Matthew 16:2 kjv
He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
Matthew 16:2 nkjv
He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red';
Matthew 16:2 niv
He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,'
Matthew 16:2 esv
He answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.'
Matthew 16:2 nlt
He replied, "You know the saying, 'Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow;
Matthew 16 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 12:38-39 | Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee... An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign... | Demand for a sign & "sign of Jonah" response. |
| Mark 8:11-12 | And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven... why doth this generation seek after a sign? | Pharisees seeking a sign from heaven. |
| Luke 11:16 | And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. | People testing Jesus, seeking signs. |
| Luke 11:29-30 | ...this is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. | Sign of Jonah as the only given sign. |
| Luke 12:54-56 | And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is... Ye can discern the face of the sky... but how is it that ye do not discern this time? | Parallel teaching on discerning natural signs but not spiritual times. |
| John 2:18-19 | Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. | Jews demand a sign, Jesus refers to His resurrection. |
| John 6:30-31 | They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? What dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert... | People asking for a sign to believe. |
| 1 Cor 1:22 | For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. | Jews' characteristic demand for signs. |
| Isa 6:9-10 | ...Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat... | Spiritual blindness and hardened hearts. |
| Jer 8:7 | Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. | Animals know their season, but people lack discernment. |
| Matt 13:13 | Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. | Explaining lack of spiritual understanding. |
| Rom 1:20 | For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made... so that they are without excuse. | God's existence evident through creation. |
| Matt 23:27-28 | Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres... outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within full of hypocrisy and iniquity. | Jesus' indictment of hypocrisy. |
| Luke 12:1 | ...beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. | Warning against the hypocrisy of Pharisees. |
| Matt 15:7-9 | Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. | Honouring God with lips but heart is far. |
| Ps 19:1 | The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. | Heavens display God's work. |
| Acts 14:17 | Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. | God's provision through natural means as a witness. |
| Matt 24:32-33 | Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. | Discerning signs for Jesus' second coming. |
| 1 Thess 5:1-6 | But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you... Ye are all the children of light... Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. | Spiritual readiness and watching for the times. |
| Luke 21:29-31 | And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. | Discerning the coming of the Kingdom of God. |
| 2 Pet 3:3-4 | Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? | Scoffers deny signs of Christ's return. |
| Dan 2:21 | And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. | God's sovereignty over times and revealing wisdom. |
| Hos 6:3 | Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. | Seeking knowledge of the Lord for discernment. |
Matthew 16 verses
Matthew 16 2 Meaning
Jesus addresses the Pharisees and Sadducees, pointing out their ability to predict the next day's weather based on observing the evening sky. He notes their common proverb: if the sky is red at sunset, they predict fair weather for the morrow. This verse sets the stage for His rebuke in the subsequent verse (Matthew 16:3), where He contrasts their proficiency in discerning natural signs with their failure to understand the spiritual "signs of the times" regarding His divine presence and the unfolding of God's kingdom.
Matthew 16 2 Context
Matthew 16:2 is embedded in a pivotal exchange where the Pharisees and Sadducees approach Jesus, "tempting him, desiring that he would shew them a sign from heaven" (Matthew 16:1). This demand is not genuine inquiry but a test, revealing their hardened hearts and spiritual blindness. These religious leaders, though often at odds, unite in their opposition to Jesus, demanding an extraordinary supernatural display while ignoring the profound, tangible signs already present in His ministry: His miracles, teachings, and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Jesus' response in this verse highlights their commonplace knowledge of natural phenomena and their skill in using such observations to predict weather, which sets up His rebuke in the following verse for their inability to apply this same discernment to the divine "signs of the times" – His own presence as the promised Messiah and the ushering in of the Kingdom of God. Historically, such weather proverbs were vital for agrarian societies reliant on natural cycles, making their application obvious to the audience.
Matthew 16 2 Word analysis
He answered and said: Greek:
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπεν(apokritheis de eipen). Indicates Jesus' formal and direct reply to the Pharisees and Sadducees, not a casual remark. It signifies the commencement of a deliberate teaching.unto them: Refers directly to the Pharisees and Sadducees who had just demanded a sign (Matthew 16:1). Their specific request sets the context for Jesus' teaching.
When it is evening: Greek:
Ἑσπέρας γενομένης(Hesperas genomenēs). Establishes a specific time of day, twilight, when light conditions reveal particular atmospheric patterns useful for forecasting.ye say: Greek:
λέγετε(legete). Signifies a common, widely recognized proverb or adage used by people, indicating general knowledge and communal agreement on this observation. It's a statement of popular wisdom.It will be fair weather: Greek:
Εὐδία(Eudia). Means "good weather" or "calm." Refers to desirable, clear atmospheric conditions, often signifying a good day for activities like farming or sailing. It represents a common and practical prediction.for the sky: Greek:
ὁ οὐρανός(ho ouranos). Here refers to the atmospheric sky above, not the heavens as God's abode. It's the visible firmament that people observe.is red: Greek:
πυρράζει(pyrrazei). Means "is fiery red" or "reddened." Refers to the phenomenon of a red or crimson sky at sunset, which, due to atmospheric conditions (dust, moisture, light scattering), is a known natural indicator of stable weather to follow.He answered and said unto them: Emphasizes Jesus' authoritative and direct address to His interrogators, signaling a teaching moment in response to their challenge.
When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: Highlights a universal, everyday understanding of natural signs based on observation, linking human experience to prophetic insight.
for the sky is red: Provides the specific observation from which the prediction is made, a common ancient proverb reflecting wisdom from the natural world.
Matthew 16 2 Bonus section
The proverb mentioned by Jesus, "Red sky at night, sailors' delight" (and its morning counterpart from Matt 16:3, "Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning"), remains a folk meteorological saying even today, attesting to the longevity and cross-cultural nature of such empirical wisdom. The very familiarity of this proverb makes Jesus' critique more piercing; He is rebuking them for failing to apply basic wisdom to divine revelation. The Pharisees and Sadducees' demand for a "sign from heaven" was often rooted in the Jewish expectation that the Messiah would perform spectacular heavenly wonders, akin to Moses and the exodus plagues or the prophet Elijah. By refusing such a dramatic, easily-interpretable sign (apart from the 'sign of Jonah'), Jesus redirected their focus from superficial wonders to the deeper, relational, and self-sacrificing sign of His death and resurrection, and to the inherent significance of His Person and ministry.
Matthew 16 2 Commentary
In Matthew 16:2, Jesus employs a common observation about weather patterns to set up a profound spiritual lesson. He points out that the Pharisees and Sadducees, though esteemed religious teachers, readily understand natural phenomena like a red sky at evening indicating fair weather. This demonstrates an innate human capacity for discernment based on experience and natural laws. However, Jesus' subsequent implied rebuke is that their ability to "read" the sky contrasts sharply with their inability to "read" the divine "signs of the times"—His miraculous works, profound teachings, and very presence as Messiah. The verse underscores a pervasive spiritual blindness where external rituals or intellectual knowledge superseded genuine spiritual perception. It highlights the hypocrisy of those who could interpret the common but failed to see the profound and sacred standing directly before them. This failure wasn't due to a lack of evidence, but a hardened heart, prejudiced by expectations that clashed with God's unfolding plan.