Luke 11 49

Luke 11:49 kjv

Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:

Luke 11:49 nkjv

Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,'

Luke 11:49 niv

Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.'

Luke 11:49 esv

Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,'

Luke 11:49 nlt

This is what God in his wisdom said about you: 'I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.'

Luke 11 verses

Luke 11 49 Meaning

Luke 11:49 conveys a prophetic declaration, attributed to "the Wisdom of God," which foretells God's consistent sending of His messengers – prophets and apostles – throughout history. This statement also prophesies the violent reception these messengers would typically receive, namely being killed and persecuted by those to whom they were sent, culminating in the judgment that would fall upon that generation for their persistent rejection of God's revealed truth and His servants.

Luke 11 49 Context

Luke 11:49 is delivered during a highly confrontational discourse in which Jesus pronounces a series of woes against the Pharisees and experts in the law (scribes). Prior to this verse, Jesus has accused them of hypocrisy, spiritual blindness, burdensome legalism, and shutting off the kingdom of heaven from people. The specific context leading up to verse 49 involves Jesus condemning them for building tombs for the prophets whom their fathers killed, thereby affirming and perpetuating their ancestors' actions. This declaration, "Therefore the Wisdom of God said," links their current rejection of Jesus to a long, tragic history of rejecting and killing God's messengers, framing it as a cumulative sin for which the current generation would be held accountable. It highlights Jerusalem's tragic spiritual state as a slayer of prophets.

Luke 11 49 Word analysis

• Therefore (διὰ τοῦτο, dia touto): This adverbial phrase creates a direct logical consequence, linking what follows to the preceding denunciations. It signals that the judgment is a direct result of the scribes' and Pharisees' rejection and their continued participation in the pattern of their ancestors.
• the Wisdom of God (ἡ σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ, hē sophia tou Theou): This is a profound theological concept.
  • Biblical Allusion: It draws upon Old Testament personifications of divine wisdom (e.g., Prov 8), often associated with God's creative activity, counsel, and revelation.
  • Interpretation: In Christian theology, this "Wisdom of God" is widely understood to refer to Jesus Himself. He embodies God's perfect plan and self-revelation. Thus, Jesus is essentially quoting Himself or His own eternal decree as part of the divine counsel.
  • Divine Perspective: This phrase elevates the prophetic statement from mere human prophecy to a pronouncement from the very heart of God's eternal knowledge and purpose.
• said (εἶπεν, eipen): Indicates a past, definitive utterance or decree by divine wisdom. It implies a prophetic or eternal truth, not merely a spontaneous statement.
• I will send (ἀποστελῶ, apostelō): This verb signifies deliberate commissioning and dispatch. It is God (through His wisdom/Christ) who initiates the sending of His representatives, underscoring His persistent efforts to reach His people despite their rebellious nature.
• them (αὐτούς, autous): Refers to the people of Israel, specifically those Jesus is addressing (the current generation), indicating they are the target recipients of these messengers.
• prophets and apostles (προφήτας καὶ ἀποστόλους, prophētas kai apostolous):
  • Prophets: Encompasses Old Testament messengers who spoke God's word, including those before Christ.
  • Apostles: Primarily refers to New Testament messengers, specifically the twelve disciples whom Jesus was sending out, extending God's message and ministry through the Christian era. This pairing highlights the continuity of God's revelation across dispensations. The inclusion of "apostles" directly brings the contemporary rejection of Jesus' followers into the scope of this long-standing pattern.
• some of them they will kill and persecute (ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενοῦσιν καὶ διώξουσιν, ex autōn apoktenousin kai diōxousin):
  • Fateful Reality: This predicts the tragic but historically verifiable fate of many of God's messengers.
  • Kill: Suggests violent death, as was the case for many Old Testament prophets (e.g., Urijah in Jer 26:23, Zechariah in 2 Chr 24:20-22, etc.).
  • Persecute: Refers to active harassment, opposition, imprisonment, and suffering short of death. This happened both in the Old Testament and to Jesus' own disciples. It describes the ongoing resistance to divine truth.

Luke 11 49 Bonus section

• Divine Passive: The phrase "the Wisdom of God said" could be seen as an instance of the "divine passive," where the action is attributed to a passive construction but understood to be directly from God Himself, emphasizing His ultimate agency.
• Apocalyptic Tone: The statement carries a quasi-apocalyptic tone, setting the stage for the coming judgment described in the following verses (Lk 11:50-51), connecting the historical shedding of innocent blood with the climactic judgment upon "this generation."
• Jewish Concept of Wisdom: In early Jewish thought, "Wisdom" could function almost as a hypostasis of God, a divine attribute so concrete it almost becomes a distinct entity. Jesus appropriates this concept and subtly applies it to Himself or His own prophetic ministry, fitting with broader New Testament claims about Him being the ultimate revelation of God.
• Luke's Emphasis: Luke often emphasizes God's sovereign plan and the continuity of salvation history. This verse fits well into his narrative of demonstrating how Jesus and His followers are part of a long lineage of divinely appointed messengers who faced rejection.

Luke 11 49 Commentary

Luke 11:49 serves as a profound historical and theological commentary on humanity's enduring pattern of rejecting God's divine revelation. Jesus, identifying with or speaking for "the Wisdom of God," declares a consistent divine strategy: to send His chosen messengers. This declaration moves beyond mere human insight, implying an eternal decree rooted in God's perfect counsel. The chilling prediction of persecution and murder is not a prophecy of failure but a statement of the tragic reality of human resistance to divine truth across generations. The inclusion of both "prophets" and "apostles" broadens the scope from Israel's past sins to include the imminent rejection of Christ's New Testament witnesses, signaling a continuity in opposition to God's unfolding kingdom. This verse encapsulates the escalating culpability of a generation that not only perpetuates but culminates the long history of national apostasy, drawing an unbroken line from Abel to the contemporary witnesses.