Matthew 12:38-45

Disciples’ Literal New Testament

Pharisees Ask Jesus For a Sign. He Offers Only The Sign of Jonah: Three Days In a Grave

³⁸ Then some of the scribes and Pharisees responded to Him, saying “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You”. ³⁹ But the One, having responded, said to them— “An evil and adulterous^[a] generation is seeking-for a sign. And a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet. ⁴⁰ For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea-creature^[b], so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights^[c] in the heart of the earth.

The Ninevites Will Condemn This Generation, For They Repented At Jonah’s Message

⁴¹ “Ninevite men will rise-up at the judgment with this generation, and they will condemn it. Because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and behold— a greater thing than Jonah is here. ⁴² The Queen of the South will be raised at the judgment with this generation, and she will condemn it. Because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold— a greater thing than Solomon is here.

The Demons I Cast Out Now Will Return Later, And You Will Be Worse Off

⁴³ “Now when the unclean spirit departs from the person, it goes through waterless places seeking rest^[d], and does not find it. ⁴⁴ Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from where I came-out’. And having come, it finds it being unoccupied, having been swept and put-in-order^[e]. ⁴⁵ Then it proceeds and takes along with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself. And having gone in, they dwell there, and the last^[f] state of that person becomes worse than the first. So it will be^[g] also with this evil generation”.