Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

²² They came to Bethsaida,^(A) and some people brought a blind man^(B) and begged Jesus to touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit^(C) on the man’s eyes and put his hands on^(D) him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

²⁴ He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

²⁵ Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into^[a] the village.”

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(E)

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(F) others say Elijah;^(G) and still others, one of the prophets.”

²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”^(H)

³⁰ Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.^(I)

Jesus Predicts His Death^(J)

³¹ He then began to teach them that the Son of Man^(K) must suffer many things^(L) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(M) and that he must be killed^(N) and after three days^(O) rise again.^{(P) 32} He spoke plainly^(Q) about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

³³ But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!”^(R) he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Way of the Cross

³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(S) 35} For whoever wants to save their life^[b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.^{(T) 36} What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man^(U) will be ashamed of them^(V) when he comes^(W) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”