Again, the multitudes gathered together and came to Jesus. Some of the scribes and the Pharisees questioned Jesus and asked for a miraculous sign.
But Jesus told them,
“This generation is evil, it looks for a sign. Only an evil and adulterous generation looks for signs. No sign will be given to you, except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights.
In the same way the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Just like Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be a sign to this generation.
The men of Nineveh will stand in judgment and condemn this generation, for they repented when Jonah preached to them. ‘O look, someone greater than Jonah is here with you.‘
The queen of the South will rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it. She came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And look, someone greater than Solomon is here with you.
When an unclean spirit goes out of a man he goes through desolate places and finds no rest. Then he says to himself, ‘I will return to my old house that I left.’ And when he returns he finds the house empty and swept clean and decorated. He then goes and finds seven other evil spirits more evil than himself and they enter the house and become residents.
The last state of the man is worse that the first. It is the same way with this generation.”
While Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd lifted up her voice and said,
“Blessed is the womb from which you were born, and the breasts that nourished you.”
Jesus answered her and said,
“Blessed are those that hear the word of God and obey it.
No one lights a lamp and puts it in his cellar or under a pan, but on a lamp stand so that everyone that comes into his house can see the light.
The lamp of your body is your eye. When your eyes are focused on the right thing your whole body is full of light. But when your eyes are focused on what is evil, your entire body is full of darkness.Look at yourselves and examine whether you are full of light or darkness.”
