Luke 11:29

The Sign of Jonah

29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

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Luke 11:29 in Other Translations

KJV

29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say,This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

ESV

29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

NLT

29 As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, “This evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of Jonah.

MSG

29 As the crowd swelled, he took a fresh tack: "The mood of this age is all wrong. Everybody's looking for proof, but you're looking for the wrong kind. All you're looking for is something to titillate your curiosity, satisfy your lust for miracles. But the only proof you're going to get is the Jonah-proof given to the Ninevites, which looks like no proof at all.

CSB

29 As the crowds were increasing, He began saying: "This generation is an evil generation. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

Luke 11:29 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 11:29

And when the people were gathered thick together
Upon this woman's lifting up her voice, and saying the things she did; or rather to see what sign he would give, which some had desired ( Luke 11:16 )

he began to say, this is an evil generation.
The Alexandrian copy, two copies of Beza's, and the Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions read, "this generation is an evil generation"; and also it was an "adulterous one", as is added in ( Matthew 12:39 )

they seek a sign;
for they had asked one of him, ( Luke 11:16 )

and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the
prophet; one like unto it: (See Gill on Matthew 12:39)

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Luke 11:29 In-Context

27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.

31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here.

Cross References 2

1. ver 16; S Matthew 12:38
2. John 1:17; Matthew 16:4