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“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
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The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.
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The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
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Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
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Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
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Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
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He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.”
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If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
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Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
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Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?
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The Sign of Jonah
As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.
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For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.
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The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here.
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The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.
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Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,
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from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
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But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
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“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
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With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
