Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ^(A)

^27 (B)Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”

²⁸ So they answered, ^(C)“John the Baptist; but some say, ^(D)Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

²⁹ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered and said to Him, ^(E)“You are the Christ.”

^30 (F)Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection^(G)

³¹ And ^(H)He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be ^(I)rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be ^(J)killed, and after three days rise again. ³² He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. ³³ But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He ^(K)rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not ^[a]mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him^(L)

³⁴ When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ^(M)“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ³⁵ For ^(N)whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. ³⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? ³⁷ Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ^38 (O)For whoever ^(P)is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

⁷ Because ^(A)the ^[a]carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, ^(B)nor indeed can be.

¹⁷ “Therefore My Father ^(A)loves Me, ^(B)because I lay down My life that I may take it again.

²⁰ I have been ^(A)crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh ^(B)I live by faith in the Son of God, ^(C)who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God^(A)

¹⁸ For the ^[a]message of the cross is ^(B)foolishness to ^(C)those who are perishing, but to us ^(D)who are being saved it is the ^(E)power of God.

⁹ For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a ^(A)spectacle ^[a]to the world, both to angels and to men. ¹⁰ We are ^(B)fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! ^(C)We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!

^26 (A)“If anyone comes to Me ^(B)and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, ^(C)yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

²² And see, now ^(A)I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, ²³ except that ^(B)the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. ^24 [a]But ^(C)none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, ^(D)so that I may finish my ^[b]race with joy, ^(E)and the ministry ^(F)which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.