Matthew 16:3
1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Jesus by asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 But He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘The weather will be fair, for the sky is red,’
and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times.
4 A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away.
5 When they crossed to the other side, the disciples forgot to take bread.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times.
- KJV
- And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
- WEB
- In the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you can’t discern the signs of the times!
- ASV
- And in the morning, [It will be] foul weather to-day: for the heaven is red and lowering. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot [discern] the signs of the times.
- DARBY
- and in the morning, A storm to-day, for the sky is red [and] lowering; ye know [how] to discern the face of the sky, but ye cannot the signs of the times.
- BLB
- and in the morning, ‘Today a storm, for the sky is red, being overcast.’ Indeed, you⁺ know to discern the face of the sky, but the signs of the times you⁺ are not able.
- ÅB
- om morgenen: ‘I dag blir det uvær, for himmelen er rød og mørk.’ Dere vet å tyde himmelens utseende, men tidenes tegn kan dere ikke tyde.
- OTB
- og om morgenen, ‘I dag blir det storm, for himmelen er rød og truende.’ Dere vet hvordan dere skal tolke himmelens utseende, men kan dere ikke tyde tidens tegn?
- B1930
- og om morgenen: Idag blir det uvær, for himmelen er rød og mørk. Himmelens utseende vet I å tyde, men tidenes tegn kan I ikke tyde.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Luke 12:56
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?
Read in context1 Chronicles 12:32
From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.
Read in contextLuke 13:15
“You hypocrites!” the Lord replied. “Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it to water?
Read in contextMatthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Read in contextMatthew 23:13
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.
Read in contextLuke 11:44
Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without even noticing.”
Read in contextMatthew 22:18
But Jesus knew their evil intent and said, “You hypocrites, why are you testing Me?
Read in contextMatthew 4:23
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Read in context