³⁹ But He answered and said to them, “An evil and ^(A)adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ^40 (B)For 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.

¹⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, ^(A)“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Pilate Sets a Guard

⁶² On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, ⁶³ saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ^(A)‘After three days I will rise.’ ⁶⁴ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come ^[a]by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure, ^(B)sealing the stone and setting the guard.