Matthew 16:13-20

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

¹³ _x Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" ¹⁴ And they said, "Some say _y John the Baptist, others say _z Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." ¹⁵ He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" ¹⁶ Simon Peter replied, _a "You are _b the Christ, _c the Son of _d the living God." ¹⁷ And Jesus answered him, _e "Blessed are you, _f Simon Bar-Jonah! For _g flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, _h but my Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you, _i you are Peter, and _j on this rock ₁ I will build my church, and _k the gates of _l hell ₂ shall not prevail against it. ¹⁹ I will give you _m the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and _n whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed ₃ in heaven." ²⁰ _o Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.