Matthew 16:16–27

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

¹⁷And Jesus responded, “Simon son of Jonah, ^opyou are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven. ^q18And I also say to you that you are Peter, ^rand on this rock ^sI will build My church, ^tand the forces ^uof ^•Hades will not overpower it. ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, ^vand whatever you bind on earth is already bound ^win heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed ^xin heaven.”

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

His Death and Resurrection Predicted

²¹From ^athen 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. ^b22Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, “Oh no, ^cLord! This will never happen to You!”

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

Take Up Your Cross

²⁴Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. ^f25For whoever wants to save his ^•life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it. ^g26What 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? ^h27For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, ⁱand then He will reward each according to what he has done.