34. You snakes! You are evil people! How can you say anything good? The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart.
35. A good person has good things in his heart. And so he speaks the good things that come from his heart. But an evil person has evil in his heart. So he speaks the evil things that come from his heart.
36. And I tell you that people will have to explain about every careless thing they have said. This will happen on the Judgment Day.
37. The words you have said will be used to judge you. Some of your words will prove you right, but some of your words will prove you guilty.”
38. Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law answered Jesus. They said, “Teacher, we want to see you work a miracle as a sign.”
39. Jesus answered, “Evil and sinful people are the ones who want to see a miracle for a sign. But no sign will be given to them. The only sign will be what happened to the prophet Jonah.
40. Jonah was in the stomach of the big fish for three days and three nights. In the same way, the Son of Man will be in the grave three days and three nights.
41. And on the Judgment Day the men from Nineveh will stand up with you people who live today. They will show that you are guilty because when Jonah preached to them, they were sorry and changed their lives. And I tell you that someone greater than Jonah is here!
42. On the Judgment Day, the Queen of the South will stand up with you people who live today. She will show that you are guilty because she came from far away to listen to Solomon’s wise teaching. And I tell you that someone greater than Solomon is here!