Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(A)

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(B) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”^(C)

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”^(D)

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,^(E) but by my Father in heaven.^(F)

¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.^(A)

⁸ None of the rulers of this age^(A) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.^{(B) 9} However, as it is written:

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed^(D) to us by his Spirit.^(E)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts^(F) except their own spirit^(G) within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² What we have received is not the spirit^(H) of the world,^(I) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom^(J) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.^{[b] 14} The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God^(K) but considers them foolishness,^(L) and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

³ Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,”^(A) and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”^(B) except by the Holy Spirit.^(C)