MAT 12:38 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, magenta:vocative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”

UST After Jesus said those things, some teachers of the Jewish law and some Pharisees responded, “Instructor, we want to see you perform a miracle that proves that God sent you.”

MSB Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said,[fn] “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

BLB Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from You."

AICNT Then some of the scribes [and Pharisees][fn] answered [him],[fn] saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

12:38, and Pharisees: Absent from B(03).

12:38, him: Absent from some manuscripts. W(032) BYZ TR

OEB At this point, some teachers of the Law and Pharisees spoke up. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want to see some sign from you.’

WEBBE Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

WMBB Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Rabbi, we want to see a sign from you.”

NET Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

LSV Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we will to see a sign from You.”

FBV Then some of the religious teachers and Pharisees came to him and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign.”

TCNT Then some of the scribes and Pharisees [fn]responded, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from yoʋ.”

12:38 responded ¦ responded to him CT

T4T Then some of the Pharisees and men who taught the Jewish laws responded to what Jesus was teaching by saying to him, “Teacher, we want to see you perform a miracle that would prove to us that God sent you.”

LEB ¶ Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you!”

BBE Then some of the scribes and Pharisees, hearing this, said to him, Master, we are looking for a sign from you.

Moff Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we would like to have some Sign from you."

Wymth Then He was accosted by some of the Scribes and of the Pharisees who said, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign given by you."

ASV Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee.

DRA Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee.

YLT Then answered certain of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, 'Teacher, we will to see a sign from thee.'

Drby Then answered him some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, Teacher, we desire to see a sign from thee.

RV Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
(Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee/you. )

SLT Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, Teacher, we wish to see a sign from thee.

Wbstr Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

KJB-1769 ¶ Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
(¶ Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee/you. )

KJB-1611 ¶ Then certaine of the Scribes, and of the Pharisees, answered, saying, Master, we would see a signe from thee.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps Then certayne of the Scribes, and of the Pharisees, aunswered hym, saying. Maister, we wyl see a signe of thee.
(Then certain of the Scribes, and of the Pharisees, answered him, saying. Master, we will see a sign of thee/you.)

Gnva Then answered certaine of ye Scribes and of the Pharises, saying, Master, we would see a signe of thee.
(Then answered certain of ye/you_all Scribes and of the Pharisees, saying, Master, we would see a sign of thee/you. )

Cvdl Then answered certayne of the scrybes and Pharises, and sayde: Master, we wolde fayne se a toke of the.
(Then answered certain of the scribes and Pharisees, and said: Master, we would gladly see a took of them.)

TNT Then answered certeyne of the scribes and of the Pharises sayinge: Master we wolde fayne se a sygne of the.
(Then answered certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees saying: Master we would gladly see a sygne of them. )

Wycl Thanne summe of the scribis and Farisees answeriden to hym, and seiden, Mayster, we wolen se a tokne of thee.
(Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered to him, and said, Mayster, we woollen see a tokne of thee/you.)

Luth Da antworteten etliche unter den Schriftgelehrten und Pharisäern und sprachen: Meister, wir wollten gerne ein Zeichen von dir sehen.
(So replied several under the scribes and Phariseesn and said: master, we/us wanted gladly/willingly a sign from you/to_you(sg) see.)

ClVg Tunc responderunt ei quidam de scribis et pharisæis, dicentes: Magister, volumus a te signum videre.[fn]
(Then they_answered to_him some from/about you_write and Phariseess, saying: Teacher/Master, we_want from you(sg) sign/signal to_see. )

12.38 Tunc responderunt. Cum Scribæ et Pharisæi verba nullatenus possent improbare, in operibus quærunt tentare, quærentes signa videre, quasi non fuerint signa quæ viderant.

12.38 Then they_answered. Since Scribæ and Pharisees words by_no_means they_could improbare, in/into/on works they_seek tentare, seeking signs to_see, as_if not/no they_have_been signs which they_had_seen.

UGNT τότε ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ τινες τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων λέγοντες, Διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἀπὸ σοῦ σημεῖον ἰδεῖν.
(tote apekrithaʸsan autōi tines tōn grammateōn kai Farisaiōn legontes, Didaskale, thelomen apo sou saʸmeion idein.)

