect:
v. 49. Therefore also said the Wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute;
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v. 50. that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,
v. 51. 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.
v. 52. Woe unto you, lawyers! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge; ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.
v. 53. And as He said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge Him vehemently, and to provoke Him to speak of many things,
v. 54. laying wait for Him, and seeking to catch something out of His mouth, that they might accuse Him.
Jesus here revealed to the lawyers the counsel of God; for He Himself, the personal Wisdom, was the representative of the council of the Trinity. The children had inherited the character, the evil disposition, of their fathers, and therefore the iniquity of the fathers was visited upon the children. The blood of all the righteous people and of all the prophets since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel, the son of Adam, to the blood of Zechariah, 2Ch 24:20-21, would be required at the hands of the present generation. Most solemn and impressive is the prophecy of Jesus, which was fulfilled so terribly in the destruction of the city. The Jews of the time of Jesus had received a greater measure of God’s mercy than the Jews of old. They had seen and heard the Messiah Himself, and would have an opportunity to hear also the apostles. But their hatred and bloodthirstiness was even greater than that of their fathers; they utterly despised and rejected God’s visitation of grace. What a warning to them that despise the preaching of the Gospel in our days! And still Jesus continues His rebuke. The lawyers had taken away the key of understanding of Scriptures. The words of prophecy concerning the Messiah were so plain that the people might have gained the proper understanding themselves, if they had been permitted to study without hindrance. But here the teachers stepped in with their false, carnal interpretation of the Bible and deprived the people of the knowledge of salvation. They themselves did not enter, and they hindered such as were anxious to enter. How like the sectarian teachers of our days, especially among the Papists!
Small wonder that the scribes and Pharisees began to be very angry at the Lord. wherever they could, they plied Him with crafty questions, in the hope that He would give ill-considered answers. They were literally lying in wait, assiduously watching every word out of His mouth, in order to find some reason for accusing Him. That is the hatred which the truth, and he that speaks the truth, must expect at all times. The example of Christ is encouraging.
Summary.Jesus gives His disciples a lesson in prayer, casts out a dumb devil, and rebukes the Pharisees, issues a warning to all the Jews, and utters a series of woes against the Pharisees and lawyers.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v49 For this reason
For this reason
This refers back to the previous statement that the teachers of the law burdened people with rules.
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God's wisdom said
"wisdom" is treated as if it was able to speak for God. AT: "God in his wisdom said" or "God wisely said" (See: Personification)
I will send to them prophets and apostles
"I will send prophets and apostles to my people." God had declared beforehand that he would send prophets and apostles to the ancestors of the Jewish audience to whom Jesus was speaking.
they will persecute and kill some of them
"my people will persecute and kill some of the prophets and apostles." God had declared beforehand that the ancestors of the Jewish audience to whom Jesus was speaking would persecute and kill the prophets and apostles.
This generation, then, will be held responsible for all the blood of the prophets shed
The people to whom Jesus is speaking will be held responsible for the murder of the prophets by their ancestors. AT: "Therefore, God will hold this generation responsible for all the deaths of the prophets that people have killed" (See: Metonymy and Active or Passive)
the blood of the prophets shed
The "blood ... shed" refers to the blood spilled when they were killed. AT: "the murder of the prophets" (See: Metonymy)
Zechariah
This was probably the priest in the Old Testament who rebuked the people of Israel for idolatry. This was not the Father of John the Baptist.
who was killed
This could be stated in active form. AT: "that the people killed" (See: Active or Passive)
translationWords
God
wise
send
prophet
apostle
persecute
generation
blood
Abel
Zechariah (OT)
altar
sanctuary
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv49, 51 11:49 The quotation is not explicitly from the Old…
11:49 The quotation is not explicitly from the Old Testament.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.