If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

This line comes from the New Testament account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (often called the Triumphal Entry). As Jesus rides toward the city, his disciples and the surrounding crowd praise God loudly. Some Pharisees object and ask Jesus to rebuke his followers. Jesus replies that their acclamation is unavoidable: if human witnesses were silenced, creation itself would testify. The saying is preserved in the Gospel of Luke and has been read in Christian tradition as a declaration that the significance of the moment cannot be suppressed by social or religious authorities.

The image of “stones” crying out is hyperbole that underscores the inevitability of truth and rightful praise. It suggests that testimony to what is real—here, the meaning of Jesus’ arrival—does not ultimately depend on human permission or even human speech; the created world would become a witness if people refused. More broadly, the line has been used to express that injustice, reality, or divine purpose cannot be permanently silenced: when voices are suppressed, evidence and consequences will speak in other forms. Its force lies in portraying silence as unnatural when confronted with momentous truth.

And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out. | I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out. | I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.