For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

MATTHEW 12:40KJV
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Matthew 12:40 (KJV)

What does Matthew 12:40 mean?

Matthew 12:40 says that just as Jonah spent three days and three nights inside a great fish, Jesus (calling himself the "Son of man") will spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. This is a prediction that Jesus will die, be buried, and then rise again after three days.

In this verse, Jesus is speaking to a group of religious leaders who are demanding a sign from him. He points to the story of Jonah as a sign that will be repeated in his own experience. The comparison highlights both the time frame and the miraculous nature of what will happen to Jesus, connecting his coming death and resurrection to a well-known story from the Hebrew Scriptures.

The Greek behind Matthew 12:40

  • "heart" (καρδία, kardia): The Greek word here means the innermost part or center. Saying Jesus will be in the "heart of the earth" emphasizes being deep within, not just on the surface, which underlines the reality of his burial.
  • "whale's" (κῆτος, kētos): This word refers to a large sea creature, not specifically a whale as in modern English. The focus is on something huge and overwhelming, matching the extraordinary nature of Jonah's experience.
  • "three days and three nights" (τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας, treis hēmeras kai treis nyktas): In Jewish reckoning, any part of a day could count as a whole day and night, so this phrase often meant parts of three days, not necessarily 72 full hours.

Why Matthew 12:40 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Jesus saw his death and resurrection as the ultimate sign to those questioning him, directly connecting his story to the Old Testament.
  • The use of Jonah's story shows that Jesus expected his followers to understand the meaning behind Old Testament events and how they point forward.
  • Understanding the phrase "three days and three nights" in its original context helps clear up confusion about the timeline of Jesus's death and resurrection.

Where else these words appear

“Jonas” Greek G2495 · used in 11 verses

  • Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
  • Luke 11:29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
  • John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

“belly” Greek G2836 · used in 22 verses

  • Matthew 15:17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
  • Luke 2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
  • Acts 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:

“as” Greek G5618 · used in 42 verses

  • Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
  • Luke 17:24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
  • 1 Corinthians 11:12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

“three” Greek G5140 · used in 60 verses

  • Matthew 13:33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
  • Luke 12:52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
  • Acts 28:17 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.