Chapter 16

   Here the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Him; and, to make trial of Him, they asked Him to show them a sign in the sky.  

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   He replied, 'In the evening you say, 'It will be fine weather, for the sky is red;'  

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   and in the morning, 'It will be rough weather to-day, for the sky is red and murky.' You learn how to distinguish the aspect of the heavens, but the signs of the times you cannot.  

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   A wicked and faithless generation are eager for a sign; but none shall be given to them except the sign of Jonah.' and He left them and went away.  

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   When the disciples arrived at the other side of the Lake, they found that they had forgotten to bring any bread;  

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   and when Jesus said to them, 'See to it: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees,'  

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   they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'It is because we have not brought any bread.'  

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   Jesus perceived this and said, 'Why are you reasoning among yourselves, you men of little faith, because you have no bread?  

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   Do you not yet understand? nor even remember the 5,000 and the five loaves, and how many basketfuls you carried away,  

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   nor the 4,000 and the seven loaves, and how many hampers you carried away?  

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   How is it you do not understand that it was not about bread that I spoke to you? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'  

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   Then they perceived that He had not warned them against bread-yeast, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  

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   When He arrived in the neighbourhood of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus questioned His disciples. 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?' He asked.  

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   'Some say John the Baptist,' they replied; 'others Elijah; others Jeremiah or one of the Prophets.'  

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   'But you, who do you say that I am?' He asked again.  

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   'You,' replied Simon Peter, 'are the Christ, the Son of the ever-living God.'  

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   'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jonah,' said Jesus; 'for mere human nature has not revealed this to you, but my Father in Heaven.  

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   And I declare to you that you are Peter, and that upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the might of Hades shall not triumph over it.  

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   I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of the Heavens; and whatever you bind on earth shall remain bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall remain loosed in Heaven.'  

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   Then He urged His disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ.  

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   From this time Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer much cruelty from the Elders and the High Priests and the Scribes, and be put to death, and on the third day be raised to life again.  

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   Then Peter took Him aside and began taking Him to task. 'Master,' he said, 'God forbid; this will not be your lot.'  

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   But He turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Adversary; you are a hindrance to me, because your thoughts are not God's thoughts, but men's.'  

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   Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If any one desires to follow me, let him renounce self and take up his cross, and so be my follower.  

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   For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it.  

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   Why, what benefit will it be to a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give to buy back his life?  

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   For the Son of Man is soon to come in the glory of the Father with His angels, and then will He requite every man according to his actions.  

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   I solemnly tell you that some of those who are standing here will certainly not taste death till they have seen the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.'  

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