Matthew 23:34
What does Matthew 23:34 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 23:34 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 23:34 means
Jesus prophesies that He will send prophets, wise men, and scribes (His disciples) to them, knowing full well that they will be persecuted and killed, just as their ancestors persecuted God's earlier messengers. This foretells the coming suffering of the apostles and early Christians, who would face scourging, crucifying, and relentless pursuit from city to city. This prophecy reveals the continued pattern of persecution against God's representatives by those who reject His truth.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
KJV
King James Version · 1611Wherefore, 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:
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For this reason, I send you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them you will put to death and put on the cross, and to some of them you will give blows in your Synagogues, driving them from town to town;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`Because of this, lo, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes, and of them ye will kill and crucify, and of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will pursue from city to city;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Therefore behold I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes: and some of them you will put to death and crucify: and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and [some] of them ye will kill and crucify, and [some] of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will persecute from city to city;
Context
Following the severe condemnation and warning of hellish judgment, this verse delivers a direct prophecy about the persecution of God's future messengers—Jesus' disciples. It outlines the specific brutal treatment they will endure, confirming the scribes and Pharisees' continuity with their murderous forefathers. This prophecy of suffering directly prepares for the declaration that the blood of all righteous martyrs, from Abel to Zechariah, will come upon this generation in the next verse.
v.33Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell?
v.34This passage
v.35that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 16:2
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God.
- 2 Chronicles 36:15
And Jehovah, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place:
- Matthew 28:19
Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:
- Colossians 1:28
whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;
- Revelation 11:10
And they that dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and make merry; and they shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth.
- 1 Corinthians 2:6
We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought:
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