Mark 8:12 kjv
And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
Mark 8:12 nkjv
But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."
Mark 8:12 niv
He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it."
Mark 8:12 esv
And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."
Mark 8:12 nlt
When he heard this, he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why do these people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign."
Mark 8 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Demands for Signs | ||
| Matt 12:38-39 | Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign..." | Similar request and Jesus' rebuke |
| Matt 16:1-4 | The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Jesus asked that He show them a sign from heaven. But He answered... "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign..." | Pharisees testing Jesus with similar demand |
| Lk 11:29 | As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, "This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign..." | Echoes Mark's account of demand and refusal |
| Jn 4:48 | So Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe." | Emphasizes humanity's reliance on empirical proof |
| The Sign of Jonah (The Ultimate Sign) | ||
| Matt 12:40 | "For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." | Resurrection as the only sign given |
| Lk 11:30 | "For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be a sign to this generation." | Jesus' resurrection is the ultimate sign |
| Matt 28:5-7 | The angel said to the women, "...He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying." | The fulfilled resurrection confirms His claims |
| Rejection of Existing Signs & Hardened Hearts | ||
| Jn 12:37 | But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. | Unbelief despite clear evidence |
| Lk 16:31 | But he said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead." | Lack of faith irrespective of wonders |
| Matt 13:58 | And He did not perform many miracles there because of their unbelief. | Unbelief can hinder miraculous activity |
| Ps 78:32 | In spite of all this, they still sinned and did not believe in His wonderful works. | Stubborn unbelief of Israel in the wilderness |
| Heb 3:7-19 | Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me... because of their unbelief. | Warning against hardened hearts like Exodus generation |
| Jn 9:39-41 | Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world... those who say, 'We see,' are still in their sin." | Spiritual blindness of those who claim to see |
| Faith vs. Signs | ||
| 2 Cor 5:7 | For we walk by faith, not by sight. | The essence of faith transcends sensory proof |
| Heb 11:1 | Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. | Definition of faith without requiring a sign |
| 1 Pet 1:8 | And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him... | Blessing of faith without seeing |
| 1 Cor 1:22-23 | For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified... | Jews sought signs, but the Gospel is Christ crucified |
| The True Signs and Purpose of Miracles | ||
| Jn 2:11 | This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and He manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. | Purpose of signs: to reveal glory and lead to belief |
| Acts 2:22 | "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a Man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs..." | God attested Jesus through signs |
| Rom 1:20 | For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen... | God's revelation is evident in creation |
| Lk 2:34 | Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be spoken against..." | Jesus Himself is a sign often opposed |
Mark 8 verses
Mark 8 12 Meaning
Mark 8:12 captures a moment of deep distress for Jesus as He confronts the persistent unbelief of His contemporaries. Despite His many miracles and authoritative teaching, religious leaders, representing the prevailing spiritual blindness of "this generation," demand a miraculous sign from heaven to validate His claims. Jesus, deeply saddened and frustrated by their hardened hearts and their refusal to believe what is already manifest, definitively declares that no such sign, sought out of an evil and adulterous spirit, will be given to them. This response highlights Jesus' rejection of those who test God, preferring external proof over the internal conviction that comes from recognizing His inherent authority and already demonstrated power.
Mark 8 12 Context
Mark 8:12 occurs immediately after Jesus miraculously feeds four thousand people (Mk 8:1-10). This astounding act of provision, reminiscent of God's feeding Israel in the wilderness, follows other demonstrations of power and compassion, including the healing of a deaf and mute man (Mk 7:31-37). Despite these clear manifestations of His divine authority and benevolent nature, the Pharisees arrive, immediately testing Jesus and demanding a "sign from heaven" (Mk 8:11). This demand implies that Jesus' earthly miracles are insufficient or from an improper source, seeking a celestial validation only God could provide, perhaps attempting to trap Him or discredit His ministry. Their request highlights a deep-seated spiritual blindness and unbelief, rather than a genuine search for truth. Jesus' profound emotional response and firm refusal set the stage for subsequent interactions with His disciples, who themselves often struggle with understanding, and for the later revelation of the "sign of Jonah" as His death and resurrection.
Mark 8 12 Word analysis
- And He sighed deeply: Greek: anastenaxas (ἀναστενάξας). This term denotes a deep, heavy groan or sigh, far beyond a simple breath. It conveys profound emotional distress, anguish, and lamentation, possibly indicating sorrow over humanity's persistent unbelief, or even a sense of the immense burden He carries as the Son of Man facing rejection. It suggests internal suffering and grief over spiritual blindness.
- in His spirit: Greek: tō pneumati autou (τῷ πνεύματι αὐτοῦ). This refers to the innermost part of Jesus' being, His human spirit, possibly under the influence or in communion with the divine Spirit. It indicates that His sorrow and frustration were not merely external or fleeting but came from His deepest core, His spiritual essence. This reveals the spiritual weight and gravity of the Pharisees' hardened hearts to Him.
