Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(A)

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(B) others say Elijah;^(C) and still others, one of the prophets.”

²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”^(D)

³⁰ Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.^(E)

Jesus Predicts His Death^(F)

³¹ He then began to teach them that the Son of Man^(G) must suffer many things^(H) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(I) and that he must be killed^(J) and after three days^(K) rise again.^{(L) 32} He spoke plainly^(M) about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

³³ But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!”^(N) he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Way of the Cross

³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(O) 35} For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.^{(P) 36} What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man^(Q) will be ashamed of them^(R) when he comes^(S) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time^(A)

³⁰ They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹ because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man^(B) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,^(C) and after three days^(D) he will rise.”^{(E) 32} But they did not understand what he meant^(F) and were afraid to ask him about it.

³³ They came to Capernaum.^(G) When he was in the house,^(H) he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” ³⁴ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.^(I)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time^(A)

³² They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve^(B) aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “We are going up to Jerusalem,”^(C) he said, “and the Son of Man^(D) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.^(E) They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, ³⁴ who will mock him and spit on him, flog him^(F) and kill him.^(G) Three days later^(H) he will rise.”^(I)

The Request of James and John^(J)

³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”^(K)

³⁸ “You don’t know what you are asking,”^(L) Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup^(M) I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”^(N)

³⁹ “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,^{(O) 40} but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”