Bible Strands
Matthew 16:2
But He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘The weather will be fair, for the sky is red,’
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus responds to the Pharisees and Sadducees who just tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven. He addresses them directly as they observe the evening sky.
The words — ἀποκριθεὶς (apokritheis) means "answering" and ὀψίας γενομένης (opsias genomenēs) translates literally to "evening having come." These terms anchor His reply in the immediate moment of observation.
The thread — The same weather-forecasting analogy appears in Luke 12:54, where Jesus uses identical observational logic to rebuke a crowd for reading natural signs.
Why it lands — The text states that you can accurately predict atmospheric conditions while remaining blind to the spiritual reality present before you. It asks you to stop treating divine revelation as optional entertainment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
Cross-references
- Luke 12:54 Then Jesus said to the crowds, “As soon as you see a cloud rising in the west, you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and that is what happens.