Matthew 12 · Verse 39

Matthew 12:39

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Matthew 12:39, King James Version

Matthew 12:39 in other translations

BSBJesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
WEBBut he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.
ASVBut he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet:
YLTAnd he answering said to them, ‘A generation, evil and adulterous, doth seek a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet;
DARBYBut he, answering, said to them, A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it save the sign of Jonas the prophet.
BBEBut he, answering, said to them, An evil and false generation is looking for a sign; and no sign will be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah:
WebsterBut he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh for a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.

What does Matthew 12:39 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
39. But he answered and said unto them--"when the people were gathered thick together" (Lu 11:29). an evil and adulterous generation--This latter expression is best explained by Jr 3:20, "Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord." For this was the relationship in which He stood to the covenant-people--"I am married unto you" (Jr 3:14). seeketh after a sign--In the eye of Jesus this class were but the spokesmen of their generation, the exponents of the reigning spirit of unbelief. and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 39. An evil and adulterous generation. The relation of the Jews to God was often represented as a marriage contract;--God as the husband, and the Jewish people as the wife. See Isa 57:3, Hos 3:1 Eze 16:15. Hence their apostasy and idolatry are often represented as adultery. This is the meaning, probably, here. They were evil, and unfaithful to the covenant or to the commandments of God--an apostate and corrupt people. There is, however, evidence that they were literally an adulterous people.

There shall no sign be given to it, etc. They sought some direct miracle from heaven. He replied that no such miracle should be given, He did not mean to say that he would work no more miracles, or give no more evidence that he was the Christ; but he would give no such miracle as they required. He would give one that ought to be as satisfactory evidence to them that he was from God, as the miraculous preservation of Jonah was to the Ninevites that he was divinely commissioned. As Jonah was preserved three days by miracle, and then restored alive, so He would be raised from the dead after three days. As on the ground of this preservation the Ninevites believed Jonah and repented, so on the ground of his resurrection the men of an adulterous and wicked generation ought to repent, and believe that He was from God.

"The sign of the prophet Jonas," means the sign or evidence which was given to the people of Nineveh that he was from God--to wit, that he had been miraculously preserved, and was therefore divinely commissioned. The word Jonas is the Greek way of writing the Hebrew word Jonah, as Elias is for Elijah.

(l) "adulterous generation" Isa 57:3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 39 An evil and adulterous generation - Or, race of people; for so γενεα should be translated here, and in most other places in the Gospels; for our Lord, in general, uses it to point out the Jewish people. This translation is a key to unlock some very obscure passages in the evangelists. Seeketh after a sign - Or, seeketh another sign, (επιζητει), so I think this word should be translated. Our Lord had already given the Jews several signs; and here they desire sign upon sign. Our Lord terms the Jews an adulterous race. Under the old covenant, the Jewish nation was represented as in a marriage contract with the Lord of hosts; as believers, in the new covenant, are represented as the spouse of Christ. All unfaithfulness and disobedience was considered as a breach of this marriage contract; hence the persons who were thus guilty are denominated adulterers and adulteresses. But, independently of this, there is the utmost proof, from their own writings, that in the time of our Lord they were most literally an adulterous race of people: for, at this very time, R. Jochanan ben Zacchai abrogated the trial by the bitter waters of jealousy, because so many were found to be thus criminal. See on Joh 8:3 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 12:38-45

Though Christ is always ready to hear and answer holy desires and prayers, yet those who ask amiss, ask and have not. Signs were granted to those who desired them to confirm their faith, as Abraham and Gideon; but denied to those who demanded them to excuse their unbelief. The resurrection of Christ from the dead by his own power, called here the sign of the prophet Jonah, was the great proof of Christ's being the…

Read the full comment on Matthew 12:38-45 →

Matthew 12:39 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὉHo<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἀποκριθεὶςapokritheisansweringG611
εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036
αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846
γενεὰgeneaA generationG1074
πονηρὰponēraevilG4190
καὶkaiandG2532
μοιχαλὶςmoichalisadulterousG3428
σημεῖονsēmeiona signG4592
ἐπιζητεῖ·epizēteiseeks for;G1934
καὶkaiandG2532
σημεῖονsēmeiona signG4592
οὐounotG3756
δοθήσεταιdothēsetaiwill be givenG1325
αὐτῇautēato itG846
εἰeionlyG1487
μὴmēexceptG3361
τὸtotheG3588
σημεῖονsēmeionsignG4592
ἸωνᾶIōnaof JonahG2495
τοῦtoutheG3588
προφήτου.prophētouprophet.G4396

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 12:39

  • Matthew 16:4

    A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

  • Luke 11:29-32

    And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

  • James 4:4

    Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

  • Isaiah 57:3

    But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

  • Mark 8:38

    Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
adulterous.
Isa 57:3; Mr 8:38; Jas 4:4
no sign.
16:4; Lu 11:29,30

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 12:38

    Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

  • Matthew 12:39

    But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

  • Matthew 12:40

    For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Read all of Matthew 12

Matthew 12:39 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y él respondió, y les dijo: La generación mala y adulterina demanda señal; mas señal no le será dada, sino la señal de Jonás profeta.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais lui, répondant, leur dit: Une génération méchante et adultère recherche un signe; et il ne lui sera pas donné de signe, si ce n’est le signe de Jonas le prophète.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er aber antwortete und sprach zu ihnen: Ein böses und ehebrecherisches Geschlecht begehrt ein Zeichen, und kein Zeichen wird ihm gegeben werden, als nur das Zeichen Jonas, des Propheten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui respondens ait illis: Generatio mala et adultera signum quærit: et signum non dabitur ei, nisi signum Jonæ prophetæ.