The Sign of Jonah^(A)(B)

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

³⁹ He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.^{(E) 40} For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish,^(F) so the Son of Man^(G) will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.^{(H) 41} The men of Nineveh^(I) will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah,^(J) and now something 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^(K) from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.

¹¹ The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.^{(A) 12} He sighed deeply^(B) and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.”

¹⁶ Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.^(A)

²⁴ “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ ²⁵ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. ²⁶ Then it goes and takes 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.”^(A)

²⁷ As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”^(B)

²⁸ He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God^(C) and obey it.”^(D)

The Sign of Jonah^(E)

²⁹ As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign,^(F) but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.^{(G) 30} For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹ 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;^(H) and now something greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah;^(I) and now something greater than Jonah is here.