Devine Scripture

Matthew 16:3

What does Matthew 16:3 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 16:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 16:3 means

Jesus extends His example of weather discernment, noting that they also interpret a red and lowering morning sky as a predictor of foul weather. He then pointedly contrasts their natural wisdom with their spiritual foolishness: they can interpret the 'face of the heaven' but fail to comprehend 'the signs of the times.' Jesus condemns their inability to recognize His divine authority and the arrival of the Messiah's kingdom, despite the overwhelming evidence in His ministry.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And in the morning, The weather will be bad today, for the sky is red and angry. You are able to see the face of heaven, but not the signs of the times.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and at morning, Foul weather to-day, for the heaven is red--gloomy; hypocrites, the face of the heavens indeed ye do know to discern, but the signs of the times ye are not able!

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And in the morning: To day there will be a storm, for the sky is red and lowering. You know then how to discern the face of the sky: and can you not know the signs of the times?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

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.

Context

Building on the previous verse, Jesus completes His illustration of weather interpretation before delivering a powerful indictment. This verse leads directly into His pronouncement of judgment upon the 'evil and adulterous generation' in the next verse, providing the direct reason for their condemnation. It highlights the spiritual stakes of failing to recognize God's work in their midst.

v.2But he answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the heaven is red.

v.3This passage

v.4An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and departed.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Luke 11:44

    Woe unto you! for ye are as the tombs which appear not, and the men that walk over them know it not.

  • Matthew 4:23

    And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people.

  • 1 Chronicles 12:32

    And of the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.

  • Luke 13:15

    But the Lord answered him, and said, Ye hypocrites, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

  • Matthew 7:5

    Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

  • Matthew 23:13

    But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye shut the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye enter not in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering in to enter.

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