SBL-GNT Τότε ἀπεκρίθησαν ⸀αὐτῷ τινες τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων λέγοντες· Διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἀπὸ σοῦ σημεῖον ἰδεῖν.
(Tote apekrithaʸsan ⸀autōi tines tōn grammateōn kai Farisaiōn legontes; Didaskale, thelomen apo sou saʸmeion idein.)

RP-GNT Τότε ἀπεκρίθησάν τινες τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, λέγοντες, Διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἀπὸ σοῦ σημεῖον ἰδεῖν.
(Tote apekrithaʸsan tines tōn grammateōn kai Farisaiōn, legontes, Didaskale, thelomen apo sou saʸmeion idein.)

TC-GNT Τότε [fn]ἀπεκρίθησάν τινες τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, λέγοντες, Διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἀπὸ σοῦ σημεῖον ἰδεῖν.
(Tote apekrithaʸsan tines tōn grammateōn kai Farisaiōn, legontes, Didaskale, thelomen apo sou saʸmeion idein. )

12:38 απεκριθησαν ¦ απεκριθησαν αυτω CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 12:38–45: Jesus rebuked those who asked for a sign

In this section, the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders increases. Jesus had already said several times that he was someone special. He said that he was greater than the temple (12:6). He said that he was Lord of the Sabbath (12:8). In this section, the religious leaders wanted to see a miraculous sign to confirm that he was really from God.

Jesus rebuked the religious leaders for asking for a sign, and he refused to give them an immediate sign. A sign would come later. It would be the sign of Jonah. By referring to the sign of Jonah, Jesus meant that he would be in the grave three days (12:40) before God resurrected him. He then told two stories and said that he was greater than Jonah and Solomon. Jesus warned them that if they did not recognize God’s work among them, they would be condemned.

Finally, Jesus told a story to warn the religious leaders of the spiritual dangers that faced them if they did not have the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

The religious leaders ask for a sign/miracle

The sign of Jonah

There is a parallel passage for 12:38–42 in Luke 11:29–32. There is a parallel passage for 12:43–45 in Luke 11:24–26.

12:38a

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him,

¶ Then some of the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees said to him,
¶ Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said,

Then: The events in this section probably happened soon after the events in the previous section. The Greek indicates how closely these events happened with a conjunction that the BSB translates as Then.

Here are some other ways to begin this section:

After that

Next

scribes: The Greek word that the BSB translates as scribes can also be translated as “teacher of the law” (as in the NIV). This word also occurs in 9:3a. You should translate it here as you did there. For help in translating this word, see the note at 2:4a.

Pharisees: This word also occurs in 12:24a.

said to Him: The Greek word that the BSB leaves untranslated here means “answered.” It indicates that the scribes and Pharisees responded to Jesus’ words in 12:34–37. It does not indicate that they were answering a question.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

answered him, saying (ESV)

said (CEV)

12:38b

“Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

“Teacher, we^(excl) want to see you do a miracle from heaven.”
“Teacher, please do a surprising sign to show us that God has sent you.”

Teacher: Here, the word Teacher refers to a religious teacher. It was a polite title for a Jewish man who had authority to teach the things about God. Use a title that is an appropriate way to address a religious teacher in your culture. It should not refer only to a school teacher.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

Sir

Master

This word also occurs in 8:19b.

we want to see a sign from You: The Greek word that the BSB translates as sign refers to a special miracle which is regarded as having some special meaning. (This is the first time in Matthew that this word occurs.) The Pharisees and scribes had already seen Jesus heal many sick people. So they were not just asking Jesus to do another miracle of healing. They wanted Jesus to do a special miracle to make it plain that God had sent him.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

we want you to show us a sign from heaven (CEV)

we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove that you are from God (NLT96)

please do a miracle that will show us that God has sent you

Parallel MAT 12:38

Section 12:38–45: Jesus rebuked those who asked for a sign

12:38a

12:38b