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Luke 11:54
ESV lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.
NIV waiting to catch him in something he might say.
NASB plotting against Him to catch Him in something He might say.
CSB they were lying in wait for him to trap him in something he said.
NLT They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him.
KJV Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.
NKJV lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.

What does Luke 11:54 mean?

The Pharisees and the scribes—lawyers from the sect of the Pharisees—are trying to push Jesus to commit a capital offense so they can destroy Him. He has done plenty to offend them: "break" the Sabbath (Luke 6:6–11), break their extra-biblical rules (Luke 11:37–38), reveal their logic to be foolishness (Luke 11:14–23), and tell them they are unmarked graves filled with greed and wickedness (Luke 11:37–41).

Jesus also warned them that they are no better than the religious leaders of the past who murdered God's prophets. The legacies of Abel and Zechariah witness to God's truth with faithful words given by God. In response, those who did not want to know God's message killed the messengers (Luke 11:47–51).

That makes the Pharisees' and lawyers' plan ironic. Jesus came to speak the words that God the Father gave Him to say (John 12:49). The religious leaders want to force Jesus to blaspheme against the Father. No attack or verbal maneuvering is going to do that (Luke 20). Jesus doesn't speak blasphemous words that threaten the religious leaders, but He does pronounce God's words. Their conspiracy against Jesus proves His accusation that they are guilty of killing God's prophets.

Later, Jesus will tell a parable about this very fact. A man owns a vineyard which he rents out to tenants. The man sends several servants to collect rent, but the tenants either beat or kill each one. Finally, the owner sends his son; the tenants kill him, too, thinking they will inherit the vineyard (Luke 20:9–18).

God gave the Jewish religious leaders responsibility to guard and share His truth. They twisted that truth to justify their own purposes, then killed God's messengers who attempted to return them to the right track. Finally, God sends His Son. Instead of repenting and admitting their error, they kill Him, too.

The rest of Jesus' travelogue (Luke 9:51—19:27) has a notable pattern:
  • Luke 12:1—13:9: Teachings about focusing on the kingdom of God, not the world
  • Luke 13:10–35: A miracle, stories about the kingdom, and teaching about salvation
  • Luke 14:1—15:32: A miracle, stories about the kingdom, and teaching about salvation
  • Luke 16:1—17:10: Warnings about rejecting the kingdom of God
  • Luke 17:11—18:34: A miracle, stories about the kingdom, and teaching about salvation
  • Luke 18:35—19:27: A miracle, stories about the kingdom, and teaching about salvation
When the last parable is told, Jesus enters Jerusalem to face the cross.
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