TRV
Translation
King James Version
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Complete Jewish Bible
In this you testify against yourselves that you are worthy descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
Berean Standard Bible
So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
American Standard Version
Wherefore ye witness to yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets.
World English Bible Messianic
Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.
Geneva Bible (1599)
So then ye be witnesses vnto your selues, that ye are the children of them that murthered the Prophets.
Young's Literal Translation
So that ye testify to yourselves, that ye are sons of them who did murder the prophets;
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In the KJVVerse 23,950 of 31,102
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Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 74
Not because they build, nor because they blame the others, doth He say, woe, but because, while both thus, and by what they say, they are pretending to condemn their fathers, they do worse. For in proof that the condemnation was a pretense, Luke saith, ye do allow because ye build; for, "Woe unto you," saith He, "for ye build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness, and ye allow the deeds of your fathers, for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchers." For here He reproves their purpose, wherewith they built, that it was not for the honoring of them that were slain, but as making a show of the murders, and afraid, lest, when the tombs had perished by time, the proof and memory of such daring should fade away, setting up these glorious buildings, as a kind of trophy, and priding themselves in the daring deeds of those men, and displaying them.
For the things that ye now dare to do, show that ye do these things also in this spirit. For, though ye speak the contrary, saith He, as condemning them, as, for instance, "We should not, if we had been in their days, have been partakers with them;" yet the disposition is evident wherewith ye say these things. Wherefore also unfolding it, though darkly, still He hath expressed it. For when He had said, ye 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;" He added, "Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them that slew the prophets." And what blame is it to be a murderer's son, if one partake not in the mind of one's father? None. Whence it is evident, that for this same thing He brings it forward against them, hinting at their affinity in wickedness.
John Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 407
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Hom. lxxiv.) He does not blame them for building the sepulchres, but discovers the design with which they built them; which was not to honour the slain, but to erect to themselves a triumphal monument of the murder, as fearing that in process of time the memory of this their audacious wickedness should perish.
What kind of accusation is this, to Call one the son of a murderer, who partakes not in his father's disposition? Clearly there is no guilt in being so; wherefore this must be said in proof of their resemblance in wickedness.
Jerome (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 420
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
By a most subtle syllogism He proves them to be the sons of murderers, while to gain good character and reputation with the people, they build the sepulchres of the Prophets whom their fathers put to death.
Though they speak not this in words, they proclaim it by their actions, in ambitious and magnificent structures to their memory.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Matthew
(Verse 29 onwards) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 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.' Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. In the most skillful syllogism, they are proven to be the offspring of murderers, while they themselves, by the opinion of goodness and glory among the people, build tombs for the prophets whom their forefathers killed, and they say, 'If we had lived in that time, we would not have done what our fathers did.' However, even if they do not say it in words, they speak through their actions by ambitiously and magnificently building monuments to the slain, whom they do not deny were killed by their forefathers.
And you, fulfill the measure of your fathers. Having proven with the previous words that they were the children of murderers and those who killed the prophets, he now concludes what he wanted and puts forth the final part of the syllogism. And you, fulfill the measure of your fathers. What was lacking for them, you complete. They killed the servants, you crucify the Lord. They killed the prophets, you kill him who was preached by the prophets.
Cyril of AlexandriaAD 444
FRAGMENT 260.6
We will carefully investigate what the Savior says. The forefathers of the Jews killed the holy prophets who were transmitting the divine word to them in those times. They surely have become witnesses for some of them, because the prophets are now revered and honored. They have placed crowns on their heads or assign … honor to their tombs as to holy things, for believing the prophets to be holy men, they have become the judges of those who have killed them. For by honoring them in this way, they have spoken against those who killed them, and through these things they accuse them of having acted wickedly. But though they agreed to condemn the murders committed by their own forefathers, they were about to become threshing floors for the same kind of evils, indeed, to things even worse. They “killed the author of life” and added to their impieties against him other murders, those of his holy apostles. For while one scrutinizes the sins of others, making a decision according to one’s innate reason, one sees the wickedness and censures it.… He who is led into similar passions is like a blind man carried away.
Pseudo-Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 500
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
But say, hypocrite, if it be good to be wicked, why do you not desire to seem that which you desire to be? For what it is shameful to seem, that it is more shameful to be; and what to seem is fair, that it is fairer to be. Either therefore be what you seem, or seem what you are.
Or, they said within themselves, If we do good to the poor not many see it, and then but for a moment; were it not better to raise buildings which all may see, not only now, but in all time to come? O foolish man, what boots this posthumous memory, if, where you are, you are tortured, and where you are not there you are praised? While He corrects the Jews, He instructs the Christians; for had these things been spoken to the former only, they would have been spoken, but not written; but now they were spoken on their account, and written on ours. When one, besides other good deeds, raises sacred buildings, it is an addition to his good works; but if without any other good works, it is a passion for worldly renown. The martyrs joy not to be honoured with money which has caused the poor to weep. The Jews, moreover, have ever been adorers of saints of former times, and contemners, yea persecutors, of the living. Because they could not endure the reproaches of their own Prophets, they persecuted and killed them; but afterwards the succeeding generation perceived the error of their fathers, and thus in grief at the death of innocent Prophets, they built up monuments of them. But they themselves in like manner persecuted and put to death the Prophets of their own time, when they rebuked them for their sins. This is what is meant, And ye 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.
