Matthew 16:1-12

The Signs of the Times

1 And [when] the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test [him], they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 So he answered [and] said to them, "[When] evening comes you say, '[It will be] fair weather because the sky is red,'
3 and early in the morning, 'Today [it will be] stormy weather, because the sky is red [and] darkening.' You know how to evaluate correctly the appearance of the sky, but you are not able [to evaluate] the signs of the times.
4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, and a sign will not be given to it except the sign of Jonah!" And he left them [and] went away.

Beware the Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

5 And [when] the disciples arrived at the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 And Jesus said to them, "Watch out for and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!"
7 So they were discussing [this] among themselves, saying, "[It is] because we did not take bread."
8 But knowing [this], Jesus said, "Why are you discussing among yourselves that you did not take bread, [you] of little faith?
9 Do you not yet understand or do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?
10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many baskets you took up?
11 How do you not understand that I did not speak to you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!"
12 Then they understood that he did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Footnotes 12

  • [a]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("came") which is understood as temporal
  • [b]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  • [c]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("answered") has been translated as a finite verb
  • [d]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("comes")
  • [e]. *Here "[and]" is supplied in the translation because of English style
  • [f]. *Here "[to evaluate]" is an implied repetition of the verb earlier in the verse
  • [g]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("left") has been translated as a finite verb
  • [h]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("arrived") which is understood as temporal
  • [i]. That is, the other side of the Sea of Galilee
  • [j]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  • [k]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  • [l]. Some manuscripts have "you do not have bread"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.