Focused Passage

Matthew 23:37-39

Woes upon Hypocritical Leadership and the Lament over Jerusalem

Matthew 23 moves from Jesus’ instruction to crowds and disciples about hypocritical teachers, to a warning against status-seeking titles, to the principle that greatness is servanthood and exaltation belongs to the humble, to seven major woes exposing Pharisaic hypocrisy, to the announcement of coming persecution of Jesus’ messengers, and finally to Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem’s unwillingness and coming desolation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.

39 For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 37

Original words

O Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλὴμ G2419 Noun - Vocative Feminine Singular Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλήμ G2419 Noun - Vocative Feminine Singular who G3588 Article - Vocative Feminine Singular kills ἀποκτείνουσα G615 Verb - Present Participle Active - Vocative Feminine Singular the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural prophets προφήτας G4396 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction stones λιθοβολοῦσα G3036 Verb - Present Participle Active - Vocative Feminine Singular those τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural sent ἀπεσταλμένους G649 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Plural to πρὸς G4314 Preposition her αὐτήν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular how often ποσάκις G4212 Adverb I have longed ἠθέλησα G2309 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular to gather ἐπισυναγαγεῖν G1996 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural children {together} τέκνα G5043 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural as τρόπον G5158 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular . . . ὃν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular a hen ὄρνις G3733 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular gathers ἐπισυνάγει G1996 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular her αὐτῆς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural chicks νοσσία G3556 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural under ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition [her] τὰς G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Plural wings πτέρυγας G4420 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural but καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb you were unwilling ἠθελήσατε G2309 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Verse 38

Original words

Look ἰδοὺ G2400 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular your ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular house οἶκος G3624 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular is left ἀφίεται G863 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular to you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural desolate ἔρημος G2048 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • NE and WH do not include desolate.
Verse 39

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction I tell λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you [that] ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb vvv μή G3361 Adverb you will not see ἴδητε G3708 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural Me με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular again ἀπ’ G575 Preposition . . . ἄρτι G737 Adverb until ἕως G2193 Conjunction . . . ἂν G302 Particle you say εἴπητε G2036 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural Blessed [is] Εὐλογημένος G2127 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular He who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular comes ἐρχόμενος G2064 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] name ὀνόματι G3686 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular of [the] Lord Κυρίου G2962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Psalm 118:26

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.