29 (A)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are (B)sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 (C)Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, (D)you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to (E)hell? 34 (F)Therefore (G)I send you (H)prophets and wise men and (I)scribes, (J)some of whom you will kill and crucify, and (K)some you will (L)flog in your synagogues and (M)persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all (N)the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous (O)Abel to the blood of (P)Zechariah the son of Barachiah,[a] whom you murdered between (Q)the sanctuary and (R)the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, (S)all these things will come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

37 (T)“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that (U)kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have (V)gathered (W)your children together (X)as a hen gathers her brood (Y)under her wings, and (Z)you were not willing! 38 See, (AA)your house is left to you desolate.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:35 Some manuscripts omit the son of Barachiah

29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets(A) and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.(B) 32 Go ahead, then, and complete(C) what your ancestors started!(D)

33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers!(E) How will you escape being condemned to hell?(F) 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify;(G) others you will flog in your synagogues(H) and pursue from town to town.(I) 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel(J) to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah,(K) whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.(L) 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.(M)

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,(N) how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,(O) and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.(P)

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