Matthew 16
Contemporary English Version
A Demand for a Sign from Heaven
(Mark 8.11-13; Luke 12.54-56)
16 (A) The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tried to test him by asking for a sign from heaven. 2 He told them:
If the sky is red in the evening, you say the weather will be good. 3 But if the sky is red and gloomy in the morning, you say it is going to rain. You can tell what the weather will be like by looking at the sky. But you don't understand what is happening now.[a] 4 (B) You want a sign because you are evil and won't believe! But the only sign you will be given is what happened to Jonah.[b]
Then Jesus left.
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees
(Mark 8.14-21)
5 The disciples had forgotten to bring any bread when they crossed the lake.[c] 6 (C) Jesus then warned them, “Watch out! Guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 The disciples talked this over and said to each other, “He must be saying this because we didn't bring along any bread.”
8 Jesus knew what they were thinking and said:
You surely don't have much faith! Why are you talking about not having any bread? 9 (D) Don't you understand? Have you forgotten about the 5,000 people and all those baskets of leftovers from just five loaves of bread? 10 (E) And what about the 4,000 people and all those baskets of leftovers from only seven loaves of bread? 11 Don't you know by now that I am not talking to you about bread? Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!
12 Finally, the disciples understood that Jesus wasn't talking about the yeast used to make bread, but about the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Who Is Jesus?
(Mark 8.27-30; Luke 9.18-21)
13 When Jesus and his disciples were near the town of Caesarea Philippi, he asked them, “What do people say about the Son of Man?”
14 (F) The disciples answered, “Some people say you are John the Baptist or maybe Elijah[d] or Jeremiah or some other prophet.”
15 Then Jesus asked, “But who do you say I am?”
16 (G) Simon Peter spoke up, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus told him:
Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed! You didn't discover this on your own. It was shown to you by my Father in heaven. 18 So I will call you Peter, which means “a rock.” On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it. 19 (H) I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and God in heaven will allow whatever you allow on earth. But he will not allow anything you don't allow.
20 Jesus told his disciples not to tell anyone he was the Messiah.
Jesus Speaks about His Suffering and Death
(Mark 8.31—9.1; Luke 9.22-27)
21 From then on, Jesus began telling his disciples what would happen to him. He said, “I must go to Jerusalem. There the nation's leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make me suffer terribly. I will be killed, but three days later I will rise to life.”
22 Peter took Jesus aside and told him to stop talking like that. He said, “God would never let this happen to you, Lord!”
23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Satan, get away from me! You're in my way because you think like everyone else and not like God.”
24 (I) Then Jesus said to his disciples:
If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. 25 (J) If you want to save your life,[e] you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find it. 26 What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself? What would you give to get back your soul?
27 (K) The Son of Man will soon come in the glory of his Father and with his angels to reward all people for what they have done. 28 I promise you some of those standing here will not die before they see the Son of Man coming with his kingdom.
Footnotes
- 16.2,3 If the sky is red … what is happening now: The words of Jesus in verses 2 and 3 are not in some manuscripts.
- 16.4 what happened to Jonah: Jonah was in the stomach of a big fish for three days and nights (see 12.40).
- 16.5 crossed the lake: To the east side.
- 16.14 Elijah: Many of the Jewish people expected the prophet Elijah to come and prepare the way for the Messiah.
- 16.25 life: In verses 25 and 26 the same Greek word is translated “life,” “yourself,” and “soul.”
Matthew 16
Easy-to-Read Version
Some People Doubt Jesus’ Authority(A)
16 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus. They wanted to test him. So they asked him to show them a miracle as a sign from God.
2 Jesus answered, “When you people see the sunset, you know what the weather will be. If the sky is red, you say we will have good weather. 3 And in the morning, if the sky is dark and red, you say that it will be a rainy day. These are signs of the weather. You see these signs in the sky and know what they mean. In the same way, you see the things that are happening now. These are also signs, but you don’t know their meaning. 4 It is the evil and sinful people who want to see a miracle as a sign from God. But no miracle will be done to prove anything to them. The only sign will be the miracle that happened to Jonah.[a]” Then Jesus went away from there.
Jesus’ Followers Misunderstand Him(B)
5 Jesus and his followers went across the lake. But the followers forgot to bring bread. 6 Jesus said to the followers, “Be careful! Guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”
7 The followers discussed the meaning of this. They said, “Did Jesus say this because we forgot to bring bread?”
8 Jesus knew that they were talking about this. So he asked them, “Why are you talking about not having bread? Your faith is small. 9 Do you still not understand? Remember the five loaves of bread that fed the 5000 people and the many baskets you filled with the bread that was left? 10 And remember the seven loaves of bread that fed the 4000 people and the many baskets you filled that time? 11 So how could you think that I am concerned about bread? I am telling you to be careful and guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”
12 Then the followers understood what Jesus meant. He was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread. He was telling them to guard against the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Peter Says Jesus Is the Messiah(C)
13 Jesus went to the area of Caesarea Philippi. He said to his followers, “Who do people say I am[b]?”
14 They answered, “Some people say you are John the Baptizer. Others say you are Elijah. And some say you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 Then Jesus said to his followers, “And who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah. No one taught you that. My Father in heaven showed you who I am. 18 So I tell you, you are Peter.[c] And I will build my church on this rock. The power of death[d] will not be able to defeat my church. 19 I will give you the keys to God’s kingdom. When you speak judgment here on earth, that judgment will be God’s judgment. When you promise forgiveness here on earth, that forgiveness will be God’s forgiveness.”[e]
20 Then Jesus warned his followers not to tell anyone he was the Messiah.
Jesus Says He Must Die(D)
21 From that time Jesus began telling his followers that he must go to Jerusalem. He explained that the older Jewish leaders, the leading priests, and the teachers of the law would make him suffer many things. And he told his followers that he must be killed. Then, on the third day, he would be raised from death.
22 Peter took Jesus away from the other followers to talk to him alone. He began to criticize him. He said, “God save you from those sufferings, Lord! That will never happen to you!”
23 Then Jesus said to Peter, “Get away from me, Satan[f]! You are not helping me! You don’t care about the same things God does. You care only about things that people think are important.”
24 Then Jesus said to his followers, “If any of you want to be my follower, you must stop thinking about yourself and what you want. You must be willing to carry the cross that is given to you for following me. 25 Any of you who try to save the life you have will lose it. But you who give up your life for me will find true life. 26 It is worth nothing for you to have the whole world if you yourself are lost. You could never pay enough to buy back your life. 27 The Son of Man will come again with his Father’s glory and with his angels. And he will reward everyone for what they have done. 28 Believe me when I say that there are some people standing here who will see the Son of Man coming with his kingdom before they die.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 16:4 Jonah A prophet in the Old Testament. After three days in a big fish he came out alive, just as Jesus would come out from the tomb on the third day.
- Matthew 16:13 I am Literally, “the Son of Man is.”
- Matthew 16:18 Peter The Greek name “Peter,” like the Aramaic name “Cephas,” means “rock.”
- Matthew 16:18 power of death Literally, “gates of Hades.”
- Matthew 16:19 When you speak … God’s forgiveness Literally, “Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”
- Matthew 16:23 Satan Name for the devil meaning “the enemy.” Jesus means that Peter was talking like Satan.
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