Matthew 16:13-28

New International Reader's Version

Peter Says That Jesus Is the Messiah

¹³ Jesus went to the area of Caesarea Philippi. There he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. Still others say Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

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

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah! No mere human showed this to you. My Father in heaven showed it to you. ¹⁸ Here is what I tell you. You are Peter. On this rock I will build my church. The gates of hell will not be strong enough to destroy it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. What you lock on earth will be locked in heaven. What you unlock on earth will be unlocked in heaven.” ²⁰ Then Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Speaks About His Coming Death

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples what would happen to him. He told them he must go to Jerusalem. There he must suffer many things from the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law. He must be killed and on the third day rise to life again.

²² Peter took Jesus to one side and began to scold him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This will never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are standing in my way. You do not have in mind the things God cares about. Instead, you only have in mind the things humans care about.”

²⁴ Then Jesus spoke to his disciples. He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must say no to themselves. They must pick up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ Whoever wants to save their life will lose it. But whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses their soul? Or what can anyone trade for their soul? ²⁷ The Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory. His angels will come with him. And he will reward everyone in keeping with what they have done.

²⁸ “What I’m about to tell you is true. Some who are standing here will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”