11:48a

So: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as So introduces the conclusion to be drawn from 11:47b–c. Other ways to introduce this conclusion are:

Thus/Therefore
-or-
In this way (New Jerusalem Bible)

you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you are witnesses consenting to the deeds of your fathers is more literally:

you are witnesses and you approve of the deeds of your fathers (New American Standard Bible)

Another way to translate this is:

you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did (New International Version)

Whether the noun “witnesses” or the verb “testify” is used, this word refers here to their actions, not words that they said. By their actions in building the tombs, the law experts showed that they approved of what their ancestors had done in killing the prophets.

Some other ways to translate this entire clause are:

you show that you approve of what your ancestors did (New Century Version)
-or-
by doing this you prove/show that you agree that what your ancestors did was right

11:48b

They killed the prophets, and you build their tombs: Luke 11:48b says the same things as 11:47b–c. Jesus was continuing to speak ironically or sarcastically. He was saying that the law experts were continuing the work of their ancestors. They built grave memorials to make it look as if they were honoring the prophets whom their ancestors had murdered. In fact, they continued doing the same things as their ancestors had done—refusing to obey God’s prophets, not believing their words, and persecuting them.

Consider how you might show that Jesus was speaking ironically here.

General Comment on 11:47–48

One possible way to make 11:47–48 clearer is to change the order of some of the phrases and supply some implied information. For example:

47cIt was your ancestors who murdered the prophets, 47band ⌊now⌋ you build fine monuments ⌊to honor⌋ those prophets. 48aSo ⌊by doing this⌋ you show that you approve of what your ancestors did. 48b⌊That is to say,⌋ they killed the prophets and you build the prophets’ tombs! 47aGod will punish you severely for this!

If the meaning still seems unclear to people, you have the following options:

• Provide a footnote. For example:

The experts in the law wanted people to think that they were honoring the prophets by building the tombs. But since they did not follow the teaching of the prophets, they proved that they were no better than their ancestors who killed the prophets.

• Make your translation even more explicit. For example:

47cIt was your ancestors who ⌊did not obey the message of the prophets. Instead, they⌋ killed the prophets. 47b⌊Now⌋ you build fine monuments ⌊to honor⌋ those prophets, ⌊but you also do not obey their message⌋. 48aSo, ⌊by doing that⌋ you show that you approve of what your ancestors did. 48b⌊That is,⌋ they killed the prophets and you ⌊continue their work by⌋ building tombs for those prophets! 47aGod will punish you severely for this!

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