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 evening comes, you say, ‘Fair weather coming, for the sky is red,’ 3and in the morning, ‘Stormy weather today, for the sky is red and gloomy.’ You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times! An evil and adulterous generation clamors for a sign, yet no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” And leaving them behind, He went away. 5Now when the disciples came to the other side of the sea, they had forgotten to take bread. 6“Watch out,” Yeshua said to them, “and beware of the hametz 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• A wickedπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• adulterousμοιχαλίςmoichalis · adulterousG3428
• generationγενεάgenea · generationG1074
• seeketh afterἐπιζητέωepizēteō · to seek afterG1934
• a signσημεῖονsēmeion · signG4592
• there shallδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• noοὐou · noG3756
• unto itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• ·εἰei · if: notG1487
• butμήmē · notG3361
• the signὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• of the prophetπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• JonasἸωνᾶςIōnas · JonahG2495
• he leftκαταλείπωkataleipō · to leave behindG2641
• and departedἀπέρχομαιaperchomai · to go awayG565

Cross-references for Matthew 16:4

• Matthew 12:39But Yeshua replied to them, “An evil and adulterous generation clamors for a sign, yet no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
• Mark 8:12Sighing deeply in His spirit, Yeshua said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Amen, I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
• Acts 2:40With many other words he warned them and kept urging them, saying, “Save yourselves from this twisted generation!”
• Luke 11:29With the crowds increasing, Yeshua began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, yet no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.
• Matthew 15:14Leave them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
• Genesis 6:3Then Adonai said, “My Spirit will not remain with humankind forever, since they are flesh. So their days will be 120 years.
• Hosea 4:17Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone!
• Hosea 9:12For if they should raise their children, I would make them childless to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!
• Mark 5:17And they began to beg Yeshua to leave their country.
• Acts 18:6But when they resisted and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said, “Your blood be upon 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