Matthew 16
16
The Pharisees Ask for a Sign from Heaven
(Mark 8:11–13a)
1The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus. So they asked him to show them a miraculous sign from heaven.
2He responded to them, “In the evening you say that the weather will be fine because the sky is red. 3And 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
(Mark 8:13b–21)
5The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along when they went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.
6Jesus said to them, “Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
7The disciples had been discussing among themselves that they had not taken any bread along.
8Jesus knew about their conversation and asked, “Why are you discussing among yourselves that you don’t have any bread? You have so little faith! 9Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you filled? 10Don’t you remember the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many large baskets you filled? 11Why don’t you understand that I wasn’t talking to you about bread? Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
12Then 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
(Mark 8:27–30; Luke 9:18–21)
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”
17Jesus replied, “Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed! No human revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven revealed it to you. 18You are Peter, and I can guarantee that on this rock #16:18 In Greek there is a play on words between petros (Peter or pebble) and petra (rock). I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not overpower it. 19I 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.”
20Then 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
(Mark 8:31–33; Luke 9:22)
21From 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.
22Peter took him aside and objected to this. He said, “Heaven forbid, Lord! This must never happen to you!”
23But 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
(Mark 8:34–9:1; Luke 9:23–27)
24Then 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. 25Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me will find them. 26What 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? 27The 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. 28I can guarantee this truth: Some people who are standing here will not die until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Matthew 16
16
Some Bad Yeast
1-4Some Pharisees and Sadducees badgered him again, pressing him to prove himself to them. He told them, “You have a saying that goes, ‘Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky at morning, sailors take warning.’ You find it easy enough to forecast the weather—why can’t you read the signs of the times? An evil and wanton generation is always wanting signs and wonders. The only sign you’ll get is the Jonah sign.” Then he spun around and walked away.
5-6On their way to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring along bread. In the meantime, Jesus said to them, “Keep a sharp eye out for Pharisee-Sadducee yeast.”
7-12Thinking he was scolding them for forgetting bread, they discussed in whispers what to do. Jesus knew what they were doing and said, “Why all these worried whispers about forgetting the bread? Baby believers! Haven’t you caught on yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves of bread and the five thousand people, and how many baskets of fragments you picked up? Or the seven loaves that fed four thousand, and how many baskets of leftovers you collected? Haven’t you realized yet that bread isn’t the problem? The problem is yeast, Pharisee-Sadducee yeast.” Then they got it: that he wasn’t concerned about eating, but teaching—the Pharisee-Sadducee kind of teaching.
Son of Man, Son of God
13When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?”
14They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
15He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?”
16Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17-18Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
19“And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.”
20He swore the disciples to secrecy. He made them promise they would tell no one that he was the Messiah.
You’re Not in the Driver’s Seat
21-22Then Jesus made it clear to his disciples that it was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and then on the third day be raised up alive. Peter took him in hand, protesting, “Impossible, Master! That can never be!”
23But Jesus didn’t swerve. “Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works.”
24-26Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?
27-28“Don’t be in such a hurry to go into business for yourself. Before you know it the Son of Man will arrive with all the splendor of his Father, accompanied by an army of angels. You’ll get everything you have coming to you, a personal gift. This isn’t pie in the sky by and by. Some of you standing here are going to see it take place, see the Son of Man in kingdom glory.”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.