Matthew 12:35–48

35 A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.w 36 I tell you that on the day of judgmentx people will have to accounty for every carelessD word they speak.E 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

THE SIGN OF JONAH

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”z

39 He answered them,aa “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.ab 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish* ac three days and three nights,ad so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it,ae because they repented at Jonah’s preaching; and look—something greater than Jonah is here.af 42 The queen of the southag will rise up 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.

AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT’S RETURN

43 “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any.ah 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first.a That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.”

TRUE RELATIONSHIPS

46 While heb was still speaking with the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to him.c 47 Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”G

48 He replied to the one who was speaking to him, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?”