Matthew 23:30
New International Version
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.’

New Living Translation
Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’

English Standard Version
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.’

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.’

Berean Literal Bible
and you 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.'

King James 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.

New King James Version
and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

New American Standard Bible
and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

NASB 1995
and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

NASB 1977
and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

Legacy Standard Bible
and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

Amplified Bible
and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

Christian Standard Bible
and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and you say, If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
And you claim you would not have taken part with your ancestors in killing the prophets.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then you say, 'If we had lived at the time of our ancestors, we would not have helped to murder the prophets.'

Good News Translation
and you claim that if you had lived during the time of your ancestors, you would not have done what they did and killed the prophets.

International Standard Version
Then you say, 'If we had been living in the days of our ancestors, we would have had no part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'

Majority 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.’

NET Bible
And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'

New Heart English Bible
and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'

Webster's Bible 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.

Weymouth New Testament
and your boast is, "'If we had lived in the time of our forefathers, we should not have been implicated with them in the murder 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.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard 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.

Berean Literal Bible
and you 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.'

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.

Smith's Literal Translation
And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we had not been their partakers in the blood of the prophets,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims 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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And then you say, ‘If we had been there in the days of our fathers, we would not have joined with them in the blood of the prophets.’

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

New Revised Standard Version
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.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And you say, If we had been living in the days of our forefathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And you say, 'If we had been in the days of our forefathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of The Prophets.'
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
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.

Godbey New Testament
and you say, If we were in the days of our fathers we would not have been their fellow-partakers in the blood of the prophets.

Haweis New Testament
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.

Mace New Testament
and say, if we had liv'd in the time of our forefathers, we would not have been accessory with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.

Weymouth New Testament
and your boast is, "'If we had lived in the time of our forefathers, we should not have been implicated with them in the murder of the Prophets.'

Worrell New Testament
'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'

Worsley New Testament
and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been concerned with them in shedding the blood of the prophets:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



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.…

Cross References
Matthew 5:12
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Luke 11:47-48
Woe to you! For you build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them. / So you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.

Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—

Hebrews 11:32-38
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. ...

1 Thessalonians 2:15
who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,

Romans 11:3
“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”?

Acts 2:23
He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.

Acts 3:14-15
You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. / You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of this fact.

Acts 7:51
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.

1 John 3:12
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.

1 Kings 19:10
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”

2 Chronicles 24:20-21
Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’” / But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.

Nehemiah 9:26
But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

Jeremiah 2:30
“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”

Jeremiah 26:23
They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him put to the sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

the blood.

Matthew 23:34,35
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: …

Matthew 21:35,36
And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another…

2 Chronicles 36:15
And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

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Matthew 23
1. Jesus admonishes the people to follow good doctrine, not bad examples
5. His disciples must beware of their ambition.
13. He denounces eight woes against their hypocrisy and blindness,
34. and prophesies of the destruction of Jerusalem.














And you say
This phrase introduces a direct quotation from the religious leaders of Jesus' time, specifically the Pharisees and scribes. The Greek word for "say" is "λέγετε" (legete), which implies a declaration or assertion. In the context of Matthew 23, Jesus is addressing the hypocrisy of these leaders. They are confident in their self-righteousness and their ability to interpret the law, yet their actions betray their words. This sets the stage for Jesus' critique of their behavior, highlighting the disconnect between their proclamations and their actions.

‘If we had lived
The phrase "If we had lived" reflects a hypothetical scenario. The Greek word "ἤμεθα" (ēmeth) is used here, indicating a past conditional situation. The religious leaders are claiming that, had they been present in the past, they would have acted differently than their ancestors. This statement is ironic, as it reveals their self-deception and blindness to their own faults. Historically, this reflects a common human tendency to judge past generations while failing to recognize similar flaws in oneself.

in the days of our fathers
This phrase situates the discussion in a historical context. "The days of our fathers" refers to the time of the prophets, whom their ancestors persecuted. The Greek word "πατέρων" (paterōn) means "fathers" or "ancestors," emphasizing a lineage and heritage. The religious leaders are distancing themselves from the actions of their forebears, yet Jesus points out that they are repeating the same mistakes. This highlights the importance of learning from history and recognizing the continuity of sin across generations.

we would not have been
Here, the leaders assert their moral superiority. The Greek phrase "οὐκ ἂν ἦμεν" (ouk an ēmen) suggests a strong denial or negation. They are confident that they would not have participated in the sins of their ancestors. This reflects a common human tendency to overestimate one's own righteousness and underestimate one's capacity for wrongdoing. Jesus challenges this self-assuredness, urging them to examine their hearts and actions more closely.

partners with them
The term "partners" is translated from the Greek word "κοινωνοί" (koinōnoi), which means "companions" or "associates." This implies a shared responsibility or complicity. The religious leaders claim they would not have been complicit in the persecution of the prophets. However, Jesus exposes their current complicity in rejecting God's messengers, including Himself. This serves as a warning against self-deception and the danger of aligning oneself with unrighteousness, even unknowingly.

in shedding the blood of the prophets
This phrase directly addresses the violent history of Israel's treatment of God's messengers. "Shedding the blood" is a vivid metaphor for murder and persecution. The Greek word "φόνῳ" (phonō) means "murder" or "slaughter," emphasizing the gravity of the sin. The prophets were God's chosen instruments to deliver His message, and their rejection signifies a rejection of God Himself. Jesus is highlighting the continuity of this rejection in the current generation, urging repentance and a return to true righteousness.

(30) If we had been in the days . . .--There is no necessity for assuming that the Pharisees did not mean what they said. It was simply an instance of the unconscious hypocrisy of which every generation has more or less been guilty, when it has condemned the wrong-doing of the past--its bigotry, or luxury, or greed--and then has yielded to the same sins itself.

Verse 30. - And say. They boasted that they were better than their fathers; they disavowed their crimes, and endeavoured, by honouring the prophets' graves, to deliver themselves from the guilt of those who persecuted them. Fair show, with no reality! They professed to venerate the dead, but would not receive the living; they reverenced Abraham and Moses, but were about to murder the Christ to whom patriarch and prophet bore witness. Commentators quote the old adage, herein exemplified, "Sit licet divus, dummodo non vivus." The only practical way of delivering themselves from the guilt of their forefathers was by hearkening to those who now preached the gospel of salvation - the very last thing which they were purposed to do.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

you say,
λέγετε (legete)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

‘If
Εἰ (Ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

we had lived
ἤμεθα (ēmetha)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
ταῖς (tais)
Article - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

days
ἡμέραις (hēmerais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 2250: A day, the period from sunrise to sunset.

of our
ἡμῶν (hēmōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

fathers,
πατέρων (paterōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

we would not have been
ἤμεθα (ēmetha)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

partners
κοινωνοὶ (koinōnoi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2844: A sharer, partner, companion. From koinos; a sharer, i.e. Associate.

with them
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

in [shedding]
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

blood
αἵματι (haimati)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 129: Blood, literally, figuratively or specially; by implication, bloodshed, also kindred.

of the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

prophets.’
προφητῶν (prophētōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4396: From a compound of pro and phemi; a foreteller; by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet.


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