Matthew 16:1-12

The Yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees

1 The Pharisees and Sadducees approached, and as a test, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.

2 He answered them: "When evening comes you say, 'It will be good weather because the sky is red.'

3 And in the morning, 'Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.' You ^[a] know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can't read the signs of the times. ^[b]

4 An evil and adulterous generation wants a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of ^[c] Jonah." Then He left them and went away.

5 The disciples reached the other shore,^[d] and they had forgotten to take bread.

6 Then Jesus told them, "Watch out and beware of the yeast ^[e] of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

7 And they discussed among themselves, "We didn't bring any bread."

8 Aware of this, Jesus said, "You of little faith! Why are you discussing among yourselves that you do not have bread?

9 Don't you understand yet? Don't you remember the five loaves for the 5,000 and how many baskets you collected?

10 Or the seven loaves for the 4,000 and how many large baskets you collected?

11 Why is it you don't understand that when I told you, 'Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees,' it wasn't about bread?"

12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the yeast in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Footnotes

• [a]. Other mss read Hypocrites! You
• [b]. Other mss omit When (v. 2) through end of v. 3
• [c]. Other mss add the prophet
• [d]. Lit disciples went to the other side
• [e]. Or leaven