< Matthew 16 >

1 [Some] Pharisees and Sadducees came to [Jesus] and asked him [to perform] a miracle that would prove [that] [had sent him]. 2 He answered them, “[In this country], in the evening you say, ‘[It will be] good weather [tomorrow], because the sky is red.’ 3 [Early] in the morning [you say], ‘It will be stormy weather today, because the sky is red, and dark clouds have formed.’ You understand how to predict [the weather by looking at the sky], but you cannot [seem to look at what is happening] now, [and by that] understand [what God is doing]. 4 [You] evil people have seen me [perform miracles] but you do not faithfully worship God [MET]. You want to see [me perform] a miracle [that would prove that God has sent me]. But [God] will [enable you to see] only one miracle. It will be [like] what happened [MET] to Jonah, [the prophet, who was inside a huge fish for three days and then came out of it to live again].” Then Jesus left them and sailed away, [along with us disciples]. 5 [We] forgot to take bread when [we] sailed to another edge of [the lake]. 6 [Then] Jesus said to us, “Beware [that you do not accept] the yeast [MET] that the Pharisees and Sadducees [distribute].” 7 Then, [not realizing that he was speaking figuratively], [we] said to one another, “[He must have said that] because we forgot to bring any bread!” 8 Because Jesus knew what [we were saying], he said [to us], “(I am disappointed that you are discussing among yourselves, [thinking] that [it was because] you did not bring any bread [that I talked about the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees]./Why are you discussing among yourselves thinking that it was because you did not bring any bread [that I talked about the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees]?) [RHQ] You believe only a little [what I am able to do for you]. 9 (You should understand [that I can continue to do miracles to provide for what you need./] you not yet understand [that I can provide miraculously for you if you need food]?) [RHQ] Do you not remember that 5,000 [people ate when I multiplied the] five small loaves [and the two fish? And after everyone had enough to eat], you collected [twelve] baskets [of left-over pieces] [RHQ]! 10 [Do you not remember] [RHQ] [that] 4,000 [people ate when I multiplied the] seven small loaves [and a few fish]? And [after everyone had enough to eat], you collected [seven] large baskets [of left-over pieces] 11 (You should have understood that I was not speaking about [real] bread [that contains yeast]./Why have you not understood that I was not speaking about [real] bread [that contains yeast?]) [RHQ] What I [was saying] was that you should [not accept what] the Pharisees and Sadducees [say, because it would affect you like] yeast [affects] [MET] [dough].” 12 Then we understood that he was not talking about the yeast that is [in] bread. Instead, [he was talking] about the [wrong] teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 13 When Jesus came with [us] disciples to the region near Caesarea Philippi [town], he asked us, “Who do people say that I, the one who came from heaven, [really] am?” 14 We answered, “Some [people say that you are] John the Baptizer, [who has come back to life again]. Others say [that you are the prophet] Elijah, [who has returned from heaven as God promised]. [Still] others [say that you are the prophet] Jeremiah or one of the [other] prophets [who lived long ago, who has come back to life again].” 15 Jesus said to us, “[What about] you? Who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter said to him, “You are the Messiah! You are the Son of the all-powerful God.” 17 Then Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of Jonah, [God] is pleased with you. What you just said was not [SYN] revealed to you by any human. Instead, [it was] my Father [who lives] in heaven [who revealed this to you]. 18 I will also tell you this: You are Peter, [which means rock]. [You are like] a rock. What you [and your fellow apostles teach] (OR, [what] you [do]) [will be like a foundation on which I] will create congregations of people who [believe in] me. And the demons [PRS], [who live] where the dead people who lived evil lives are, will not be able to [come and] prevent [MET] [me from doing] that.” (Hadēs g86) 19 [Then, speaking to all of us, he said], “I will enable you [(pl)] to have authority [MTY] over the groups of people over whose lives [God] rules. Whatever you forbid regarding those people [MTY], it will have been forbidden by God. Whatever you permit [MET] regarding them, it will have been permitted by God.” 20 Then Jesus warned [us] disciples strongly not to tell anyone [at that time] that he is the Messiah. 21 From that time Jesus began to teach [us] disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem [city]. There the ruling elders, the chief priests, and the men who taught the [Jewish] laws would cause him to suffer and (be killed/die). Then on the third day [after that], he would become alive again. 22 [Because Peter assumed that the Messiah would not suffer and die], he took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him [for talking about suffering and dying]. He said, “Lord, may [God] never permit that to happen to you! That must certainly not happen!” 23 Then Jesus turned [to look at] Peter, and he said to him, “Stop talking to me [like that] [MTY]! [Stop saying what] Satan [MET] [would say, and stop] trying to prevent [from happening what God has planned]! You are a hindrance to me, because you are not thinking like God thinks. Instead, [you are thinking] like people [think]!” 24 Then Jesus said to [us] disciples, “If any one [of you] wants to be my disciple, you must not do [only] what you yourself want [to do]. [You] must be willing to [let people hurt you and disgrace you. That is like what they do to criminals whom they force to] carry a cross [MET] [to the place where the criminals will be executed. That is what anyone who wants to] be my disciple [must do]. 25 [You must do that], because those who try to save their lives [by denying that they belong to me when people want to kill them for believing in me] will not live [eternally], but those who are killed [because of being my disciples] will live [with God eternally]. 26 People [might] get everything [they want] in this world, but ([if they do not become my disciples], they would really be gaining nothing [because] they would not get eternal life!/what would they gain [if they do not become my disciples and thus] do not get eternal life?) [RHQ] (There is absolutely nothing that people can give [to God] that would enable them to gain eternal life./What can people give [to God] that could enable them to gain eternal life?) [MTY, RHQ] 27 [Listen carefully: I], the one who came from heaven, [will leave this earth, but] I will return, and the angels of heaven will accompany me. At that time I will have the glorious [radiance] that my Father has, and I will reward everyone according to what they did [when they were living on earth]. 28 Listen carefully! Some of you who are here now will see [me], the one who came from heaven, when I return to rule. You will see this before you die!”

< Matthew 16 >