Matthew 16

₁Some Pharisees and Sadducees who came to Jesus wanted to trap him, so they asked him to perform a miracle for them, to show that God approved of him. ₂But Jesus answered, “When the sun is setting, you say, ‘We are going to have fine weather, because the sky is red.’ ₃And early in the morning you say, ‘It is going to rain, because the sky is red and dark.’ You can predict the weather by looking at the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs concerning these times! ₄How evil and godless are the people of this day! You ask me for a miracle? No! The only miracle you will be given is the miracle of Jonah.”

So he left them and went away.

₅When the disciples crossed over to the other side of the lake, they forgot to take any bread. ₆Jesus said to them, “Take care; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

₇They started discussing among themselves, “He says this because we didn't bring any bread.”

₈Jesus knew what they were saying, so he asked them, “Why are you discussing among yourselves about not having any bread? How little faith you have! ₉Don't you understand yet? Don't you remember when I broke the five loaves for the 5,000 men? How many baskets did you fill? ₁₀And what about the seven loaves for the 4,000 men? How many baskets did you fill? ₁₁How is it that you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread? Guard yourselves from the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”

₁₂Then the disciples understood that he was not warning them to guard themselves from the yeast used in bread but from the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

₁₃Jesus went to the territory near the town of Caesarea Philippi, where he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

₁₄“Some say John the Baptist,” they answered. “Others say Elijah, while others say Jeremiah or some other prophet.”

₁₅“What about you?” he asked them. “Who do you say I am?”

₁₆Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

₁₇“Good for you, Simon son of John!” answered Jesus. “For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven. ₁₈And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it. ₁₉I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

₂₀Then Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

₂₁From that time on Jesus began to say plainly to his disciples, “I must go to Jerusalem and suffer much from the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law. I will be put to death, but three days later I will be raised to life.”

₂₂Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “God forbid it, Lord!” he said. “That must never happen to you!”

₂₃Jesus turned around and said to Peter, “Get away from me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my way, because these thoughts of yours don't come from God, but from human nature.”

₂₄Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to come with me, he must forget self, carry his cross, and follow me. ₂₅For whoever wants to save his own life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ₂₆Will people gain anything if they win the whole world but lose their life? Of course not! There is nothing they can give to regain their life. ₂₇For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each one according to his deeds. ₂₈I assure you that there are some here who will not die until they have seen the Son of Man come as King.”