Matthew 16
GOD’S WORD Translation
The Pharisees Ask for a Sign from Heaven(A)
16 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus. So they asked him to show them a miraculous sign from heaven.
2 He responded to them, “In the evening you say that the weather will be fine because the sky is red. 3 And in the morning you say that there will be a storm today because the sky is red and overcast. You can forecast the weather by judging the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
4 “Evil and unfaithful people look for a miraculous sign. But the only sign they will be given is that of Jonah.”
Then he left them standing there and went away.
The Yeast of the Pharisees(B)
5 The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along when they went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.
6 Jesus said to them, “Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
7 The disciples had been discussing among themselves that they had not taken any bread along.
8 Jesus knew about their conversation and asked, “Why are you discussing among yourselves that you don’t have any bread? You have so little faith! 9 Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you filled? 10 Don’t you remember the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many large baskets you filled? 11 Why don’t you understand that I wasn’t talking to you about bread? Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
12 Then they understood that he didn’t say to watch out for the yeast in bread, but to watch out for the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter Declares His Belief about Jesus(C)
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 answered, “Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”
17 Jesus replied, “Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed! No human revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven revealed it to you. 18 You are Peter, and I can guarantee that on this rock [a] I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.”
20 Then he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Jesus Foretells That He Will Die and Come Back to Life(D)
21 From that time on Jesus began to inform his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem. There he would have to suffer a lot because of the leaders, the chief priests, and the experts in Moses’ Teachings. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be brought back to life.
22 Peter took him aside and objected to this. He said, “Heaven forbid, Lord! This must never happen to you!”
23 But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get out of my way, Satan! You are tempting me to sin. You aren’t thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think.”
What It Means to Follow Jesus(E)
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me. 25 Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me will find them. 26 What good will it do for people to win the whole world and lose their lives? Or what will a person give in exchange for life? 27 The Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory. Then he will pay back each person based on what that person has done. 28 I can guarantee this truth: Some people who are standing here will not die until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Footnotes
- 16:18 In Greek there is a play on words between petros (Peter or pebble) and petra (rock ).
Matthew 16
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees
16 The Pharisees and Sadducees approached,(A) and as a test, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.(B)
2 He answered them: “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be good weather because the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.’ You[a] know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can’t read the signs of the times.[b] 4 An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of[c] Jonah.”(C) Then He left them and went away.
5 The disciples reached the other shore,[d] and they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus told them, “Watch out and beware of the yeast[e] of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”(D)
7 And they discussed among themselves, “We didn’t bring any bread.”
8 Aware of this, Jesus said, “You of little faith!(E) Why are you discussing among yourselves that you do not have bread? 9 Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the 5,000 and how many baskets you collected? 10 Or the seven loaves for the 4,000 and how many large baskets you collected?(F) 11 Why is it you don’t understand that when I told you, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees,’ it wasn’t about bread?”(G) 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the yeast in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.(H)
Peter’s Confession of the Messiah
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi,[f](I) He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”[g]
14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”(J)
15 “But you,” He asked them, “who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”(K)
17 And Jesus responded, “Simon son of Jonah,[h](L) you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven.(M) 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter,[i] and on this rock[j] I will build My church,(N) and the forces[k] of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,(O) and whatever you bind on earth is already bound[l] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed[m] in heaven.”
20 And He gave the disciples orders to tell no one that He was[n] the Messiah.(P)
His Death and Resurrection Predicted
21 From(Q) then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day.(R) 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, “Oh no,[o] Lord! This will never happen to You!”
23 But He turned and told Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns,[p] but man’s.”(S)
Take Up Your Cross
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.(T) 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it.(U) 26 What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?(V) 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father,(W) and then He will reward each according to what he has done. 28 I assure you: There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”(X)
Footnotes
- Matthew 16:3 Other mss read Hypocrites! You
- Matthew 16:3 Other mss omit When (v. 2) through end of v. 3
- Matthew 16:4 Other mss add the prophet
- Matthew 16:5 Lit disciples went to the other side
- Matthew 16:6 Or leaven
- Matthew 16:13 A town north of Galilee at the base of Mount Hermon
- Matthew 16:13 Other mss read that I, the Son of Man, am
- Matthew 16:17 Or son of John
- Matthew 16:18 Peter (Gk Petros) = a specific stone or rock
- Matthew 16:18 Rock (Gk petra) = a rocky crag or bedrock
- Matthew 16:18 Lit gates
- Matthew 16:19 Or earth will be bound
- Matthew 16:19 Or earth will be loosed
- Matthew 16:20 Other mss add Jesus
- Matthew 16:22 Lit Mercy to You = May God have mercy on You
- Matthew 16:23 Lit about the things of God
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