Matthew 12:38-42

New International Reader's Version

The Sign of Jonah

³⁸Some of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law came to Jesus. They said, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

³⁹He answered, “Evil and unfaithful people ask for a sign! But none will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰Jonah was in the belly of a huge fish for three days and three nights. Something like that will happen to the Son of Man. He will spend three days and three nights in the grave. ⁴¹The men of Nineveh will stand up on judgment day with the people now living. And the Ninevites will prove that these people are guilty. The men of Nineveh turned away from their sins when Jonah preached to them. And now something more important than Jonah is here. ⁴²The Queen of the South will stand up on judgment day with the people now living. And she will prove that they are guilty. She came from very far away to listen to Solomon’s wisdom. And now something more important than Solomon is here.

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Matthew 12:38-42

New International Version

The Sign of Jonah^(A)^(B)

³⁸Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign^(C) from you.”^(D)

³⁹He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.^(E) ⁴⁰For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish,^(F) so the Son of Man^(G) will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.^(H) ⁴¹The men of Nineveh^(I) will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah,^(J) and now something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴²The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came^(K) from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.