Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
The Demand for a Sign
16 Now when the Pharisees[a] and Sadducees[b] came to test Jesus,[c] they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.[d] 2 He[e] said, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather, because the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, because the sky is red and darkening.’[f] You know how to judge correctly the appearance of the sky,[g] but you cannot evaluate the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then[h] he left them and went away.
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees
5 When the disciples went to the other side, they forgot to take bread. 6 “Watch out,” Jesus said to them, “beware of the yeast of the Pharisees[i] and Sadducees.”[j] 7 So[k] they began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “It is because we brought no bread.” 8 When Jesus learned of this,[l] he said, “You who have such little faith! Why are you arguing[m] among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the 5,000, and how many baskets you took up? 10 Or the seven loaves for the 4,000 and how many baskets you took up? 11 How could you not understand that I was not speaking to you about bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” 12 Then they understood that he had not told them to be on guard against the yeast in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter’s Confession
13 When[n] Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples,[o] “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,[p] and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered,[q] “You are the Christ,[r] the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him,[s] “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood[t] did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven! 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[u] will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” 20 Then he instructed his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.[v]
First Prediction of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
21 From that time on[w] Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer[x] many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law,[y] and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him:[z] “God forbid,[aa] Lord! This must not happen to you!” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.”[ab] 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower,[ac] he must deny[ad] himself, take up his cross,[ae] and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life[af] will lose it,[ag] but whoever loses his life because of me[ah] will find it. 26 For what does it benefit a person[ai] if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.[aj] 28 I tell you the truth,[ak] there are some standing here who will not[al] experience[am] death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”[an]
The Transfiguration
17 Six days later[ao] Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James,[ap] and led them privately up a high mountain. 2 And he was transfigured before them.[aq] His[ar] face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 Then Moses[as] and Elijah[at] also appeared before them, talking with him. 4 So[au] Peter said[av] to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make[aw] three shelters[ax]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a[ay] bright cloud[az] overshadowed[ba] them, and a voice from the cloud said,[bb] “This is my one dear Son,[bc] in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!”[bd] 6 When the disciples heard this, they were overwhelmed with fear and threw themselves down with their faces to the ground.[be] 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Do not be afraid.” 8 When[bf] they looked up, all they saw was Jesus alone.
9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them,[bg] “Do not tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 The disciples asked him,[bh] “Why then do the experts in the law[bi] say that Elijah must come first?” 11 He[bj] answered, “Elijah does indeed come first and will restore all things. 12 And I tell you that Elijah has already come. Yet they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted. In[bk] the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
The Disciples’ Failure to Heal
14 When[bl] they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, 15 and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures[bm] and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but[bn] they were not able to heal him.” 17 Jesus answered,[bo] “You[bp] unbelieving[bq] and perverse generation! How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I endure[br] you?[bs] Bring him here to me.” 18 Then[bt] Jesus rebuked[bu] the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed from that moment. 19 Then the disciples came[bv] to Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” 20 He told them, “It was because of your little faith. I tell you the truth,[bw] if you have faith the size of[bx] a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; nothing[by] will be impossible for you.”[bz]
Second Prediction of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
22 When[ca] they gathered together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.[cb] 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they became greatly distressed.
The Temple Tax
24 After[cc] they arrived in Capernaum,[cd] the collectors of the temple tax[ce] came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?” 25 He said, “Yes.” When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first,[cf] “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes—from their sons[cg] or from foreigners?” 26 After he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons[ch] are free. 27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin.[ci] Take that and give it to them for me and you.”
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