Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
Matthew 16
A Sign from Heaven
The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus and asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When evening comes, you say, ‘Fair weather, because the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Stormy today, because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.
The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees
When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring bread. Jesus told them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They began reasoning among themselves, “It is because we did not bring bread.” Knowing this, Jesus said, “You of little trust, why are you reasoning among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you collected? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many baskets you collected? How do you not understand that I was not speaking to you about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They said, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But you—who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 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.” Then he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and on the third day be raised. Peter took him aside and began rebuking him: “God forbid, Lord! This will certainly never happen to you.” But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on the things of God but on the things of human beings.”
Following the Crucified Messiah
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to come after me, let them deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life because of me will find it. What will it benefit a person to gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will a person give in exchange for their life? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will repay each person according to their deeds. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will certainly not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”