Pharisees and Sadducees Test Jesus

16 (A)The (B)Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and putting Jesus to the test, they (C)asked Him to show them a [a]sign from heaven. But He replied to them, [b](D)When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ (E)You know how to discern the [c]appearance of the sky, but are you unable to discern the signs of the times? (F)An evil and adulterous generation wants a [d]sign; and so a [e]sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.

And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread. And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and (G)beware of the [f]leaven of the (H)Pharisees and Sadducees.” They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “He said that because we did not bring any bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, (I)You men of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet understand nor remember (J)the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you picked up? 10 Nor (K)the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets you picked up? 11 How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you about bread? But (L)beware of the [g]leaven of the (M)Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the [h]leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the (N)Pharisees and Sadducees.

Peter’s Confession of Christ

13 (O)Now when Jesus came into the region of (P)Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that (Q)the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say (R)John the Baptist; and others, [i](S)Elijah; and still others, [j]Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets.” 15 He *said to them, “But who do you yourselves say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are (T)the [k]Christ, (U)the Son of (V)the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, (W)Simon [l]Barjona, because (X)flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are [m](Y)Peter, and upon this [n]rock I will build My church; and the gates of (Z)Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you (AA)the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and (AB)whatever you [o]bind on earth [p]shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you [q]loose on earth [r]shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20 (AC)Then He gave the disciples strict orders that they were to tell no one that He was (AD)the [s]Christ.

Jesus Foretells His Death

21 (AE)From that time [t]Jesus began to [u]point out to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem and to (AF)suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day. 22 And yet Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “[v]God forbid it, Lord! This shall never [w]happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, (AG)Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on [x]God’s purposes, but men’s.”

Discipleship Is Costly

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, (AH)take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For (AI)whoever wants to save his [y]life will lose it; but whoever loses his [z]life for My sake will find it. 26 For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but [aa]forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the (AJ)Son of Man (AK)is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and (AL)will then repay every person according to his [ab]deeds.

28 “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the (AM)Son of Man (AN)coming in His kingdom.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 16:1 I.e., confirming miracle
  2. Matthew 16:2 Early mss do not contain the rest of v 2 and v 3
  3. Matthew 16:3 Lit face
  4. Matthew 16:4 I.e., confirming miracle
  5. Matthew 16:4 I.e., confirming miracle
  6. Matthew 16:6 I.e., fermented dough
  7. Matthew 16:11 I.e., as a symbol of corruption
  8. Matthew 16:12 I.e., fermented dough
  9. Matthew 16:14 Gr Elias
  10. Matthew 16:14 Gr Jeremias
  11. Matthew 16:16 I.e., Messiah
  12. Matthew 16:17 I.e., son of Jonah
  13. Matthew 16:18 Gr Petros, a stone
  14. Matthew 16:18 Gr petra, massive rock formation; bedrock
  15. Matthew 16:19 I.e., forbid
  16. Matthew 16:19 Gr fut. pft. pass. tense
  17. Matthew 16:19 I.e., permit
  18. Matthew 16:19 Gr fut. pft. pass. tense
  19. Matthew 16:20 I.e., Messiah
  20. Matthew 16:21 Two early mss Jesus Christ
  21. Matthew 16:21 Or show
  22. Matthew 16:22 Lit (God be) merciful to You
  23. Matthew 16:22 Lit be
  24. Matthew 16:23 Lit the things of God
  25. Matthew 16:25 Or soul
  26. Matthew 16:25 Or soul
  27. Matthew 16:26 I.e., suffers the loss of
  28. Matthew 16:27 Lit activity

16 Now the Pharisees and Sadducees came up to Jesus, and they asked Him to show them a sign (spectacular miracle) from heaven [attesting His divine authority].

He replied to them, [a]When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,

And in the morning, It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and has a gloomy and threatening look. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

A wicked and morally unfaithful generation craves a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Then He left them and went away.(A)

When the disciples reached the other side of the sea, they found that they had forgotten to bring any bread.

Jesus said to them, Be careful and on your guard against the leaven (ferment) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

And they reasoned among themselves about it, saying, It is because we did not bring any bread.

But Jesus, aware of this, asked, Why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? O you [men, how little trust you have in Me, how] little faith!

Do you not yet discern (perceive and understand)? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many [[b]small hand] baskets you gathered?

10 Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many [[c]large provision] baskets you took up?

11 How is it that you fail to understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But beware of the leaven (ferment) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

12 Then they discerned that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

13 Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is?

14 And they answered, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

15 He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am?

16 Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and [d]to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven.

18 And I tell you, you are [e]Peter [Greek, Petros—a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra—a [f]huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the [g]infernal region) shall [h]not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it].

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth [i]must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth [j]must be what is already loosed in heaven.(B)

20 Then He sternly and strictly charged and warned the disciples to tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

21 From that time forth Jesus began [clearly] to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders and the high priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised [k]from death.

22 Then Peter took Him aside [l]to speak to Him privately and began to reprove and [m]charge Him sharply, saying, God forbid, Lord! This must never happen to You!

23 But Jesus turned [n]away from Peter and said to him, Get behind Me, Satan! You are in My way [an offense and a hindrance and a snare to Me]; for you are [o]minding what partakes not of the nature and quality of God, but of men.

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [[p]cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].

25 For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].

26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life [his blessed [q]life in the kingdom of God]? Or what would a man give as an exchange for his [blessed] [r]life [in the kingdom of God]?

27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory (majesty, splendor) of His Father with His angels, and then He will render account and reward every man in accordance with what he has done.

28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in (into) His kingdom.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 16:2 Some manuscripts do not have the rest of verse 2 and all of verse 3.
  2. Matthew 16:9 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies. See also footnote on Matt. 14:20.
  3. Matthew 16:10 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies. See also footnote on Matt. 14:20.
  4. Matthew 16:17 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.
  5. Matthew 16:18 The rock on which the church is built is traditionally interpreted as either Peter’s inspired confession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah, or it may be Peter himself (see Eph. 2:20).
  6. Matthew 16:18 Kenneth Wuest, Word Studies.
  7. Matthew 16:18 Kenneth Wuest, Word Studies.
  8. Matthew 16:18 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  9. Matthew 16:19 Charles B. Williams, The New Testament: A Translation: “The perfect passive participle, here referring to a state of having been already forbidden [or permitted].”
  10. Matthew 16:19 Charles B. Williams, The New Testament: A Translation: “The perfect passive participle, here referring to a state of having been already forbidden [or permitted].”
  11. Matthew 16:21 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  12. Matthew 16:22 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  13. Matthew 16:22 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  14. Matthew 16:23 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  15. Matthew 16:23 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  16. Matthew 16:24 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  17. Matthew 16:26 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  18. Matthew 16:26 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.