- He said, "Why": Greek: Ti (τί). A rhetorical question expressing disappointment, strong rebuke, and lamentation. It conveys that the demand for a sign is utterly unnecessary and unjustified, given all the revelation already provided through His works and words.
- "does this generation": Greek: hē genea hautē (ἡ γενεά αὕτη). This phrase refers to the people contemporary with Jesus who collectively embody stubborn unbelief and spiritual obstinacy. It's a condemnation of the prevalent attitude, especially among religious leaders, who reject God's revelation in Christ. It does not condemn every individual but the prevailing ethos of their era. This same phrase is often used elsewhere by Jesus to denote the generation ripe for judgment due to their spiritual hardening.
- "seek a sign?": Greek: zētei sēmeion (ζητεῖ σημεῖον). To "seek" here means to demand or crave, implying an insincere motive. A sēmeion is a miracle, wonder, or authentication. They were not seeking a genuine confirmation of truth with a sincere heart, but rather demanding an overwhelming display of power, perhaps to test Him, or to justify their rejection, or to fulfill their preconceived notions of the Messiah that differed from Jesus' identity and mission. They had already seen numerous signs; this request stemmed from a refusal to believe, not a genuine desire for conviction.
- "Truly I say to you,": Greek: Amēn legō hymin (Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν). This solemn introductory phrase, unique to Jesus in the Gospels, acts as an authoritative, unwavering declaration. "Amen" signifies absolute truth and certainty. It underlines the finality and gravity of His subsequent statement, leaving no room for doubt or negotiation.
- "no sign will be given to this generation.": Greek: ei dothesetai sēmeion (εἰ δοθήσεται σημεῖον). This Greek construction represents a strong negative oath, emphatically stating that "assuredly no sign will ever be given" for this specific type of demand driven by unbelief. This does not mean Jesus would cease all miracles, but He would not give the kind of overwhelming, faith-producing sign they demanded to satisfy their defiant and testing hearts. The "sign of Jonah" (His death and resurrection) would indeed be given, but for genuine revelation, not for hardened hearts to ignore. This refusal is itself an act of divine judgment against their hardened hearts.
- "Sighed deeply in His spirit": This phrase portrays Jesus' profound sorrow and vexation at the spiritual condition of His interlocutors. It indicates that the spiritual apathy and antagonism of this "generation" inflicted deep emotional pain on Him, far from mere annoyance. It reflects divine lament over human perversity and unbelief, showcasing His true humanity alongside His divine compassion.
- "Why does this generation seek a sign?": This question lays bare the hypocrisy and unreasonableness of the demand. It highlights that adequate evidence has already been presented through Jesus' character, teachings, and many mighty works. Their request springs from a rebellious and unbelieving heart that is unwilling to acknowledge truth without coercive displays of power.
- "Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.": This authoritative and final pronouncement signals a turning point. It's a statement of judgment against a people who had witnessed the Kingdom breaking forth in power but stubbornly refused to embrace it. It underscores that God will not be coerced into proving Himself to those who have closed their eyes and hardened their hearts to the truth already revealed. Their rejection of Jesus leads to their being cut off from further extraordinary revelation, underscoring that faith comes by hearing and obeying, not by continually demanding spectacles.
Mark 8 12 Bonus section
- The depth of Jesus' sigh (anastenaxas) here is comparable to the deep groaning of the Spirit interceding for us in Rom 8:26, emphasizing the spiritual agony Jesus felt concerning humanity's resistance to God.
- The Jewish leaders' demand for a "sign from heaven" echoes biblical events like God sending manna from heaven or fire on Elijah's altar (1 Ki 18:38). They were demanding a miraculous display that would unequivocally prove Jesus' divine backing according to their preconceived notions, dismissing His previous miracles performed on earth.
- This passage serves as a powerful reminder that spiritual insight is often a matter of the heart's willingness, not merely intellectual persuasion by empirical evidence. When hearts are closed by pride and prejudice, even overwhelming proof will be dismissed.
Mark 8 12 Commentary
Mark 8:12 captures a moment of deep, divine lament from Jesus. His profound sigh reflects not only exasperation at the incessant, faithless demands of the Pharisees for a sensational sign, but also deep grief over their spiritual blindness. This "generation" represented those hardened hearts who refused to see God's truth plainly revealed in Jesus' person and miraculous works. Their demand was a test, seeking to ensnare Him or fulfill their own worldly expectations of a Messiah, not a genuine search for belief. Jesus' authoritative declaration, "no sign will be given," serves as a definitive statement that God does not cater to a faithless appetite for spectacle. Instead, true faith receives the revelation already given. For those unwilling to believe the multitude of signs already performed, no further proof, however grand, would suffice. This rejection highlights the gravity of spiritual obduracy and implies that the ultimate "sign" for this generation would be His death and resurrection—a sign given, but often still rejected by those who chose not to believe.