Matthew 16–17

The Signs of the Times

16And when^* the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test him,^* they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. ²So he answered and^* said to them, “When^* evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather because the sky is red,’ ³and early in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy weather, because the sky is red and^* darkening.’ You know how to evaluate correctly the appearance of the sky, but you are not able to evaluate^* the signs of the times. ⁴An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, and a sign will not be given to it except the sign of Jonah!” And he left them and^* went away.

Beware the Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵And when^* the disciples arrived at the other side,^a they had forgotten to take bread. ⁶And Jesus said to them, “Watch out for and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” ⁷So they were discussing this^* among themselves, saying, “It is because we did not take bread.” ⁸But knowing this,^* Jesus said, “Why are you discussing among yourselves that you did not take bread,^b you of little faith? ⁹Do you not yet understand or do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? ¹⁰Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many baskets you took up? ¹¹How do you not understand that I did not speak to you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” ¹²Then they understood that he did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Peter’s Confession at Caesarea Philippi

¹³Now when^* Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi,^c he began asking^* his disciples, saying, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴And they said, Some^d say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶And Simon Peter answered and^* said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” ¹⁷And Jesus answered and^* said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this^* to you, but my Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it! ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound^e in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will be released^f in heaven.” ²⁰Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he was the Christ.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

²¹From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day. ²²And Peter took him aside and^* began to rebuke him, saying, God forbid,^g Lord! This will never happen to you!” ²³But he turned around and^* said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a cause for stumbling to me, because you are not intent on the things of God, but the things of people!”

Taking Up One’s Cross to Follow Jesus

²⁴Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me will find it. ²⁶For what will a person be benefited if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what will a person give in exchange for his life? ²⁷For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and at that time he will reward each one according to what he has done.^{h 28}Truly I say to you, that there are some of those standing here who will never experience death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

The Transfiguration

17And after six days Jesus took along Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. ²And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became bright as the light. ³And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. ⁴So Peter answered and^* said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here! If you want, I will make here three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁵While^* he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!” ⁶And when^* the disciples heard this,^* they fell down on their faces and were extremely frightened. ⁷And Jesus came and touched them and^* said, “Get up and do not be afraid.” ⁸And when they^* lifted up their eyes they saw no one except him—Jesus alone.

⁹And as^* they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them saying, “Tell no one the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” ¹⁰And the disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹¹And he answered and^* said, “Elijah indeed is coming, and will restore all things. ¹²But I say to you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did with him whatever they wanted. In the same way also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” ¹³Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

A Demon-possessed Boy Healed

¹⁴And when they^* came to the crowd, a man approached him, kneeling down before him ¹⁵and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers severely, for often he falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶And I brought him to your disciples, and they were not able to heal him.” ¹⁷And Jesus answered and^* said, “O unbelieving and perverse generation! How long^a will I be with you? How long^b must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!” ¹⁸And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him and the boy was healed from that hour.

¹⁹Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and^* said, Why^c were we not able to expel it?” ²⁰And he said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”^d

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Second Time

²²Now as^* they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men,^{e 23}and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they were extremely distressed.

Paying the Double Drachma Temple Tax

²⁴Now when^* they arrived in Capernaum, the ones who collected the double drachma tax^f came up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the double drachma tax?” ²⁵He said, “Yes.” And when he^* came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect tolls or taxes—from their own sons, or from foreigners?” ²⁶And when he^* said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. ²⁷But so that we do not give offense to them, go out to the sea, cast a line with^* a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. And when you^* open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take that and^* give it^* to them for me and you.”