1The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus. They asked him to show them a sign from heaven.2He replied, ‘In the evening you look at the sky. You say, “It will be good weather. The sky is red.”3And in the morning you say, “Today it will be stormy. The sky is red and cloudy.” You know the meaning of what you see in the sky. But you can’t understand the signs of what is happening right now.4An evil and unfaithful people look for a sign. But none will be given to them except the sign of Jonah.’ Then Jesus left them and went away.
The yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees
5The disciples crossed over to the other side of the lake. They had forgotten to take bread.6‘Be careful’, Jesus said to them. ‘Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’7The disciples talked about this among themselves. They said, ‘He must be saying this because we didn’t bring any bread.’8Jesus knew what they were saying. So he said, ‘Your faith is so small! Why are you talking to each other about having no bread?9Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the 5,000? Don’t you remember how many baskets of pieces you gathered?10Don’t you remember the seven loaves for the 4,000? Don’t you remember how many baskets of pieces you gathered?11How can you possibly not understand? I wasn’t talking to you about bread. But watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’12Then the disciples understood that Jesus was not telling them to watch out for the yeast used in bread. He was warning them against what the Pharisees and Sadducees taught.
Peter says that Jesus is the Messiah
13Jesus went to the area of Caesarea Philippi. There he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’14They 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?’16Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah. You are the Son of the living God.’17Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah! No mere human showed this to you. My Father in heaven showed it to you.18Here 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.19I 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.’20Then Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Jesus speaks about his coming death
21From 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.22Peter took Jesus to one side and began to scold him. ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘This will never happen to you!’23Jesus 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.’24Then 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.25Whoever wants to save their life will lose it. But whoever loses their life for me will find it.26What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses their soul? Or what can anyone trade for their soul?27The 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.’
Matthew 16
English Standard Version
The Pharisees and Sadducees Demand Signs
1And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. (Mt 12:38; Mr 8:11; Lu 11:16; Lu 21:11; Joh 8:6; 1Co 1:22)2He answered them,[1] “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ (Lu 12:54)3And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for 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. (Mt 12:28; Lu 12:56; Lu 19:44)4An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed. (Mt 4:13; Mt 12:39; Mt 21:17)
The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees
5When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.6Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Lu 12:1; 1Co 5:6; Ga 5:9)7And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”8But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? (Mt 6:30; Mt 26:10)9Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? (Mt 14:17; Mt 15:16)10Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? (Mt 15:34)11How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Mt 16:6)12Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Mt 5:20; Mt 17:13; Mt 23:3)
21From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. (Mt 17:12; Mt 17:22; Mt 20:17; Mt 20:18; Mt 27:63; Mr 8:31; Lu 9:22; Lu 13:33; Lu 24:7; Joh 2:19)22And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord![5] This shall never happen to you.”23But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance[6] to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Mt 4:10; Mt 13:41; Ro 8:5; Php 2:5; Php 3:19; Col 3:2)