Matthew 16:4

You evil people have seen me perform miracles but you do not faithfully worship God [MET]. You want to see me perform a miracle that would prove that God has sent me. But God will enable you to see only one miracle. It will be like what happened [MET] to Jonah, the prophet, who was inside a huge fish for three days and then came out of it to live again.” Then Jesus left them and sailed away, along with us disciples.

Translation for Translators

In The 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.

In Context

3Early in the morning you say, ‘It will be stormy weather today, because the sky is red, and dark clouds have formed.’ You understand how to predict the weather by looking at the sky, but you cannot seem to look at what is happening now, and by that understand what God is doing.

5We forgot to take bread when we sailed to another edge of the lake.

Read all of Matthew 16

Cross References

Hosea 4:17The people of Israel have chosen to worship idols [MET], so allow them to do what they want to do.

Jonah 1:17While they were doing that, Yahweh sent a huge fish that swallowed Jonah. Then Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

Matthew 15:14Do not pay any attention to the Pharisees. They do not help people who do not know God’s truth to understand it, just like blind guides do not help blind people to perceive where they should go [MET]. If a blind person tries to lead another blind person, they will both fall into a big hole [MET]. Similarly, both the Pharisees and their disciples will end up in hell.”

Mark 8:12Jesus sighed quietly to himself, and then he said, “I am disgusted that [RHQ], even though you people have seen how I have healed people, you keep asking me to perform miracles! Note this: Such a miracle will certainly not be shown {I will certainly not show such a miracle} just for you people!”

Luke 11:29When the group of people around Jesus got larger, he said, “ Many of you people who have been observing my ministry are evil. You want me to perform a miracle to prove that I have come from God, but the only miracle that I will perform for you is one like happened to Jonah.

Acts 18:6But the Jews began to oppose Paul and to say evil things about him. So he shook the dust from his clothes to show them that they were displeasing God. Then he said to them, “If God punishes you, it will be your [SYN] own fault [MTY], not mine! From now on I will go and preach to non-Jewish people!”

Matthew Henry on Matthew 16:2-5

The Sign of the Prophet Jonas. 1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show 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… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Matthew 16:4