Matthew 16–18

The Demand for a Sign

16:1-12^pp — Mk 8:11–21

The Pharisees and Sadducees^a came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.^b

He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.^c A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.”^d Jesus then left them and went away.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”^a

They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith,^b why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?^c Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?^d How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.^e

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

16:13-16^pp — Mk 8:27–29; Lk 9:18–20

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^a others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”^b

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”^c

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,^d but by my Father in heaven.^e And I tell you that you are Peter,^f and on this rock I will build my church,^g and the gates of death will not overcome it. I will give you the keys^h 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.”ⁱ Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone^j that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death

16:21-28^pp — Mk 8:31—9:1; Lk 9:22–27

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem^a and suffer many things^b at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^c and that he must be killed^d and on the third day^e be raised to life.^f

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!^g You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^h For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.ⁱ What good will it be for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? Or what can you give in exchange for your soul? For the Son of Man^j is going to come^k in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward everyone according to what they have done.^l

“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

The Transfiguration

17:1-8^pp — Lk 9:28–36 17:1-13^pp — Mk 9:2–13

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John^a the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.^b Listen to him!”^c

When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”^d When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone^e what you have seen, until the Son of Man^f has been raised from the dead.”^g

The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.^h But I tell you, Elijah has already come,ⁱ and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.^j In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer^k at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.^l

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

17:14-19^pp — Mk 9:14–28; Lk 9:37–42

When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures^a and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith^b as small as a mustard seed,^c you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.^d Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man^a is going to be delivered over to human hands. He will be killed,^b and on the third day^c he will be raised to life.”^d And the disciples were filled with grief.

The Temple Tax

After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax^a came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

“Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes^b—from their own children or from others?”

“From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not cause offense,^c go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

18:1-5^pp — Mk 9:33–37; Lk 9:46–48

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child, whom he placed among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,^a you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.^b Therefore, whoever takes a humble place—becoming like this child—is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.^c And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.^d

Causing to Stumble

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were drowned in the depths of the sea.^a Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!^b If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble,^c cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble,^d gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.^e

The Parable of the Wandering Sheep

18:12-14^pp — Lk 15:4–7

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels^a in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Dealing With Sin in the Church

“If a brother or sister sins, go and point out the fault,^a just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’^b If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;^c and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.^d

“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.^e

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you^f by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”^g

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me?^a Up to seven times?”^b

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.^c

“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like^d a king who wanted to settle accounts^e with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten…