求神蹟

16 有幾個法利賽人和撒都該人來試探耶穌,要求祂顯個天上的神蹟給他們看。

耶穌回答說:「傍晚的時候,你們看見天邊出現紅霞,就說明天一定是晴天; 早晨的時候,你們看見天色又紅又暗,就說今天必有風雨。你們懂得分辨天色,卻不能分辨時代的徵兆。 一個邪惡淫亂的世代想看神蹟,可是除了約拿的神蹟以外,再沒有神蹟給他們看。」於是耶穌離開他們走了。

防備法利賽人和撒都該人的酵

門徒渡到湖對岸,忘記帶餅了。 耶穌對他們說:「你們要小心提防法利賽人和撒都該人的酵。」

門徒彼此議論說:「這是因為我們沒有帶餅吧。」

耶穌知道他們的心思,就說:「你們的信心太小了!為什麼議論沒有帶餅的事呢? 你們還不明白嗎?你們不記得那五個餅讓五千人吃飽,又裝滿多少籃子嗎? 10 也不記得那七個餅給四千人吃飽,又裝滿多少筐子嗎? 11 我說你們要提防法利賽人和撒都該人的酵,指的不是餅,你們怎麼不明白呢?」

12 門徒這才恍然大悟,知道耶穌不是叫他們當心什麼麵酵,而是要提防法利賽人和撒都該人的教導。

彼得宣告耶穌是基督

13 到了凱撒利亞·腓立比境內,耶穌問門徒:「人們說人子是誰?」

14 門徒回答說:「有人說是施洗者約翰,有人說是以利亞,也有人說是耶利米,或其他某位先知。」

15 耶穌問:「那麼,你們說我是誰?」

16 西門·彼得回答說:「你是基督,是永活上帝的兒子!」

17 耶穌對他說:「約拿的兒子西門啊,你是有福的!因為這件事不是屬血肉的人告訴你的,而是我天上的父啟示你的。 18 我告訴你,你是彼得[a],我要在這磐石上建立我的教會,陰間的勢力[b]不能勝過它。 19 我要把天國的鑰匙交給你。凡你在地上捆綁的,在天上也要捆綁;凡你在地上釋放的,在天上也要釋放。」

20 當下,耶穌叮囑門徒不可告訴別人祂就是基督。

耶穌預言自己的受害和復活

21 從此以後,耶穌開始清楚地指示門徒,祂必須去耶路撒冷,受長老、祭司長和律法教師許多的迫害,並且被處死,但第三天必從死裡復活。 22 彼得把耶穌拉到一邊,勸阻祂說:「主啊,千萬不可!這件事絕不會發生在你身上!」

23 耶穌立刻轉過身來責備彼得說:「撒旦,退到我後面去!你是我的絆腳石,因為你不考慮上帝的意思,只考慮人的意思。」

24 於是耶穌對門徒說:「如果有人要跟從我,就應當捨己,背起他的十字架跟從我。 25 因為想救自己生命的,必失去生命;但為了我而失去生命的,必得到生命。 26 人若賺得全世界,卻喪失自己的生命,又有什麼益處呢?人還能拿什麼換回自己的生命呢?

27 「因為人子要在祂父的榮耀裡與眾天使一起降臨,那時,祂將按照各人的行為報應各人。 28 我實在告訴你們,有些站在這裡的人會在有生之年看見人子降臨在祂的國度裡。」

Footnotes

  1. 16·18 彼得」希臘文是「磐石」的意思。
  2. 16·18 勢力」希臘文是「門」。

The Demand for a Sign(A)

16 The Pharisees and Sadducees(B) came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.(C)

He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.[a](D) A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.”(E) Jesus then left them and went away.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”(F)

They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith,(G) why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?(H) 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?(I) 11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.(J)

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah(K)

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;(L) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”(M)

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.”(N)

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,(O) but by my Father in heaven.(P) 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[b](Q) and on this rock I will build my church,(R) and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys(S) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.”(T) 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone(U) that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death(V)

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem(W) and suffer many things(X) at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,(Y) and that he must be killed(Z) and on the third day(AA) be raised to life.(AB)

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!(AC) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.(AD) 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.(AE) 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man(AF) is going to come(AG) in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.(AH)

28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 16:3 Some early manuscripts do not have When evening comes … of the times.
  2. Matthew 16:18 The Greek word for Peter means rock.
  3. Matthew 16:18 That is, the realm of the dead
  4. Matthew 16:19 Or will have been
  5. Matthew 16:19 Or will have been
  6. Matthew 16:25 The Greek word means either life or soul; also in verse 26.

Some Bad Yeast

16 1-4 Some Pharisees and Sadducees badgered him again, pressing him to prove himself to them. He told them, “You have a saying that goes, ‘Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky at morning, sailors take warning.’ You find it easy enough to forecast the weather—why can’t you read the signs of the times? An evil and wanton generation is always wanting signs and wonders. The only sign you’ll get is the Jonah sign.” Then he spun around and walked away.

5-6 On their way to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring along bread. In the meantime, Jesus said to them, “Keep a sharp eye out for Pharisee-Sadducee yeast.”

7-12 Thinking he was scolding them for forgetting bread, they discussed in whispers what to do. Jesus knew what they were doing and said, “Why all these worried whispers about forgetting the bread? Baby believers! Haven’t you caught on yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves of bread and the five thousand people, and how many baskets of fragments you picked up? Or the seven loaves that fed four thousand, and how many baskets of leftovers you collected? Haven’t you realized yet that bread isn’t the problem? The problem is yeast, Pharisee-Sadducee yeast.” Then they got it: that he wasn’t concerned about eating, but teaching—the Pharisee-Sadducee kind of teaching.

Son of Man, Son of God

13 When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

15 He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17-18 Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.

19 “And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.”

20 He swore the disciples to secrecy. He made them promise they would tell no one that he was the Messiah.

You’re Not in the Driver’s Seat

21-22 Then Jesus made it clear to his disciples that it was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and then on the third day be raised up alive. Peter took him in hand, protesting, “Impossible, Master! That can never be!”

23 But Jesus didn’t swerve. “Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works.”

24-26 Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?

27-28 “Don’t be in such a hurry to go into business for yourself. Before you know it the Son of Man will arrive with all the splendor of his Father, accompanied by an army of angels. You’ll get everything you have coming to you, a personal gift. This isn’t pie in the sky by and by. Some of you standing here are going to see it take place, see the Son of Man in kingdom glory.”