MatthewChapter 16

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¹Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus. They asked him to show them a sign from heaven. ²But he answered, "In the evening you say, 'The weather will be good, because the sky is red.' ³And in the morning you say, 'Today there will be a storm, because the sky is red and cloudy.' You know how to read the look of the sky. But you can't read the signs of the times. ⁴An evil people who are not faithful to God ask for a sign. But no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah." Then he left them and went away.a ⁵The disciples crossed to the other side of the lake. But they had forgotten to bring bread. ⁶"Watch out!" Jesus told them. "Be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."b ⁷They talked about this with each other. They decided, "He said this because we didn't bring any bread." ⁸Jesus knew what they were saying. He said, "Your faith is so small! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? ⁹Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand? Don't you remember how many baskets you filled with leftovers? ¹⁰Or don't you remember the seven loaves for the four thousand? And how many baskets you filled? ¹¹How can you not understand? I was not talking to you about bread. But be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." ¹²Then they understood. He was not telling them to watch out for the yeast used in bread. He meant the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. ¹³Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" ¹⁴They answered, "Some say John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. And still others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets." ¹⁵"But what about you?" Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?" ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."c ¹⁷Jesus answered, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! No human being showed this to you. My Father in heaven showed it to you. ¹⁸And I tell you that you are Peter. On this rock I will build my church. And the gates of Hades will not overpower it.d ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. And whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." ²⁰Then he warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. ²¹From then on, Jesus began to show his disciples what must happen. He must go to Jerusalem. There he must suffer many things from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes. He must be killed. And on the third day he must be raised to life. ²²Peter took him off to the side and began to scold him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This will never happen to you!" ²³But Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me. You are not thinking about the things of God. You are thinking about human things." ²⁴Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to follow me, he must say no to himself. He must pick up his cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for me will find it. ²⁶What good is it if a man gains the whole world but loses his soul? Or what can a man give in trade for his soul? ²⁷For the Son of Man will come in his Father's glory with his angels. Then he will pay back each person for what he has done. ²⁸I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."e