New King James Version
Matthew 12:41
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.
Matthew 12:41 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
- New International Version (NIV)The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.
Context of Matthew 12:41
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. 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. The 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. 42The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 43“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
Read all of Matthew 12Matthew 12:41 word by word
Ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτήν, ὅτι μετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰωνᾶ· καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The menἀνήρanēr · manG435
- of NinevehΝινευΐτηςNineuitēs · NineviteG3536
- shall riseἀνίστημιanistēmi · to ariseG450
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- judgmentὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- judgmentκρίσιςkrisis · judgmentG2920
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- generationγενεάgenea · generationG1074
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- shall condemnκατακρίνωkatakrinō · to condemnG2632
- itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- they repentedμετανοέωmetanoeō · to repentG3340
- atεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the preachingκήρυγμαkērugma · preachingG2782
- of JonasἸωνᾶςIōnas · JonahG2495
- beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- a greaterπλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
- hereὧδεhōde · hereG5602
Cross-references for Matthew 12:41
- Luke 11:32The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
- Matthew 12:42The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
- Isaiah 54:17No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 3:11Then the Lord said to me, “Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.
- Ezekiel 16:51“Samaria did not commit half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all the abominations which you have done.
- Romans 2:27And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?
- Hebrews 11:7By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
- Matthew 12:39But 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 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.
- Matthew 17:17Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.”
- Matthew 23:36Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
- Jonah 3:5So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
- Matthew 12:6Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple.
- John 3:31He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
- John 4:12Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”
- John 8:53Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
Commentaries on Matthew 12:41
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 41The men of Nineveh shell rise in judgment - The voice of God, threatening temporal judgments, caused a whole people to repent, who had neither Moses nor Christ, neither the law nor the prophets; and who perhaps never had but this one preacher among them. What judgment may not we expect, if we continue impenitent, after all that God has bestowed upon us? A greater than Jonas is here - , for , something more. The evidence offered by Jonah sufficed to…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. 41-42One greater: Jesus is greater than the temple (Matthew 12:6), the prophet Jonah, and King Solomon. So, rejecting him brings more severe judgment on this "wicked and adulterous generation" (12:39).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4141. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, &c.--The Ninevites, though heathens, repented at a man's preaching; while they, God's covenant-people, repented not at the preaching of the Son of God--whose supreme dignity is rather implied here than expressed.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 12:41
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
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