Matthew 16

1 Then the Pharisees [a Jewish sect that followed strict religious rules] and Sadducees [rejecting the idea of an afterlife] came and tested [tempting, trying to get Him to do something] Jesus by asking Him to show [to prove, exhibit evidence of] them a sign [a supernatural indication or token] from heaven [the sky and God’s home]. word study 2 But He replied [in answer to them], “When evening [at nightfall] comes, you say [declare], ‘The weather [condition, state] will be fair [good], for [because] the sky [heaven] is red [fiery],’ word study 3 and in the morning [at dawn, early], ‘Today [this day, now] it will be stormy [foul weather, tempestuous], for the sky [heaven, atmosphere] is red [fiery, glowing] and overcast [lowring, gloomy].’ You know [are able to discern, understand] how to interpret [discern, judge] the appearance [face, countenance] of the sky [heaven, atmosphere], but not [cannot, are unable to] the signs [indications, tokens] of the times [seasons, opportunities]. word study 4 A wicked [evil, morally wrong] and adulterous [faithless, spiritually unfaithful] generation [a group of people living at the same time] demands [seeketh after, looks for] a sign [a supernatural indication], but none [no] will be given it [bestowed upon] except [except for] the sign [a token of something] of Jonah [the prophet who was swallowed by a whale].” Then He left [abandoned] them and went away [departed from their presence]. word study 5 When they crossed [sailed, came over] to the other side [across the water, to the opposite shore], the disciples [learners, followers] forgot [neglected, overlooked] to take [receive, accept] bread [food, provision]. word study 6 “Watch out [be cautious, beware]!” Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] told them [His disciples]. “Beware [take heed, be on guard] of the leaven [a corrupting influence, yeast] of the Pharisees [a strict Jewish sect] and [also, additionally] Sadducees [a Jewish group rejecting the afterlife].” word study 7 They discussed [reasoned among themselves, thought carefully] this among themselves and concluded [said to one another], “It is because [since, for the reason that] we did not bring [take, receive] any bread [loaves, food].” word study 8 Aware of their conversation [perceiving, knowing what they were saying], Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] said, “You of little faith [having a small amount of trust, lacking confidence], why are you debating [reasoning, discussing] among yourselves [with each other, in your own minds] about having no bread [no food, lacking provision]? word study 9 Do you still not [yet, up to this point] understand [perceive, comprehend with the mind]? Do you not [nor, neither] remember [recall, bring to mind] the five [a specific quantity] loaves [bread or food] for the five thousand [a large multitude], and how many [what amount] basketfuls [small wicker containers] you gathered [took up, collected]? word study 10 Or the seven loaves [bread, a staple food, or a symbol of spiritual nourishment] for the [four thousand, a large crowd] four thousand, and how many [large, or several] basketfuls [containers used to carry food, a flexible basket] you gathered [collected, or took up]? word study 11 How [in what way, to what extent] do you not understand [perceive, comprehend] that I was not telling [speaking, saying] you about [concerning, regarding] bread [food, nourishment]? But beware [watch out, be cautious] of the leaven [yeast, corrupting influence] of the Pharisees [strict religious sect] and [also, additionally] Sadducees [Jewish group rejecting the afterlife].” word study 12 Then [at that moment, afterwards] they understood [gained insight, comprehended] that He was not telling [instructing, warning] them to beware [be cautious, watch out] of the leaven [yeast, corrupting influence] used in bread [food, loaves], but [on the contrary, rather] of the teaching [doctrine, instruction] of the Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict religious group] and [also, in addition to] Sadducees [a Jewish party, rejecters of the afterlife]. word study 13 When Jesus [the Messiah, God’s Anointed] came to the region [parts, borders] of Caesarea Philippi, He questioned [asked, inquired of] His disciples: “Who do people [men, humans] say the Son [Child, offspring] of Man [human, humanity] is [exists]?” word study 14 They replied, “Some say [think, believe] John [who baptized with water] the Baptist [one who baptizes, preparing for Jesus’ arrival]; others say [some, a different group] Elijah [the prophet, who appeared with Jesus]; and still others [different ones, another group], Jeremiah [the prophet, who spoke for God] or [as an alternative] one [a single, unified] of the prophets [those who spoke God’s word, interpreters of His will].” word study 15 “But what about you [then, at this point]?” Jesus [He, the Messiah] asked. “Who [which one, what kind] do you [as individuals, personally] say [declare, affirm] I [me, the Christ] am [exist, have being]?” word study 16 