Matthew 12:39

12:39 But he answered them, ¹  “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Matthew 12:41-42

12:41 The people ²  of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them ³  – and now, ⁴  something greater than Jonah is here! 12:42 The queen of the South ⁵  will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, ⁶  something greater than Solomon is here!

Matthew 17:17

17:17 Jesus answered, ⁷  “You ⁸  unbelieving ⁹  and perverse generation! How much longer ¹⁰  must I be with you? How much longer must I endure ¹¹  you? ¹²  Bring him here to me.”

¹ tn Grk “But answering, he said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

² tn Grk “men”; the word here (ἀνήρ, anhr) usually indicates males or husbands, but occasionally is used in a generic sense of people in general, as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 1.a, 2).

³ tn Grk “at the preaching of Jonah.”

⁴ tn Grk “behold.”

³ sn On the queen of the South see 1 Kgs 10:1-3 and 2 Chr 9:1-12, as well as Josephus, Ant. 8.6.5-6 (8.165-175). The South most likely refers to modern southwest Arabia, possibly the eastern part of modern Yemen, although there is an ancient tradition reflected in Josephus which identifies this geo-political entity as Ethiopia.

⁴ tn Grk “behold.”

⁴ tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.

⁵ tn Grk “O.” The marker of direct address, ὦ (w), is functionally equivalent to a vocative and is represented in the translation by “you.”

⁶ tn Or “faithless.”

⁷ tn Grk “how long.”

⁸ tn Or “put up with.” See Num 11:12; Isa 46:4.

⁹ sn The pronouns you…you are plural, indicating that Jesus is speaking to a group rather than an individual.