The Sign of Jonah and the Return of the Unclean Spirit
Scribes and Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus, but he answers that this evil and unfaithful generation will receive no other sign than the sign of the prophet Jonah – just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the depths of the earth. The men of Nineveh, who turned from their ways at Jonah’s preaching, and the queen of the South, who came to hear Solomon’s wisdom, will rise up at the judgment and condemn this generation, for here is something greater than both Jonah and Solomon. Jesus concludes with an illustration about an unclean spirit that returns to its empty, swept, and adorned house with seven spirits worse than itself – so it will also be with this evil generation.
40For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
41The men of Nineveh will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at Jonah's preaching—and look, something greater than Jonah is here.
42The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon—and look, something greater than Solomon is here.
45Then it goes and brings back with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and settle there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this evil generation."