161 And the Pharisees and Sadducees, coming to [him], asked him, tempting [him], to shew them a sign out of heaven. 2 But he answering said to them, When evening is come, ye say, Fine weather, for the sky is red; 3 and in the morning, A storm to-day, for the sky is red [and] lowering; ye know [how] to discern the face of the sky, but ye cannot the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it save the sign of Jonas. And he left them and went away.
5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6 And Jesus said to them, See and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, Because we have taken no bread. 8 And Jesus knowing [it], said, Why reason ye among yourselves, O ye of little faith, because ye have taken no bread? 9 Do ye not yet understand nor remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many hand-baskets ye took [up]? 10 nor the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took [up]? 11 How do ye not understand that [it was] not concerning bread I said to you, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees? 12 Then they comprehended that he did not speak of being beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13 But when Jesus was come into the parts of Caesarea-Philippi, he demanded of his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some, John the baptist; and others, Elias; and others again, Jeremias or one of the prophets. 15 He says to them, But ye, who do ye say that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answering said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answering said to him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed [it] to thee, but my Father who is in the heavens. 18 And I also, I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and hades' gates shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens; and whatsoever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be bound in the heavens; and whatsoever thou mayest loose on the earth shall be loosed in the heavens. 20 Then he enjoined on his disciples that they should say to no man that he was the Christ.
21 From that time Jesus began to shew to his disciples that he must go away to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised. 22 And Peter taking him to [him] began to rebuke him, saying, [God] be favourable to thee, Lord; this shall in no wise be unto thee. 23 But turning round, he said to Peter, Get away behind me, Satan; thou art an offence to me, for thy mind is not on the things that are of God, but on the things that are of men.
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any one desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whosoever shall desire to save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what does a man profit, if he should gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man is about to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to each according to his doings. 28 Verily I say unto you, There are some of those standing here that shall not taste of death at all until they shall have seen the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
81 In those days, there being again a great crowd, and they having nothing that they could eat, having called his disciples to [him], he says to them, 2 I have compassion on the crowd, because they have stayed with me already three days and they have not anything they can eat, 3 and if I should dismiss them to their home fasting, they will faint on the way; for some of them are come from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, Whence shall one be able to satisfy these with bread here in a desert place? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. And having taken the seven loaves, he gave thanks, and broke [them] and gave [them] to his disciples, that they might set [them] before [them]; and they set [them] before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fishes, and having blessed them, he desired these also to be set before [them]. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up of fragments that remained seven baskets. 9 And they [that had eaten] were about four thousand; and he sent them away.
10 And immediately going on board ship with his disciples, he came into the parts of Dalmanutha.
11 And the Pharisees went out and began to dispute against him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, tempting him. 12 And groaning in his spirit, he says, Why does this generation seek a sign? Verily I say unto you, A sign shall in no wise be given to this generation. 13 And he left them, and going again on board ship, went away to the other side.
14 And they forgot to take bread, and save one loaf, they had not [any] with them in the ship. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and [of] the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned with one another, [saying], It is because we have no bread. 17 And Jesus knowing [it], says to them, Why reason ye because ye have no bread? Do ye not yet perceive nor understand? Have ye your heart [yet] hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many hand-baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say to him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven for the four thousand, the filling of how many baskets of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. 21 And he said to them, How do ye not yet understand?
22 And he comes to Bethsaida; and they bring him a blind man, and beseech him that he might touch him. 23 And taking hold of the hand of the blind man he led him forth out of the village, and having spit upon his eyes, he laid his hands upon him, and asked him if he beheld anything. 24 And having looked up, he said, I behold men, for I see [them], as trees, walking. 25 Then he laid his hands again upon his eyes, and he saw distinctly, and was restored and saw all things clearly. 26 And he sent him to his house, saying, Neither enter into the village, nor tell [it] to any one in the village.
27 And Jesus went forth and his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea-Philippi. And by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Who do men say that I am? 28 And they answered him, saying, John the baptist; and others, Elias; but others, One of the prophets. 29 And he asked them, But ye, who do ye say that I am? And Peter answering says to him, Thou art the Christ. 30 And he charged them straitly, in order that they should tell no man about him.
31 And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and of the chief priests and of the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise [again]. 32 And he spoke the thing openly. And Peter, taking him to [him], began to rebuke him. 33 But he, turning round and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, Get away behind me, Satan, for thy mind is not on the things that are of God, but on the things that are of men. 34 And having called the crowd with his disciples, he said to them, Whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whosoever shall desire to save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul? 37 for what should a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of man also be ashamed when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
18 And it came to pass as he was praying alone, his disciples were with him, and he asked them saying, Who do the crowds say that I am? 19 But they answering said, John the baptist; but others, Elias; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen again. 20 And he said to them, But ye, who do ye say that I am? And Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
21 But, earnestly charging them, he enjoined [them] to say this to no man, 22 saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. 23 And he said to [them] all, If any one will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me; 24 for whosoever shall desire to save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, he shall save it. 25 For what shall a man profit if he shall have gained the whole world, and have destroyed, or come under the penalty of the loss of himself? 26 For whosoever shall have been ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his glory, and [in that] of the Father, and of the holy angels. 27 But I say unto you of a truth, There are some of those standing here who shall not taste death until they shall have seen the kingdom of God.
(Read Luke 9:18-27)
It is an unspeakable comfort that our Lord Jesus is God's Anointed; this signifies that he was both appointed to be the Messiah, and qualified for it. Jesus discourses concerning his own sufferings and death. And so far must his disciples be from thinking how to prevent his sufferings, that they must prepare for their own. We often meet with crosses in the way of duty; and though we must not pull them upon our own heads, yet, when they are laid for us, we must take them up, and carry them after Christ. It is well or ill with us, according as it is well or ill with our souls. The body cannot be happy, if the soul be miserable in the other world; but the soul may be happy, though the body is greatly afflicted and oppressed in this world. We must never be ashamed of Christ and his gospel.
