Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 23:34

"Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:" — Matthew 23:34 (ASV)

I send to you prophets, etc. He doubtless refers here to the apostles and other teachers of religion. Prophets, wise men, and scribes were the names by which the teachers of religion were known among the Jews; and He, therefore, used the same terms when speaking of the messengers whom He would send. I send has the force of the future; I will send.

Some of them you shall kill. As in the case of Stephen (Acts 7:59) and James (Acts 12:1–2).

Crucify. This means to punish with death on the cross. No specific cases of this are mentioned in historical records, as few accounts from this age have survived. The Jews did not have the power to crucify, but they handed them over to the Romans to do it.

Shall scourge. See Matthew 10:17. This was done, for example, as recorded in Acts 22:19-24 and 2 Corinthians 11:24–25.

Persecute them, etc. See Matthew 5:10. This was fulfilled in the case of nearly all the apostles.

City to city .