Matthew 16:1-28 (New American Standard)

Pharisees Test Jesus

1 ¹The ²Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they ³asked Him to show them a ^asign from heaven. 2 But He replied to them, "^b4When 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.' ⁵Do you know how to discern the ^cappearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times ? 4 "⁶An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a ^dsign ; and a ^esign 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 ⁷beware of the ^fleaven of the ⁸Pharisees 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, "⁹You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread ? 9 "Do you not yet understand or remember ¹⁰the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up? 10 "Or ¹¹the 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 ¹²beware of the ^gleaven of the ¹³Pharisees and Sadducees." 12 Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the ¹⁴Pharisees and Sadducees.

Peter's Confession of Christ

13 ¹⁵Now when Jesus came into the district of ¹⁶Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that ¹⁷the Son of Man is?" 14 And they said, "Some say ¹⁸John the Baptist ; and others, ^h19Elijah ; but still others, ⁱJeremiah, or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am ?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are ^j20the Christ, ²¹the Son of ²²the living God." 17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, ²³Simon ^kBarjona, because ²⁴flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 "I also say to you that you are ^l25Peter, and upon this ^mrock I will build My church ; and the gates of ²⁶Hades will not overpower it. 19 "I will give you ²⁷the keys of the kingdom of heaven ; and ²⁸whatever you bind on earth ⁿshall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth ^oshall have been loosed in heaven." 20 ²⁹Then He ^pwarned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was ^q30the Christ.

Jesus Foretells His Death

21 ³¹From that time ^rJesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and ³²suffer 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, "^sGod forbid it, Lord ! This shall never ^thappen to You." 23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, ³³Satan ! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on ^uGod'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 ³⁴take up his cross and follow Me. 25 "For ³⁵whoever wishes to save his ^vlife will lose it; but whoever loses his ^wlife 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 ³⁶Son of Man ³⁷is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and ³⁸WILL THEN ^xREPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS ^yDEEDS. 28 "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the ³⁹Son of Man ⁴⁰coming in His kingdom."