Seeking a Sign^(A)

^29 (B)And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a ^(C)sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah ^[a]the prophet. ³⁰ For as ^(D)Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. ^31 (E)The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a ^(F)greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for ^(G)they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

The Lamp of the Body^(H)

^33 (I)“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a ^(J)basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. ^34 (K)The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is ^[b]good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is ^[c]bad, your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵ Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. ³⁶ If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”

Woe to the Pharisees and Lawyers

³⁷ And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. ^38 (L)When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.

^39 (M)Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but ^(N)your inward part is full of ^[d]greed and wickedness. ⁴⁰ Foolish ones! Did not ^(O)He who made the outside make the inside also? ^41 (P)But rather give alms of ^[e]such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.

^42 (Q)“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and ^(R)pass by justice and the ^(S)love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. ^43 (T)Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the ^[f]best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. ^44 (U)Woe to you, ^[g]scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! ^(V)For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

⁴⁵ Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.”

⁴⁶ And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! ^(W)For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. ^47 (X)Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. ⁴⁸ In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. ⁴⁹ Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ^(Y)‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ ⁵⁰ that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, ^51 (Z)from the blood of Abel to ^(AA)the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.

^52 (AB)“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

^53 [h]And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, ⁵⁴ lying in wait for Him, ^[i]and ^(AC)seeking to catch Him in something He might say, ^[j]that they might accuse Him.