Matthew 23:30

Verse

And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

American Standard Version (1901)

and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Bible in Basic English

If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in the blood of the prophets.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And say: If we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Free Bible Version

and you say, ‘If we had lived in the times of our ancestors we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

Geneva Bible 1599

And say, If we had bene in the dayes of our fathers, we would not haue bene partners with them in the blood of the Prophets.

King James (Authorized) Version

And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

One Unity Resource Bible

and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

Translation for Translators

You say, ‘If we had lived when our ancestors [MET] lived, we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’

Unlocked Literal Bible

You say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been participants with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'

Noah Webster Bible

And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

World English Bible

and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

Young's Literal Translation

and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Context

Woes to Scribes and Pharisees

²⁹Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.³⁰And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’³¹So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Summary

In this verse, Jesus is addressing the religious leaders, condemning their hypocrisy and their participation in the persecution of the prophets. He exposes their guilt in rejecting and even killing those sent by God to proclaim His truth. By doing so, Jesus highlights the consistent pattern of rebellion against God's messengers throughout history. This verse serves as a warning against self-righteousness and a call to repentance, urging individuals to heed the message of God's messengers rather than rejecting them.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves,.... Or "against yourselves", as the Syriac reads; for what they said was a plain acknowledgment, and a full confession, what their fathers had done, and whose offspring they were; and from whom better things were not to be expected; since they were their fathers' own children, and of the same temper and disposition with them: that ye are the children of them that killed the prophets. They plainly owned, that their fathers killed the prophets, and that they descended from them; though they meant not so much to reproach, their ancestors, as to give themselves a greater character; yet it did not with those, that knew them; not with our Lord: for as their own words testified against them, that they were a seed of evildoers; their practices showed them to be of the same spirit and principles with their progenitors.

Matthew 23:30

Woes to Scribes and Pharisees

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

American Standard Version (1901)

and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Bible in Basic English

If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in the blood of the prophets.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And say: If we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Free Bible Version

and you say, ‘If we had lived in the times of our ancestors we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

Geneva Bible 1599

And say, If we had bene in the dayes of our fathers, we would not haue bene partners with them in the blood of the Prophets.

King James (Authorized) Version

And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

One Unity Resource Bible

and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

Translation for Translators

You say, ‘If we had lived when our ancestors [MET] lived, we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’

Unlocked Literal Bible

You say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been participants with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'

Noah Webster Bible

And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

World English Bible

and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

Young's Literal Translation

and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.