Matthew 23:31

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Word Reference
Original Word Definitions
ὥστε
G5620 CONJ
hōste
so too, i.e., thus therefore (in various relations of consecution, as follow)
  • so that, insomuch that
  • "so then, therefore, wherefore
μαρτυρεῖτε
G3140 V-PAI-2P
martyreō
to be a witness, i.e., testify (literally or figuratively)
  • to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e., to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration
    • to give (not to keep back) testimony
    • "to utter honorable testimony, give a good report"conjure, implore
ἑαυτοῖς
G1438 F-2DPM
heautou
(him- her-, it-, them-, my-, thy-, our-, your-)self (selves), etc
  • himself, herself, itself, themselves
ὅτι
G3754 CONJ
hoti
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
  • that, because, since
υἱοί
G5207 N-NPM
huios
a ___%___son___%___ (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship
  • a son
    • rarely used for the young of animals
    • "generally used of the offspring of men"in a restricted sense, the male offspring (one born by a father and of a mother)"in a wider sense, a descendant, one of the posterity of any one,
      • the children of Israel
      • "sons of Abraham
      used to describe one who depends on another or is his follower
      • a pupil
    son of man
    • term describing man, carrying the connotation of weakness and mortality
    • "son of man, symbolically denotes the fifth kingdom in Daniel 7:13 and by this term its humanity is indicated in contrast with the barbarity and ferocity of the four preceding kingdoms (the Babylonian, the Median and the Persian, the Macedonian, and the Roman) typified by the four beasts"used by Christ himself, doubtless in order that he might intimate his Messiahship and also that he might designate himself as the head of the human race, the man, the one who both furnished the pattern of the perfect man and acted on behalf of all mankind
    son of God
    • used to describe Adam (see Luke 3:38)
    • "used to describe those who are born again (see Luke 20:36) and of angels and of Jesus Christ"of those whom God esteems as sons, whom he loves, protects and benefits above others
      • in the Old Testament used of the Jews
      • "in the New Testament of Christians"those whose character God, as a loving father, shapes by chastisements (Hebrews 12:5–8)
      those who revere God as their father, the pious worshipers of God, those who in character and life resemble God, those who are governed by the Spirit of God, repose the same calm and joyful trust in God ...
ἐστε
G2075
este
ye are
  • second person plural of ___%___to be___%___
τῶν
G3588 T-GPM
ho
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
  • this, that, these, etc. Only significant renderings other than ___%___the___%___ counted
φονευσάντων
G5407 V-AAP-GPM
phoneuō
to be a murderer (of)
  • to kill, slay, murder
  • "to commit murder
τοὺς
G3588 T-APM
ho
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
  • this, that, these, etc. Only significant renderings other than ___%___the___%___ counted
προφήτας
G4396 N-APM
prophētēs
a foreteller (___%___prophet___%___); by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet
  • in Greek writings, an interpreter of oracles or of other hidden things
  • "one who, moved by the Spirit of God and hence his organ or spokesman, solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation
    • the Old Testament prophets, having foretold the kingdom, deeds and death, of Jesus the Messiah
    • "of John the Baptist, the herald of Jesus the Messiah"of the illustrious prophet, the Jews expected before the advent of the Messiah"the Messiah"of men filled with the Spirit of God, who by God's authority and command in words of weight pleads the cause of God and urges salvation of men"of prophets that appeared in the apostolic age among Christians
      • they are associated with the apostles
      • "they discerned and did what is best for the Christian cause, foretelling certain future events (see Acts 11:27)"in the religious assemblies of the Christians, they were moved by the Holy Spirit to speak, having power to instruct, comfort, encourage, rebuke, convict, and stimulate, their hearers
    a poet (because poets were believed to sing under divine inspiration)
    • of Epimenides (see Titus 1:12)

ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε ἑαυτοῖς ὅτι υἱοί ἐστε τῶν φονευσάντων τοὺς προφήτας
31
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Cross References

Acts 7:51

Σκληροτράχηλοι καὶ ἀπερίτμητοι τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ τοῖς ὠσίν ὑμεῖς ἀεὶ τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ ἀντιπίπτετε ὡς οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ ὑμεῖς
51
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

1 Thessalonians 2:15

τῶν καὶ τὸν κύριον ἀποκτεινάντων Ἰησοῦν καὶ τοὺς ἰδίους προφήτας καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκδιωξάντων καὶ θεῷ μὴ ἀρεσκόντων καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐναντίων
15
Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

Joshua 24:22

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶל-הָעָם עֵדִים אַתֶּם בָּכֶם כִּֽי-אַתֶּם בְּחַרְתֶּם לָכֶם אֶת-יְהוָה לַֽעֲבֹד אוֹתוֹ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ עֵדִֽים׃
22
And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.

Luke 19:22

λέγει δὲ αὐτῷ Ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου κρινῶ σε πονηρὲ δοῦλε ᾔδεις ὅτι ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος αὐστηρός εἰμι αἴρων οὐκ ἔθηκα καὶ θερίζων οὐκ ἔσπειρα
22
And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid down, not and reaping that I did not sow:

Job 15:5

כִּי יְאַלֵּף עֲוֺנְךָ פִיךָ וְתִבְחַר לְשׁוֹן עֲרוּמִֽים׃
5
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

Psalms 64:8

וַיַּכְשִׁילוּהוּ עָלֵימוֹ לְשׁוֹנָם יִתְנֹדֲדוּ כָּל-רֹאֵה בָֽם׃
8
So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.