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Pharisees and Sadducees Test Jesus

^1 (C1)The ^(C2)Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and putting Jesus to the test, they ^(C3)asked Him to show them a ^(F1)sign from heaven.² But He replied to them, "^(F1)(C1)When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.'³ "And in the morning, 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.' ^(C1)You know how to discern the ^(F1)appearance of the sky, but are you unable to discern the signs of the times?⁴ "^(C1)An evil and adulterous generation wants a ^(F1)sign; and so a ^(F1)sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah." And He left them and went away.

⁵ And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread.⁶ And Jesus said to them, "Watch out and ^(C1)beware of the ^(F1)leaven of the ^(C2)Pharisees and Sadducees."⁷ They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, "He said that because we did not bring any bread."⁸ But Jesus, aware of this, said, "^(C1)You men of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?⁹ "Do you not yet understand nor remember ^(C1)the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you picked up?¹⁰ "Nor ^(C1)the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets you picked up?¹¹ "How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you about bread? But ^(C1)beware of the ^(F1)leaven of the ^(C2)Pharisees and Sadducees."¹² Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the ^(F1)leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the ^(C1)Pharisees and Sadducees.

Peter's Confession of Christ

^13 (C1)Now when Jesus came into the region of ^(C2)Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that ^(C3)the Son of Man is?"¹⁴ And they said, "Some say ^(C1)John the Baptist; and others, ^(F1)(C2)Elijah; and still others, ^(F2)Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets."¹⁵ He ^(*)said to them, "But who do you yourselves say that I am?"¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, "You are ^(C1)the ^(F1)Christ, ^(C2)the Son of ^(C3)the living God."¹⁷ And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, ^(C1)Simon ^(F1)Barjona, because ^(C2)flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.¹⁸ "And I also say to you that you are ^(F1)(C1)Peter, and upon this ^(F2)rock I will build My church; and the gates of ^(C2)Hades will not overpower it.¹⁹ "I will give you ^(C1)the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and ^(C2)whatever you ^(F1)bind on earth ^(F2)shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you ^(F3)loose on earth ^(F2)shall have been loosed in heaven."^20 (C1)Then He gave the disciples strict orders that they were to tell no one that He was ^(C2)the ^(F1)Christ.

Jesus Foretells His Death

^21 (C1)From that time ^(F1)Jesus began to ^(F2)point out to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem and to ^(C2)suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day.²² And yet Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "^(F1)God forbid it, Lord! This shall never ^(F2)happen to You!"²³ But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, ^(C1)Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on ^(F1)God's purposes, but men's."

Discipleship Is Costly

²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, ^(C1)take up his cross, and follow Me.²⁵ "For ^(C1)whoever wants to save his ^(F1)life will lose it; but whoever loses his ^(F1)life for My sake will find it.²⁶ "For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but ^(F1)forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul?²⁷ "For the ^(C1)Son of Man ^(C2)is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and ^(C3)WILL THEN REPAY EVERY PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS ^(F1)DEEDS.

²⁸ "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the ^(C1)Son of Man ^(C2)coming in His kingdom."