Matthew 12:38-45

Christian Standard Bible

The Sign of Jonah

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

³⁹ He answered them,^(B) “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.^{(C) 40} For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish^[a](D) three days and three nights,^(E) so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it,^(F) because they repented at Jonah’s preaching; and look—something greater than Jonah is here.^{(G) 42} The queen of the south^(H) will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look—something greater than Solomon is here.

An Unclean Spirit’s Return

⁴³ “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any.^{(I) 44} Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first.^(J) That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.”