What they thought in their hearts, that they spoke by their deeds. Christ lays bare here the natural habit of all wicked men; each readily apprehends the other's fault, but none his own; for in another's case each man has an unprejudiced heart, but in his own case it is distorted. Therefore in the cause of others we can all easily be righteous judges. He only is the truly righteous and wise who is able to judge himself. It follows, Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the Prophets.
The character of the parents is a witness to the sons; if the father be good and the mother bad, or the reverse, the children may follow sometimes one, sometimes the other. But when both are the same, it very rarely happens that bad sons spring of good parents, or the reverse, though it be so sometimes. This is as a man is sometimes born out of the rule of nature, having six fingers or no eyes.
Theophylact of OhridAD 1107
He deplores them, not for building tombs for the prophets, for that is pleasing to God, but for doing these things in pretence, and for passing judgement on their fathers while doing worse things themselves, and exceeding them by far in malice. They lie brazenly when they say, "If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have killed the prophets," for they were rabid with desire to kill the Master of the prophets. Therefore Christ says:
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
In Jesus delivers a searing indictment to the scribes and Pharisees, exposing their profound hypocrisy by asserting that their actions, particularly their outward veneration of deceased prophets, serve as self-incriminating evidence that they are the spiritual heirs of those who historically persecuted and murdered God's messengers. This declaration underscores their complicity in a long-standing pattern of rejecting divine truth, culminating in their opposition to Jesus Himself.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Matthew 23:31 is rich in literary devices that amplify Jesus's condemnation. Irony is paramount, as the Pharisees' very act of building tombs for the prophets, intended to demonstrate their piety and distance themselves from their ancestors' sins, is turned against them by Jesus as proof of their complicity. Their outward reverence for the dead prophets ironically confirms their spiritual alignment with those who killed them. The phrase "witnesses unto yourselves" is a form of Self-Condemnation, where their own actions become their accusers. This also borders on Sarcasm or Rhetorical Questioning, as Jesus uses their own self-professed righteousness to expose their deep-seated hypocrisy. The designation "children of them which killed the prophets" is a powerful use of Metonymy or Metaphor, where "children" signifies not just biological offspring but spiritual heirs, inheriting the character and disposition of their ancestors. This highlights a continuity of sin and rebellion against God's truth across generations.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 23:31 profoundly connects to the overarching biblical narrative of humanity's rebellion against God and the consistent rejection of His divine messengers. From the earliest prophets to Jesus Himself, God's loving overtures have often been met with resistance, persecution, and even death. This verse underscores the deep-seated human tendency to prefer self-righteousness and tradition over divine truth, a pattern seen throughout salvation history. It highlights the spiritual blindness that can accompany religious zeal when it is devoid of genuine humility and submission to God's will. Ultimately, it points to the radical nature of God's grace, which persists in sending messengers despite consistent rejection, culminating in the sending of His own Son.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 23:31 serves as a timeless mirror for self-examination, challenging us to look beyond outward religious observance to the true condition of our hearts. It warns against the subtle yet dangerous sin of hypocrisy, where we may outwardly honor God or past spiritual heroes while inwardly resisting His present truth or the contemporary work of His Spirit. Are we quick to critique the past failures of others while being blind to our own? Do we celebrate historical figures of faith but reject the inconvenient truths or challenging calls of God's word today? This verse calls us to genuine humility, a willingness to receive correction, and an openness to God's voice, regardless of the messenger. True faith is not merely about acknowledging the past, but about obeying God in the present, even when it demands costly repentance and a radical realignment of our lives with His will.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does Jesus mean by "witnesses unto yourselves"?
Answer: By "witnesses unto yourselves," Jesus means that the Pharisees' own actions and words provide undeniable evidence against their claims of righteousness. Their outward show of piety, specifically building and decorating the tombs of the prophets, paradoxically served as a confession of their true spiritual alignment. They were, in effect, self-incriminating. While they claimed to honor the prophets and distance themselves from their ancestors who killed them, their current opposition to Jesus, the ultimate Prophet, revealed that they shared the same rebellious spirit. Their deeds bore witness to their hypocrisy, proving that they were indeed the spiritual heirs of those who persecuted God's messengers. This concept of self-condemnation is a powerful rhetorical device used by Jesus to expose their inner corruption, as also seen in Luke 19:22.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 23:31 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ Himself. The Pharisees' spiritual lineage of killing the prophets foreshadows their greatest act of rebellion: the rejection and crucifixion of the Son of God. Jesus is the culmination of all prophets, the very Word of God made flesh (John 1:14), yet He was met with the same, if not greater, hostility than those who came before Him. His death, orchestrated by the very religious leaders He condemns in this chapter, represents the pinnacle of humanity's rejection of God's divine messengers. However, in God's redemptive plan, this ultimate act of rebellion becomes the means of salvation. The blood of the prophets, and supremely the blood of Christ, shed by rebellious humanity, becomes the atoning sacrifice that cleanses us from all sin (Hebrews 9:22). Jesus, the rejected Prophet, becomes the cornerstone (Matthew 21:42) of a new covenant, offering forgiveness and life to all who, unlike the Pharisees, humbly receive Him as Lord and Savior (John 1:12). Thus, the pattern of prophetic martyrdom culminates in Christ's death, which paradoxically leads to His glorious resurrection and the establishment of God's kingdom, offering a path for humanity to escape the cycle of rebellion and enter into a true spiritual lineage as children of God (Romans 8:14-17).