Matthew 16:4

Matthew 16:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
• New International Version (NIV)A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.
• English Standard Version (ESV)An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah." So he left them and departed.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.

Context of Matthew 16:4

2But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away. 5And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Matthew 16:4 word by word

γενεὰ πονηρὰ καὶ μοιχαλὶς σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ· καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ καὶ καταλιπὼν αὐτοὺς ἀπῆλθεν.¶Read the interlinear

• An evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• and adulterousμοιχαλίςmoichalis · adulterousG3428
• generationγενεάgenea · generationG1074
• seeksἐπιζητέωepizēteō · to seek afterG1934
• signσημεῖονsēmeion · signG4592
• will not be givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• it, exceptεἰ μήei mē · exceptG1508
• of JonahἸωνᾶςIōnas · JonahG2495
• And He leftκαταλείπωkataleipō · to leave behindG2641
• them and wentἀπέρχομαιaperchomai · to go awayG565

Cross-references for Matthew 16:4

• Matthew 12:39But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;
• Mark 8:12Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, “Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
• Acts 2:40And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”
• Jonah 1:17And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
• Luke 11:29As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.
• Matthew 15:14Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
• Genesis 6:3Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
• Hosea 4:17Ephraim is joined to idols; Let him alone.
• Hosea 9:12Though they bring up their children, Yet I will bereave them until not a man is left. Yes, woe to them indeed when I depart from them!
• Mark 5:17And they began to implore Him to leave their region.
• Acts 18:6But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Commentaries on Matthew 16:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Wicked and adulterous generation - The Jewish people are represented in the Sacred Writings as married to the Most High; but, like a disloyal wife, forsaking their true husband, and uniting themselves to Satan and sin. Seeketh after a sign, , seeketh sign upon sign, or, still another sign. Our blessed Lord had already wrought miracles sufficient to demonstrate both his Divine mission and his divinity; only one was farther necessary to take away the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-4Verses 1-4 See also Mark 8:11-12. The Pharisees also, and the Sadducees - See the notes at Matthew 3:7. Tempting - That is, trying him - feigning a desire to see evidence that he was the Messiah, but with a real desire to see him make the attempt to work a miracle and fail, so that they might betray him and ruin him. A sign from heaven - Some miraculous appearance in the sky. Such appearances had been given by the prophets; and they supposed, if he was…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-12After being welcomed among the Gentiles (non-Jews), Jesus returned to his own people. There he faced rejection again.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 16:4

• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Jonah
• Pharisees
• Reproof
• Sign
• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• Adulterous
• Bind
• Blood
• Gain
• Gate
• Hell
• Leaven
• Loose
• Miracle
• Pharisees

Commentaries on Matthew 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings