Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ^(A)

¹³ When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ^(B)“Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

¹⁴ So they said, ^(C)“Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or ^(D)one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do ^(E)you say that I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered and said, ^(F)“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, ^(G)for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but ^(H)My Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸ And I also say to you that ^(I)you are Peter, and ^(J)on this rock I will build My church, and ^(K)the gates of Hades shall not ^[a]prevail against it.

³⁸ Then Peter said to them, ^(A)“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the ^[a]remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and ^(B)to your children, and ^(C)to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

A Vital Church Grows

⁴⁰ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this ^[b]perverse generation.” ⁴¹ Then those who ^[c]gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. ^42 (D)And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ ^[d]doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ Then fear came upon every soul, and ^(E)many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and ^(F)had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and ^[e]sold their possessions and goods, and ^(G)divided^[f] them among all, as anyone had need.

^46 (H)So continuing daily with one accord ^(I)in the temple, and ^(J)breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And ^(K)the Lord added ^[g]to the church daily those who were being saved.

Concluding Religious Directions

⁷ Remember those who ^[a]rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.

^17 (A)Obey those who ^[a]rule over you, and be submissive, for ^(B)they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Honor the Elders

¹⁷ Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

Immorality Defiles the Church

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even ^[a]named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s ^(A)wife! ^2 (B)And you are ^[b]puffed up, and have not rather ^(C)mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. ^3 (D)For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. ⁴ In the ^(E)name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, ^(F)with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^5 (G)deliver such a one to ^(H)Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord ^[c]Jesus.

^6 (I)Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that ^(J)a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

¹¹ But now I have written to you not to keep company ^(A)with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—^(B)not even to eat with such a person.

¹² For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? ¹³ But those who are outside God judges. Therefore ^(C)“put away from yourselves the evil person.”

^10 (A)Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, ^(B)in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ^12 (C)rejoicing in hope, ^(D)patient^[a] in tribulation, ^(E)continuing steadfastly in prayer; ^13 (F)distributing to the needs of the saints, ^(G)given^[b] to hospitality.

^14 (H)Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ^15 (I)Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. ^16 (J)Be of the same mind toward one another. ^(K)Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.