The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 Some Pharisees and Sadducees were on him again, pressing him to prove himself to them.
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And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He told them, "You have a saying that goes, 'Red sky at night, sailor's delight;
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He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red. ’
3 red sky at morning, sailors take warning.' You find it easy enough to forecast the weather - why can't you read the signs of the times?
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And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening. ’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
4 An evil and wanton generation is always wanting signs and wonders. The only sign you'll get is the Jonah sign." Then he turned on his heel and walked away.
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An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. ”So he left them and departed.
5 On their way to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring along bread.
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When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.
6 In the meantime, Jesus said to them, "Keep a sharp eye out for Pharisee-Sadducee yeast."
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Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. ”
7 Thinking he was scolding them for forgetting bread, they discussed in whispers what to do.
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And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread. ”
8 Jesus knew what they were doing and said, "Why all these worried whispers about forgetting the bread? Runt believers!
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But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?
9 Haven't you caught on yet? Don't you remember the five loaves of bread and the five thousand people, and how many baskets of fragments you picked up?
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Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
10 Or the seven loaves that fed four thousand, and how many baskets of leftovers you collected?
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Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
11 Haven't you realized yet that bread isn't the problem? The problem is yeast, Pharisee-Sadducee yeast."
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How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. ”
12 Then they got it: that he wasn't concerned about eating, but teaching - the Pharisee-Sadducee kind of teaching.
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Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13 When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?"
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Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is? ”
14 They replied, "Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."
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And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. ”
15 He pressed them, "And how about you? Who do you say I am?"
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He said to them, “But who do you say that I am? ”
16 Simon Peter said, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
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Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. ”
17 Jesus came back, "God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn't get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am.
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And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18 And now I'm going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
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And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 "And that's not all. You will have complete and free access to God's kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven."
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I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ”
20 He swore the disciples to secrecy. He made them promise they would tell no one that he was the Messiah.
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Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
21 Then Jesus made it clear to his disciples that it was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and then on the third day be raised up alive.
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From that time 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 on the third day be raised.
22 Peter took him in hand, protesting, "Impossible, Master! That can never be!"
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And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you. ”
23 But Jesus didn't swerve. "Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works."
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But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. ”
24 Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how.
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Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
25 Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.
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For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
26 What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?
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For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
27 "Don't be in such a hurry to go into business for yourself. Before you know it the Son of Man will arrive with all the splendor of his Father, accompanied by an army of angels. You'll get everything you have coming to you, a personal gift.
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For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
28 This isn't pie in the sky by and by. Some of you standing here are going to see it take place, see the Son of Man in kingdom glory."
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Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. ”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025