Focused Passage

Matthew 12:38-42

The Lord of the Sabbath, the Servant of the Lord, and the Crisis of Unbelief

Matthew moves from Sabbath controversy in the grainfields, to Sabbath healing in the synagogue, to Isaiah’s Servant fulfillment, to the Beelzebul accusation and Jesus’ warning about blasphemy against the Spirit, to teaching on words and the heart, to the sign of Jonah and judgment against the generation, to the danger of empty reform, and finally to the true family of Jesus.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

39 Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41 The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.

42 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 hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 38

Original words

Then Τότε G5119 Adverb some τινες G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural of the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural scribes γραμματέων G1122 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Pharisees Φαρισαίων G5330 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural said to Him ἀπεκρίθησαν G611 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural . . . αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular . . . λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Teacher Διδάσκαλε G1320 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular we want θέλομεν G2309 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural to see ἰδεῖν G3708 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active a sign σημεῖον G4592 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition You σοῦ G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Verse 39

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular [Jesus] replied ἀποκριθεὶς G611 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular - εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural A wicked πονηρὰ G4190 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction adulterous μοιχαλὶς G3428 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular generation Γενεὰ G1074 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular demands ἐπιζητεῖ G1934 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a sign σημεῖον G4592 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular [but] καὶ G2532 Conjunction none οὐ G3756 Adverb . . . σημεῖον G4592 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular will be given δοθήσεται G1325 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular it αὐτῇ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular except εἰ G1487 Conjunction . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular sign σημεῖον G4592 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular prophet προφήτου G4396 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Jonah Ἰωνᾶ G2495 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 40

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction as ὥσπερ G5618 Adverb Jonah Ἰωνᾶς G2495 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular was ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular three τρεῖς G5140 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural days ἡμέρας G2250 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction three τρεῖς G5140 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural nights νύκτας G3571 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular belly κοιλίᾳ G2836 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular great fish κήτους G2785 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular so οὕτως G3779 Adverb the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Son Υἱὸς G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of Man ἀνθρώπου G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular will be ἔσται G1510 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular three τρεῖς G5140 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural days ἡμέρας G2250 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction three τρεῖς G5140 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural nights νύκτας G3571 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular heart καρδίᾳ G2588 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular earth γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 41

Original words

The men Ἄνδρες G435 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural of Nineveh Νινευῖται G3536 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural will stand ἀναστήσονται G450 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural at ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular judgment κρίσει G2920 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular with μετὰ G3326 Preposition this ταύτης G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular generation γενεᾶς G1074 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction condemn κατακρινοῦσιν G2632 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural it αὐτήν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular for ὅτι G3754 Conjunction they repented μετενόησαν G3340 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural at εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular preaching κήρυγμα G2782 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular of Jonah Ἰωνᾶ G2495 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction now ἰδοὺ G2400 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular [One] greater than πλεῖον G4119 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular - Comparative Jonah Ἰωνᾶ G2495 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular is here ὧδε G5602 Adverb
Verse 42

Original words

The Queen βασίλισσα G938 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular of [the] South νότου G3558 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular will rise ἐγερθήσεται G1453 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular at ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular judgment κρίσει G2920 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular with μετὰ G3326 Preposition this ταύτης G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular generation γενεᾶς G1074 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction condemn κατακρινεῖ G2632 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular it αὐτήν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular for ὅτι G3754 Conjunction she came ἦλθεν G2064 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular from ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural ends περάτων G4009 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular earth γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular to hear ἀκοῦσαι G191 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular wisdom σοφίαν G4678 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular of Solomon Σολομῶνος G4672 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction now ἰδοὺ G2400 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular [One] greater than πλεῖον G4119 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular - Comparative Solomon Σολομῶνος G4672 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular is here ὧδε G5602 Adverb

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.