Daily Bread

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(A)

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(B) others say Elijah;^(C) and still others, one of the prophets.”

²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”^(D)

³⁰ Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.^(E)

Jesus Predicts His Death^(F)

³¹ He then began to teach them that the Son of Man^(G) must suffer many things^(H) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(I) and that he must be killed^(J) and after three days^(K) rise again.^{(L) 32} He spoke plainly^(M) about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

³³ But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!”^(N) he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Way of the Cross

³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(O) 35} For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.^{(P) 36} What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man^(Q) will be ashamed of them^(R) when he comes^(S) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”