Matthew 16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Demand for a Sign
16 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus[a] they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.(A) 2 He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.[b] 4 An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.(B)
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees
5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch out, and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”(C) 7 They said to one another, “It is because we have brought no bread.” 8 And becoming aware of it, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you talking about having no bread?(D) 9 Do you still not perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you gathered?(E) 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many baskets you gathered?(F) 11 How could you fail to perceive that I was not speaking about bread? Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” 12 Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the yeast of bread but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter’s Declaration about Jesus
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”(G) 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,[c] the Son of the living God.”(H) 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.(I) 18 And I tell you, you are Peter,[d] and on this rock[e] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.(J) 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”(K) 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was[f] the Messiah.[g](L)
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised.(M) 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance[h] to me, for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
The Cross and Self-Denial
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.(N) 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
27 “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done.(O) 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”(P)
Matthew 16
English Standard Version
The Pharisees and Sadducees Demand Signs
16 (A)And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and (B)to test him (C)they asked him to show them (D)a sign from heaven. 2 He answered them,[a] (E)“When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ (F)You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret (G)the signs of the times. 4 (H)An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So (I)he left them and departed.
The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees
5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and (J)beware of (K)the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But (L)Jesus, aware of this, said, (M)“O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 (N)Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember (O)the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or (P)the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? (Q)Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 (R)Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of (S)the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
13 (T)Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say (U)John the Baptist, others say (V)Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, (W)“You are (X)the Christ, (Y)the Son of (Z)the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, (AA)“Blessed are you, (AB)Simon Bar-Jonah! For (AC)flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, (AD)but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, (AE)you are Peter, and (AF)on this rock[b] I will build my church, and (AG)the gates of (AH)hell[c] shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you (AI)the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and (AJ)whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[d] in heaven.” 20 (AK)Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
21 (AL)From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that (AM)he must go to Jerusalem and (AN)suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on (AO)the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord![e] This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, (AP)“Get behind me, Satan! You are (AQ)a hindrance[f] to me. For you (AR)are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him (AS)deny himself and (AT)take up his cross and follow me. 25 For (AU)whoever would save his life[g] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For (AV)what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or (AW)what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 (AX)For the Son of Man is going to come with (AY)his angels in the glory of his Father, and (AZ)then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not (BA)taste death (BB)until they see the Son of Man (BC)coming in his kingdom.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 16:2 Some manuscripts omit the following words to the end of verse 3
- Matthew 16:18 The Greek words for Peter and rock sound similar
- Matthew 16:18 Greek the gates of Hades
- Matthew 16:19 Or shall have been bound… shall have been loosed
- Matthew 16:22 Or “[May God be] merciful to you, Lord!”
- Matthew 16:23 Greek stumbling block
- Matthew 16:25 The same Greek word can mean either soul or life, depending on the context; twice in this verse and twice in verse 26
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
