Matthew 12:39–40
His sign: as Jonah was in the sea monster, he will be three days and three nights in the earth
Study it word by word39But he answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
40For just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea monster three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
In its context
37for by your words you will be declared righteous, and by your words you will be condemned.”
38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
…
41The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they changed their minds at the proclamation of Jonah; and look, something greater than Jonah is here.
42The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look, something greater than Solomon is here.
Its words in the original
- ἀποκριθεὶςapokritheis· answer
Answer, reply; speak up.
- εἶπενeipen· say
Say, speak; in the passive, "be called".
- ΓενεὰGenea· generation
Generation: the people born around the same time, or each step from parent to child in a family.
- πονηρὰponēra· evil, wicked
Bad, wicked. "The evil one": the devil.
- μοιχαλὶςmoichalis· adulteress
Adulteress: a woman unfaithful to her husband. The prophets use the same image for a people unfaithful to God.
- σημεῖονsēmeion· sign
Sign, a wonder that points to something.
- ἐπιζητεῖepizētei· seek, strive for
Seek, search for, strive after; also wish for.
- δοθήσεταιdothēsetai· give
Give.
- ἸωνᾶIōna· Jonah
Jonah, the prophet who was three days in the belly of the great fish and preached to Nineveh.
- προφήτουprophētou· prophet
Prophet: someone who speaks on God's behalf.
- ὥσπερhōsper· just as
Just as, in the same way as.
- ἦνēn· be
Be, exist.
- κοιλίᾳkoiliai· belly, womb
Belly; womb.
- κήτουςkētous· sea monster, great fish
Sea monster, great fish.
- τρεῖςtreis· three
Three.
- ἡμέραςhēmeras· day
Day. "In the days of" someone: in their time.
- νύκταςnyktas· night
Night. "By night".
- υἱὸςhuios· son, Son
Son. Also descendant: "son of David" means one of King David's family, and is a title of the promised Messiah.
- ἀνθρώπουanthrōpou· human being, man
Human being, person, man (without distinguishing male or female).
- καρδίᾳkardiai· heart
Heart: the center of the person, where one thinks, feels and decides.
- γῆςgēs· earth, land
Earth: the ground, a country, or the whole world.