The Meaning of Luke 11:49 Explained

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:

YLT: because of this also the wisdom of God said: I will send to them prophets, and apostles, and some of them they shall kill and persecute,

Darby: For this reason also the wisdom of God has said, I will send to them prophets and apostles, and of these shall they kill and drive out by persecution,

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Luke 11:49 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 11:45-54 - Searching Words For Hypocrites
The minute oral and written rules promulgated by the Hebrew religious leaders overlaid and almost buried under their weight the simple Mosaic code. They were the subject of incessant disputing and discussion. A vast crowd of copyists, lecturers, teachers and casuists were always debating them. The lawyer who here addressed Christ was one of this class. He could hardly believe that this revered rabbi could include him and his fellows in these terrible woes.
Our Lord speaks of Himself as the Wisdom of God. Compare Luke 11:49 with Matthew 23:34. For a moment He rises above the low levels of His Incarnation and identifies Himself with the Eternal God. But what profound sorrow filled His heart, as these stern words were wrung from His lips by the stubborn obduracy of His people! In the Hebrew Scriptures, where the order of the books differs from that of our Old Testament, the death of Abel is related in the first book and that of Zacharias in the last, 2 Chronicles 24:20-22. The legend said that the blood of the latter was bubbling up when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem. No sacrifices availed to stop it. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 11

1  Jesus teaches us to pray, and that instantly;
11  assuring us that God will give all good things to those who ask him
14  He, casting out a demon, rebukes the blasphemous Pharisees;
27  and shows who are blessed;
29  preaches to the people;
37  and reprimands the outward show of holiness

Greek Commentary for Luke 11:49

The wisdom of God [η σοπια του τεου]
In Matthew 23:34 Jesus uses “I send” See Luke 10:22; Luke 15:7, Luke 15:10. Here the future tense occurs, “I will send” (αποστελω — apostelō). [source]
Some of them [εχ αυτων]
No “some” (τινας — tinas) in the Greek, but understood. They will act as their fathers did. They will kill and persecute. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 11:49

1 Thessalonians 2:15 Persecuted [ἐκδιωξάντων]
Rev. more literally and correctly, drave out. The word only here, though it occurs as an alternative reading, Luke 11:49. Probably with special reference to his own expulsion from Thessalonica. Acts 17:5-10. [source]
Revelation 2:10 Some of you [εχ υμων]
Without τινας — tinas (some) before εχ υμων — ex humōn a common idiom as in Revelation 3:9; Revelation 11:19; Luke 11:49.That ye may be tried (ινα πειραστητε — hina peirasthēte). Purpose clause with ινα — hina and the first aorist passive subjunctive of πειραζω — peirazō John himself is in exile. Peter and John had often been in prison together. James the brother of John, Paul, and Peter had all suffered martyrdom. In Revelation 3:10 a general persecution is outlined by πειρασμος — peirasmos shall have (εχετε — hexete). Future active, but some MSS. read εχητε — echēte (present active subjunctive with hina, “that ye may have”).Tribulation ten days “Tribulation of ten days” (or “within ten days”). It is unwise to seek a literal meaning for ten days. Even ten days of suffering might seem an eternity while they lasted.Be thou faithful (γινου πιστος — ginou pistos). “Keep on becoming faithful” (present middle imperative of γινομαι — ginomai), “keep on proving faithful unto death” (Hebrews 12:4) as the martyrs have done (Jesus most of all).The crown of life See this very image in James 1:12, a familiar metaphor in the games at Smyrna and elsewhere in which the prize was a garland. See also Revelation 3:11. The crown consists in life (Revelation 2:7). See Paul‘s use of στεπανος — stephanos in 1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:8. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 11:49 mean?

Because of this also the Wisdom - of God said I will send to them prophets and apostles [some] of them they will kill persecute
διὰ τοῦτο καὶ σοφία τοῦ Θεοῦ εἶπεν Ἀποστελῶ εἰς αὐτοὺς προφήτας καὶ ἀποστόλους ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενοῦσιν διώξουσιν

διὰ  Because  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
τοῦτο  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
σοφία  Wisdom 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: σοφία  
Sense: wisdom, broad and full of intelligence; used of the knowledge of very diverse matters.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
εἶπεν  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
Ἀποστελῶ  I  will  send 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀποστέλλω 
Sense: to order (one) to go to a place appointed.
προφήτας  prophets 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: προφήτης  
Sense: in Greek writings, an interpreter of oracles or of other hidden things.
ἀποστόλους  apostles 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀπόστολος  
Sense: a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders.
ἐξ  [some]  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
ἀποκτενοῦσιν  they  will  kill 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀποκτείνω 
Sense: to kill in any way whatever.
διώξουσιν  persecute 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: διώκω  
Sense: to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away.