³⁹ After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

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)

² He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ ³ 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) 4} 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

⁵ When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. ⁶ “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”^(F)

⁷ They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

⁸ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith,^(G) why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?

¹⁷ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?^{(A) 18} Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,”^(B) they replied.

²⁰ “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”^(C)

²¹ He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”^(D)

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.^(A)

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?”

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

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.”^(C)

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

Jesus Predicts His Death^(K)

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem^(L) and suffer many things^(M) at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(N) and that he must be killed^(O) and on the third day^(P) be raised to life.^(Q)

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!^(R) You are a stumbling block to me; 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.^{(A) 35} For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.^{(B) 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^(C) will be ashamed of them^(D) when he comes^(E) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

9 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come^(F) with power.”^(G)