Matthew 12:38-50

The Sign of Jonah

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher, w we wish to see a sign from you." 39 But he answered them, x "An evil and y adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For z just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, a so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 b The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and c condemn it, for d they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, e something greater than Jonah is here. 42 f The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, e something greater than Solomon is here.

Return of an Unclean Spirit

43 "When g the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through h waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and i the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this j evil generation."

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, k his mother and his l brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 1 48 But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For m whoever n does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

  1. Cross References
    Matthew 16:1
    And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to te...
    Mark 8:11 - 12
    The Pharisees came and began to argue with him,...
    Luke 11:16
    While others, to test him, kept seeking from hi...
    Luke 23:8
    When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he ...
    John 2:18
    So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show...
    John 4:48
    So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and...
    John 6:30
    So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do,...
    1 Corinthians 1:22
    For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom.
  2. Cross References
    Matthew 16:4
    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.
    Matthew 12:39 - 42
    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.
    Luke 11:29 - 32
    When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.
    Mark 8:11 - 12
    The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.
  3. Cross References
    Isaiah 57:3
    But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman.
    Mark 8:38
    For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
    James 4:4
    You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
  4. Cross References
    Matthew 12:39 - 42
    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.
    Luke 11:29 - 32
    When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.
  5. Cross References
    Jonah 1:17
    And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
  6. Cross References
    Matthew 17:22 - 23
    As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.
  7. Cross References
    Jonah 1:2
    "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me."
  8. Cross References
    Hebrews 11:7
    By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
    Jeremiah 3:11
    And the Lord said to me, "Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.
    Ezekiel 16:51 - 52
    Samaria has not committed half your sins. You have committed more abominations than they, and have made your sisters appear righteous by all the abominations that you have committed.
    Romans 2:27
    Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law.
  9. Cross References
    Jonah 3:5
    And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.
  10. Cross References
    Matthew 12:6
    I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.
  11. Cross References
    1 Kings 10:1
    Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.
    2 Chronicles 9:1
    Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions, having a very great retinue and camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind.
  12. Cross References
    Matthew 12:41
    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.
  13. Cross References
    Matthew 12:43 - 45
    When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none.
    Luke 11:24 - 26
    "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'
  14. Cross References
    Psalms 63:1
    O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
    Jeremiah 2:6
    They did not say, 'Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?
  15. Cross References
    Matthew 12:43 - 45
    When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none.
    Luke 11:24 - 26
    "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'
  16. Cross References
    2 Peter 2:20 - 22
    For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
    John 5:14
    Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.
  17. Cross References
    Matthew 12:39
    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.
  18. Cross References
    Matthew 12:46 - 50
    While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.
    Mark 3:31 - 35
    And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.
    Luke 8:19 - 21
    Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd.
  19. Cross References
    Matthew 13:55
    Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mot...
    Mark 6:3
    Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and ...
    John 2:12
    After this he went down to Capernaum, with his ...
    John 7:3
    So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go...
    John 7:5
    For not even his brothers believed in him.
    John 7:10
    But after his brothers had gone up to the feast...
    Acts 1:14
    All these with one accord were devoting themsel...
    1 Corinthians 9:5
    Do we not have the right to take along a believ...
    Galatians 1:19
    But I saw none of the other apostles except Jam...
  20. Cross References
    Matthew 12:46 - 50
    While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.
    Mark 3:31 - 35
    And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.
    Luke 8:19 - 21
    Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd.
  21. Cross References
    John 15:14
    You are my friends if you do what I command you.
    Hebrews 2:11
    For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers.
  22. Cross References
    Matthew 7:21
    Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
    Luke 11:28
    But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.