New King James Version
Matthew 12:39
39But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Matthew 12:39 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
- New International Version (NIV)He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Context of Matthew 12:39
37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
Read all of Matthew 12Matthew 12:39 word by word
Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· γενεὰ πονηρὰ καὶ μοιχαλὶς σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ· καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ τοῦ προφήτου.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- heὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Anγενεάgenea · generationG1074
- evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- adulterousμοιχαλίςmoichalis · adulterousG3428
- seeketh afterἐπιζητέωepizēteō · to seek afterG1934
- a signσημεῖονsēmeion · signG4592
- there shallδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- noοὐou · noG3756
- butεἰei · if: notG1487
- ·μήmē · notG3361
- of the prophetπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
- JonasἸωνᾶςIōnas · JonahG2495
Cross-references for Matthew 12:39
- Isaiah 57:3“But come here, You sons of the sorceress, You offspring of the adulterer and the harlot!
- Mark 8:38For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
- James 4:4Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
- Matthew 16:4A 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.
- Luke 11:29And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Commentaries on Matthew 12:39
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39An evil and adulterous generation - Or, race of people; for so should be translated here, and in most other places in the Gospels; for our Lord, in general, uses it to point out the Jewish people. This translation is a key to unlock some very obscure passages in the evangelists. Seeketh after a sign - Or, seeketh another sign, ( ), so I think this word should be translated. Our Lord had already given the Jews several signs; and here they desire sign upon…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38-42Verses 38-42 We would see a sign from thee - See Luke 11:16, Luke 11:29-32. A “sign” commonly signifies a miracle - that is, a sign that God was with the person or had sent him. Compare the notes at Isaiah 7:11. Luke adds that this was done “tempting him;” that is, trying him, doubting if he had the power to do it. If these persons had been present with him for any considerable time, they had already seen sufficient proofs that he was what he claimed to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 38-45Verses 38-45 Though Christ is always ready to hear and answer holy desires and prayers, yet those who ask amiss, ask and have not. Signs were granted to those who desired them to confirm their faith, as Abraham and Gideon; but denied to those who demanded them to excuse their unbelief. The resurrection of Christ from the dead by his own power, called here the sign of the prophet Jonah, was the great proof of Christ's being the Messiah. As Jonah was three…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 39-40To demand a sign shows a lack of faith. The sign of the prophet Jonah was his "resurrection" from the large fish after three days and nights. It also referred to his preaching (12:41; Luke 11:32). This was similar to the burial, resurrection, and preaching of Jesus. Jesus compared Jonah's experience to what he would experience. He was not predicting the exact timing of his death and resurrection. Heart of the earth is another way of saying "the grave."Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3939. But he answered and said unto them--"when the people were gathered thick together" (Lu 11:29). an evil and adulterous generation--This latter expression is best explained by Jr 3:20, "Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord." For this was the relationship in which He stood to the covenant-people--"I am married unto you" (Jr 3:14). seeketh after a sign--In the…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 12:39
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 12
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries