# I tell you

Jesus said this to emphasize what he would say next.

# if these were silent ... cry out

This is a hypothetical situation. Some translators may need to make it clear what Jesus was implying when he said this: "no, I will not rebuke them, for if these people were to be silent ... cry out" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hypo]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# the stones would cry out

"the stones would call out praises"