Matthew 12:33-42

New Testament for Everyone

The sign of Jonah

³³ “You must make up your mind between two possibilities,” Jesus went on. “Either the tree is good, in which case its fruit is good; or the tree is bad, in which case its fruit is bad. You can tell the tree by its fruits, after all.

³⁴ “You’re a family of snakes! How can you say good things when you’re bad inside? What the mouth speaks is what fills the heart. ³⁵ A good person produces good things from a good storeroom; an evil person produces evil things from an evil storeroom. ³⁶ Let me tell you this: on judgment day people will have to own up to every trivial word they say. ³⁷ Yes: you will be vindicated by your own words—and you will be condemned by your own words.”

³⁸ “Teacher,” responded some of the scribes and Pharisees. “We would like to see a sign from you.”

³⁹ “This wicked and immoral generation is looking for a sign,” replied Jesus. “But no sign will be given to it—except the sign of Jonah. ⁴⁰ Jonah, you see, was in the stomach of the sea-monster for three days and three nights—and in the same way the son of man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment along with this generation and will condemn it. They, after all, repented when they heard Jonah’s warnings! And, in case you hadn’t noticed, something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The Queen of the South will be raised at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it. She, after all, came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon! And, in case you hadn’t noticed, something greater than Solomon is here.”