²¹ At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.^(A) Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

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)

⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,^(A) and I will raise them up at the last day.

³⁷ All those the Father gives me^(A) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven^(B) not to do my will but to do the will^(C) of him who sent me.^{(D) 39} And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,^(E) but raise them up at the last day.^{(F) 40} For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son^(G) and believes in him shall have eternal life,^(H) and I will raise them up at the last day.”

¹² Therefore, since we have such a hope,^(A) we are very bold.^{(B) 13} We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face^(C) to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were made dull,^(D) for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant^(E) is read.^(F) It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶ But whenever anyone turns to the Lord,^(G) the veil is taken away.^{(H) 17} Now the Lord is the Spirit,^(I) and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.^(J)

³ And even if our gospel^(A) is veiled,^(B) it is veiled to those who are perishing.^{(C) 4} The god^(D) of this age^(E) has blinded^(F) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,^(G) who is the image of God.^(H)

³⁹ Jesus said,^[a] “For judgment^(A) I have come into this world,^(B) so that the blind will see^(C) and those who see will become blind.”^(D)

⁴⁰ Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”^(E)

⁴¹ Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.^(F)