16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the * Messiah, the Son of the living God!” n

17 And Jesus responded, “Simon son of Jonah, o p you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven. q 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, r and on this rock s I will build My church, t and the forces u of * Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, v and whatever you bind on earth is already bound w in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed x in heaven.”

20 And He gave the disciples orders to tell no one that He was y the Messiah. z

His Death and Resurrection Predicted

21 From a then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, * chief priests, and * scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. b 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, “Oh no, c Lord! This will never happen to You!”

23 But He turned and told Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns, d but man’s.” e

Take Up Your Cross

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. f 25 For whoever wants to save his * life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it. g 26 What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life? h 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, i and then He will reward each according to what he has done.