Chapter 16

Pharisees Test Jesus

1 aThe bPharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they casked Him to show them a 1sign from heaven.

2 But He replied to them, “1aWhen it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’

3 “And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ aDo you know how to discern the 1appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?

4 “aAn evil and adulterous generation seeks after a 1sign; and a 1sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.

5 And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread.

6 And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and abeware of the 1leaven of the bPharisees and Sadducees.”

7 They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “He said that because we did not bring any bread.”

8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “aYou men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?

9 “Do you not yet understand or remember athe five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up?

10 “Or athe seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up?

11 “How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But abeware of the 1leaven of the bPharisees and Sadducees.”

12 Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the aPharisees and Sadducees.

Peter’s Confession of Christ

13 aNow when Jesus came into the district of bCaesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that cthe Son of Man is?”

14 And they said, “Some say aJohn the Baptist; and others, 1bElijah; but still others, 2Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

15 He * said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are 1athe Christ, bthe Son of cthe living God.”

17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, aSimon 1Barjona, because bflesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

18 “I also say to you that you are 1aPeter, and upon this 2rock I will build My church; and the gates of bHades will not overpower it.

19 “I will give you athe keys of the kingdom of heaven; and bwhatever you bind on earth 1shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth 2shall have been loosed in heaven.”

20 aThen He 1warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was 2bthe Christ.

Jesus Foretells His Death

21 aFrom that time 1Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and bsuffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.

22 Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “1God forbid it, Lord! This shall never 2happen to You.”

23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, aSatan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on 1God’s interests, but man’s.”

Discipleship Is Costly

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and atake up his cross and follow Me.

25 “For awhoever wishes to save his 1life will lose it; but whoever loses his 1life for My sake will find it.

26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

27 “For the aSon of Man bis going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and cwill then 1repay every man according to his 2deeds.

28 “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the aSon of Man bcoming in His kingdom.”