Matius 10:27

10:27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear, ¹  proclaim from the housetops. ² 

Matius 12:38

The Sign of Jonah

12:38 Then some of the experts in the law ³  along with some Pharisees ⁴  answered him, ⁵  “Teacher, we want to see a sign ⁶  from you.”

[10:27]  ¹ tn Grk “what you hear in the ear,” an idiom.

[10:27]  ² tn The expression “proclaim from the housetops” is an idiom for proclaiming something publicly (L&N 7.51). Roofs of many first century Jewish houses in Judea and Galilee were flat and had access either from outside or from within the house. Something shouted from atop a house would be heard by everyone in the street below.

[12:38]  ³ tn Or “Then some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

[12:38]  ⁴ tn Grk “and Pharisees.” The word “some” before “Pharisees” has been supplied for clarification.

[12:38]  sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

[12:38]  ⁵ tn Grk “answered him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant, but the syntax of the sentence was changed to conform to English style.

[12:38]  ⁶ sn What exactly this sign would have been, given what Jesus was already doing, is not clear. But here is where the fence-sitters reside, refusing to commit to him.