16:4a
Verse 16:4 has almost the same wording as 12:39. The only differences are that the words “Jesus replied” and “the prophet” are not in this verse. You should translate these two verses in the same way except for those words.
A wicked: This word also means “bad,” “evil,” or “sinful.”
adulterous generation: The word adulterous describes a person who is unfaithful to his/her spouse. Here Jesus used this word in a figurative way. He used it to refer to people who needed to see a sign in order to know that he was the Messiah. He implied that such people showed that they were not faithful to God by their unbelief.
This word is harsh. By calling his listeners adulterous, Jesus intended to upset them. It is how prophets often talked to the people. They did this to shake them out of their bad ways of thinking.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
• Use the ordinary word for unfaithfulness to a spouse. For example:
You are a generation of adulterers
• Use a simile. Here is an example:
you are people who are ⌊unfaithful to God like an⌋ adulterous ⌊spouse/wife⌋
-or-
you are ⌊like a married person who is⌋ immoral
• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. Here are some examples:
you are not following God
-or-
you do not obey God
-or-
evil and godless…people of this day (Good News Translation)
generation: The word generation refers to all the people of a similar age living at a particular time and place. For instance, all the adult Jews living in Israel during Jesus’ ministry would be a generation. Jesus was referring to the people of Israel at that time.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
the people of this day (Good News Translation)
-or-
the people who are living now
-or-
you are people who
demands: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as demands means “wants, looks for, asks, demands, desires.” The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted to see a sign from Jesus proving that he was the Messiah. They refused to believe in him simply by faith.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
ask for (New Century Version)
-or-
want (Contemporary English Version)
16:4b
none will be given it: This clause means that “no sign will be done for” or “no sign will be shown to” this wicked and adulterous generation.
This clause is passive. Here are some ways to translate it:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
no sign will be shown to this wicked and adulterous generation
-or-
no sign will be given to them (New Century Version)
-or-
no sign will be done for you
• Use an active verb. For example:
the only sign I will give them (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
this generation will receive no sign
-or-
you will not see any miracle
except the sign of Jonah: This clause refers to the miracle that happened to the prophet Jonah. He was in the stomach of a huge fish for three days. Then God caused the fish to vomit him on the shore and delivered him from death.
God would also deliver Jesus from death. After being dead for three days in the tomb, God would resurrect him. This sign would prove that he was from God and his message was true.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
except a sign like what happened to ⌊the prophet⌋ Jonah
-or-
a miracle ⌊that is like the one that God did⌋ to ⌊the prophet⌋ Jonah ⌊long ago⌋
This clause does not mean that Jonah did a miracle.
If people in your area are not familiar with the story of Jonah, you may want to include some information about it in a footnote. A sample footnote is:
In the story of the prophet Jonah, a large fish swallowed Jonah. He was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights. Then the fish vomited him onto dry ground, and he came out alive.
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