Simon Peter [the rock, Jesus’ apostle] answered, “You [addressing Jesus directly] are the Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], the Son [having God’s nature] of the living [eternally existing] God [the one true deity].” word study 17 Jesus [the Messiah, God’s anointed] replied, “Blessed [happy, supremely fortunate] are you, Simon [Peter, the rock] son of Jonah [the father of Simon Peter]! For this was not revealed [disclosed, uncovered] to you by flesh [human nature, weakness] and blood [mortal, earthly], but by My Father [the heavenly Father, God Almighty] in heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s throne]. word study 18 And I tell you that you are Peter [a rock, a stone], and on this rock [a mass of rock, like a cliff] I will build My church [assembly, community of believers], and the gates [entrances, portals] of Hades [the place of the dead, hell] will not prevail [overpower, overcome] against it. word study 19 I will give you the keys [symbols of authority and power] of the kingdom [reign, dominion] of heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place]. Whatever you bind [tie, restrain, prohibit] on earth [the physical world, human sphere] will be bound [tied, restrained, prohibited] in heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place], and whatever you loose [release, set free, permit] on earth [the physical world, human sphere] will be loosed [released, set free, permitted] in heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place].” word study 20 Then He [warned, commanded] admonished the disciples [learners, pupils] not to tell anyone [no man, nothing] that He [Jesus, the Messiah] was the Christ [anointed, the Savior]. word study 21 From that time on Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] began to show His disciples [learners, followers] that He must go to Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Israel] and suffer [endure, experience pain] many things [trials, hardships] at the hands of the elders [respected leaders, authorities], chief priests [high-ranking spiritual leaders], and scribes [teachers, scholars of the law], and that He must be killed [put to death, sacrificed] and on the third [third in a sequence, a significant time] day be raised [brought back to life, resurrected] to life [eternal life, spiritual existence]. word study 22 Peter [the rock, a disciple] took Him aside and began [to rule, commenced] to rebuke [to warn, correct] Him. “Far be it from You [be it far from thee, God forbid], Lord [Master, God]!” he said. “This [this event, this fate] shall never [not at all, by no means] happen to You [come upon you, befall you]!” word study 23 But Jesus turned [to face Peter, having changed direction completely] and said to Peter, “Get behind Me [after me, in a position of following], Satan [the adversary, accuser]! You are a stumbling block [an offense, a trap to trip me up] to Me. For you do not have in mind [think, reason with] the things of God [the divine will, God’s nature], but the things of men [human thoughts, worldly perspectives].” word study 24 Then Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] told His disciples, “If anyone [any person, one who desires] wants to come after Me [to follow as a disciple], he must deny [utterly refuse, disown] himself [his own desires, will] and take up [lift up, bear] his cross [the instrument of capital punishment] and follow [accompany, obey] Me [as the Messiah, the Son of God]. word study 25 For whoever [desires to] wants to save [preserve, keep safe] his life [soul, the breath of life or seat of emotions] will lose [destroy] it, but whoever loses [gives up, surrenders] his life [soul, the essence of a person] for My sake [because of] will find [discover, meet] it. word study 26 What will it profit [benefit, help] a man if he gains [acquires, wins] the whole [entire, complete] world, yet forfeits [loses, suffers loss of] his soul [breath of life, seat of emotions]? Or what can a man give [bestow, grant] in exchange [as a trade, swap] for his soul [the essence of his being, his eternal life]? word study 27 For the Son [the Messiah, Christ] of Man [a human, the ultimate representative of humanity] will come [arrive, return] in His Father’s [the heavenly Father’s, God’s] glory [honor, praise, divine splendor] with His angels [heavenly messengers, divine attendants], and then [at that time, afterwards] He will repay [reward, give back, recompense] each one [every individual, each person] according to [in line with, matching] what he has done [his actions, deeds, works]. word study 28 Truly [verily, with absolute certainty] I tell you, some [certain ones, a few] who are standing [present, in this place] here will not [in no way] taste [experience, partake of] death [separation from God, physical demise] before they see [perceive, behold] the Son [the divine, eternal, and only begotten] of Man [a human, the Messiah] coming [arriving, returning] in His [belonging to Him, His own] kingdom [reign, dominion, the sphere of God’s rule].” word study