Zechariah 1:2-4

1:2 The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. ¹  1:3 Therefore say to the people: ²  The Lord who rules over all ³  says, “Turn ⁴  to me,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and I will turn to you,” says the Lord who rules over all. 1:4 “Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets called out, saying, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “Turn now from your evil wickedness,”’ but they would by no means obey me,” says the Lord.

Luke 11:47-48

11:47 Woe to you! You build ⁵  the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors ⁶  killed. 11:48 So you testify that you approve of ⁷  the deeds of your ancestors, ⁸  because they killed the prophets ⁹  and you build their ¹⁰  tombs! ¹¹ 

Acts 7:51

7:51 “You stubborn ¹²  people, with uncircumcised ¹³  hearts and ears! ¹⁴  You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors ¹⁵  did!

Acts 7:1

Stephen’s Defense Before the Council

7:1 Then the high priest said, “Are these things true?” ¹⁶ 

Acts 1:18

1:18 (Now this man Judas ¹⁷  acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, ¹⁸  and falling headfirst ¹⁹  he burst open in the middle and all his intestines ²⁰  gushed out.

¹ tn Heb “fathers” (so KJV, NAB); NIV “forefathers” (also in vv. 4, 5).

² tn Heb “to them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ sn The epithet Lord who rules over all occurs frequently as a divine title throughout Zechariah (53 times total). This name (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, yÿhvah tsÿva’ot), traditionally translated “Lord of hosts” (so KJV, NAB, NASB; cf. NIV, NLT “Lord Almighty”; NCV, CEV “Lord All-Powerful”), emphasizes the majestic sovereignty of the Lord, an especially important concept in the postexilic world of great human empires and rulers. For a thorough study of the divine title, see T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 123-57.

⁴ tn The Hebrew verb שׁוּב (shuv) is common in covenant contexts. To turn from the Lord is to break the covenant and to turn to him (i.e., to repent) is to renew the covenant relationship (cf. 2 Kgs 17:13).

⁵ sn The effect of what the experts in the law were doing was to deny the message of the prophets and thus honor their death by supporting those who had sought their removal. The charge that this is what previous generations did shows the problem is chronic. As T. W. Manson said, the charge here is “The only prophet you honor is a dead prophet!” (The Sayings of Jesus, 101).

⁶ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

⁷ tn Grk “you are witnesses and approve of.”

⁸ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

⁹ tn Grk “them”; the referent (the prophets) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰ tn “Their,” i.e., the prophets.

¹¹ tc The majority of mss list a specific object (“their tombs”), filling out the sentence (although there are two different words for “tombs” among the mss, as well as different word orders: αὐτῶν τὰ μνημεῖα (autwn ta mnhmeia; found in A C W Θ Ψ 33 Ï) and τοὺς τάφους αὐτῶν (tou" tafou" autwn; found in Ë^1,[13] 2542 pc). This suggests that early copyists had no term in front of them but felt the verb needed an object. But since a wide distribution of early Alexandrian and Western mss lack these words (Ì⁷⁵ א B D L 579 1241 it sa), it is likely that they were not part of the original text of Luke. Nevertheless, the words “their tombs” are inserted in the translation because of requirements of English style.

¹² sn Traditionally, “stiff-necked people.” Now the critique begins in earnest.

¹³ tn The term ἀπερίτμητοι (aperitmhtoi, “uncircumcised”) is a NT hapax legomenon (occurs only once). See BDAG 101-2 s.v. ἀπερίτμητος and Isa 52:1.

¹⁴ tn Or “You stubborn and obstinate people!” (The phrase “uncircumcised hearts and ears” is another figure for stubbornness.)

¹⁵ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

¹⁶ tn Grk “If it is so concerning these things” (see BDAG 422 s.v. ἔχω 10.a for this use).

¹⁷ tn The referent of “this man” (Judas) was specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁸ tn Traditionally, “with the reward of his wickedness.”

¹⁹ tn Traditionally, “falling headlong.”

²⁰ tn Or “all his bowels.”