Matthew 12:34–43

34 You brood of vipers,e how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaksf what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”g

The Sign of Jonah

12:39–42pp—Lk 11:29–32
12:43–45pp—Lk 11:24–26

38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a signh from you.”i

39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.j 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish,k so the Son of Manl will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.m 41 The men of Ninevehn will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah,o and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she camep from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.

43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.