KJV King James Version
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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away.
WEB World English Bible
An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will be no sign given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” He left them, and departed.
ASV American Standard Version
An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and departed.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
‘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;’ and having left them he went away.
Surrounding context — Matthew 16
1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, [It will be] fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, [It will be] foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O [ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not [discern] the signs of the times?
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.
5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, [It is] because we have taken no bread.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
γενεὰG1074 · geneagenerationπονηρὰG4190 · ponērosevil/badκαὶG2532 · kaiandμοιχαλὶςG3428 · moichalisadulterousσημεῖονG4592 · sēmeionsignἐπιζητεῖ·G1934 · epizēteōto seek afterκαὶG2532 · kaiandσημεῖονG4592 · sēmeionsignοὐG3756 · ounoδοθήσεταιG1325 · didōmito giveαὐτῇG846 · autosit/s/heεἰG1487 · eiifμὴG3361 · mēnotτὸG3588 · hothe/this/whoσημεῖονG4592 · sēmeionsignἸωνᾶG2495 · IōnasJohnκαὶG2532 · kaiandκαταλιπὼνG2641 · kataleipōto leave behindαὐτοὺςG846 · autosit/s/heἀπῆλθεν.¶G565 · aperchomaito go away
Cross-references
Luke 11:29-30And 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.Matthew 12:39-40But 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:Jonah 1:17Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.Mark 8:12And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.Mark 8:38Whosoever 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.Matthew 15:14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.Mark 5:17-18And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.Genesis 6:3And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also [is] flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.Hosea 9:12Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, [that there shall] not [be] a man [left]: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!Acts 18:6And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook [his] raiment, and said unto them, Your blood [be] upon your own heads; I [am] clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.Hosea 4:17Ephraim [is] joined to idols: let him alone.Acts 2:40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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