Matthew 12:38-42
New English Translation
The Sign of Jonah
38 Then some of the experts in the law[a] along with some Pharisees[b] answered him,[c] “Teacher, we want to see a sign[d] from you.” 39 But he answered them,[e] “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish[f] for three days and three nights,[g] so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The people[h] of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them[i]—and now,[j] something greater than Jonah is here! 42 The queen of the South[k] 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 now,[l] something greater than Solomon is here!
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- Matthew 12:38 tn Or “Then some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
- Matthew 12:38 tn Grk “and Pharisees.” The word “some” before “Pharisees” has been supplied for clarification.sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
- Matthew 12:38 tn Grk “answered him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant, but the syntax of the sentence was changed to conform to English style.
- Matthew 12:38 sn What exactly this sign would have been, given what Jesus was already doing, is not clear. But here is where the fence-sitters reside, refusing to commit to him.
- Matthew 12:39 tn Grk “But answering, he said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
- Matthew 12:40 tn Grk “large sea creature.”
- Matthew 12:40 sn A quotation from Jonah 1:17.
- Matthew 12:41 tn Grk “men”; the word here (ἀνήρ, anēr) usually indicates males or husbands, but occasionally is used in a generic sense of people in general, as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 1.a, 2).
- Matthew 12:41 tn Grk “at the preaching of Jonah.”
- Matthew 12:41 tn Grk “behold.”
- Matthew 12:42 sn On the queen of the South see 1 Kgs 10:1-3 and 2 Chr 9:1-12, as well as Josephus, Ant. 8.6.5-6 (8.165-175). The South most likely refers to modern southwest Arabia, possibly the eastern part of modern Yemen, although there is an ancient tradition reflected in Josephus which identifies this geo-political entity as Ethiopia.
- Matthew 12:42 tn Grk “behold.”
Matthew 12:38-42
New Living Translation
The Sign of Jonah
38 One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”
39 But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
41 “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. 42 The queen of Sheba[a] will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.
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- 12:42 Greek The queen of the south.
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