Matthew 23:31-37

31So you are speaking against yourselves. You show that you are the sons of those people who killed God's prophets.

32Now you must finish the work that your ancestors began to do!

33You are like a family of dangerous snakes! You will not be able to run away. God will surely punish you, and he will send you to hell.

34So listen to this. God says, “I will send prophets to you. I will also send to you people who know many things. And I will send people to teach you what is true. But you will kill some of these people. You will kill some of them on a cross. In the places where you meet to pray, you will hit some of them with whips. They will run from one town to another town, but you will follow them.”

35Because of all this, God will punish you for all the good people that you and your ancestors have killed. Long ago, Abel was the first of those good people. You also killed Zechariah, the son of Berekiah. He died in the yard of the temple near the altar.

36Yes, I tell you this: God will punish the people who are alive today for all those murders.

37Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Your people have killed God's prophets. They have thrown stones to kill other people that God has sent to you. Many times, I have wanted to bring all of your people near to me. A female bird covers her babies with her body to make them safe. But you would not let me keep you from danger like that.