• Luke 11:44
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 44 οὐαὶ Woe ὑμῖν, to YOU, ὅτι because ἐστὲ YOU are ὡς as τὰ the μνημεῖα memorial tombs τὰ the (ones) ἄδηλα, not evident, καὶ and οἱ the ἄνθρωποι men οἱ the (ones) περιπατοῦντες walking about ἐπάνω on top οὐκ not οἴδασιν. they have known.

  • Luke 11:44
    King James Version

    • 44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

  • Luke Study Notes—Chapter 11
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 11:44

      graves that are not clearly visible: Or “unmarked graves.” In general, Jewish tombs do not appear to have been ornate or ostentatious. As shown in this verse, some were so inconspicuous that people might have walked on them and become ceremonially unclean without being aware of it. The Law of Moses considered unclean those who had touched anything belonging to the dead, so a person walking on such unseen graves would become ceremonially unclean for seven days. (Nu 19:16) So that graves could be easily discovered and avoided, the Jews had them whitewashed each year. In this context, Jesus evidently meant that people who mixed freely with Pharisees, believing them to be good men, subconsciously became infected with their corrupt attitudes and unclean thinking.​—See study note on Mt 23:27.