Matthew 16

1Pharisees and Sadducees came to put Jesus to the test. They asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2He answered them, “In the evening you say, ‘It will be fine weather, because the sky is red.’ 3And in the morning you say, ‘There will be a storm today, because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to read the face of the sky, but you cannot read the signs of the times.

4An evil, unfaithful generation goes looking for a sign, but the only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.

5When the disciples reached the other side of the lake, they found that they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6Jesus told them, “Keep your eyes open, and guard yourselves against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7They talked it over among themselves and said, “He says that because we brought no bread.” 8Jesus knew what they were saying, and he said, “Why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread, you who have so little faith? 9Do you still not understand? Have you forgotten the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many large basketfuls you gathered? 11How can you fail to see that I was not talking to you about bread? Guard yourselves, I say, against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12Then they realized that he was not warning them against the yeast used in bread, but against what the Pharisees and Sadducees taught.

13When Jesus reached the district around Caesarea Philippi, he put a question to his disciples: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or another of the prophets.” 15Then he asked them, “And you, who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17Jesus said to him in reply, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah! No human being showed you this; it was my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. The gates of the realm of the dead will not overpower it. 19I will hand you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

21From then on Jesus began to show his disciples plainly that he must go to Jerusalem. There he would suffer much from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes; he would be killed, and on the third day he would be raised. 22Peter drew him aside and began to object. “God forbid it, Lord!” he said. “Nothing like this will ever happen to you!” 23Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block in my way. Your mind is not on God’s purposes but on human ones.”

24Then Jesus told his disciples, “Anyone who wishes to come after me must say no to self, pick up their cross, and follow me. 25Those who want to secure their own life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26Suppose someone gains the whole world but forfeits their life. What good will that do them? Or what could anyone give to buy back their life? 27For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person for what they have done. 28Truly I tell you, among those standing here are some who will not taste death until they have seen the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”