Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ^(A)

^18 (B)And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

¹⁹ So they answered and said, ^(C)“John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”

²⁰ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

^(D)Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection^(E)

^21 (F)And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, ²² saying, ^(G)“The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him^(H)

^23 (I)Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross ^[a]daily, and follow Me. ^24 (J)For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. ^25 (K)For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? ^26 (L)For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ^(M)ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and ^(A)righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

²² If anyone ^(A)does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, ^(B)let him be ^[a]accursed. ^(C)O^[b] Lord, come!

²⁴ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.