Thus may be expressed “In this way” or “So” (Good News Translation). Barclay has “By your very statement.”

Witness against yourselves: the meaning seems to be that through their rejection of Jesus the Pharisees give evidence that they are indeed descendants of those people who murdered the prophets in earlier generations. Barclay translates this as “you provide evidence.” This expression can also be used in a sentence such as “you provide evidence against yourselves by acknowledging you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.”

Sons of (see “fathers” in verse 30) has the extended meaning of “descendants of” (Good News Translation). The Hebrew expression also conveys the notion of persons of like character and disposition.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .