Who Do You Say I Am?

Healing a Blind Man

²² They came to Bethsaida.^(A) They brought a blind^(B) man to him and begged him to touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and brought him out of the village. Spitting^(C) on his eyes and laying his hands on^(D) him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?”

²⁴ He looked up and said, “I see people—they look like trees walking.”^(E)

²⁵ Again Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes. The man looked intently and his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ Then he sent^(F) him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”^[a](G)

Peter’s Confession of the Messiah

²⁷ Jesus^(H) went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”

²⁸ They answered him, “John the Baptist;^(I) others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”^(J)

²⁹ “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”

Peter^(K) answered him, “You are the Messiah.”^{(L) 30} And he strictly warned^(M) them to tell no one about him.

His Death and Resurrection Predicted

³¹ Then^(N) he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man^(O) to suffer many things and be rejected^(P) by the elders,^(Q) chief priests, and scribes,^(R) be killed, and rise^(S) after three days.^{(T) 32} He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³ But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan!^(U) You are not thinking about God’s concerns^[b] but human concerns.”

Take Up Your Cross

³⁴ Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself,^(V) take up his cross,^(W) and follow me.^{(X) 35} For whoever wants to save^(Y) his life will lose it,^(Z) but whoever loses^(AA) his life^(AB) because of me^(AC) and the gospel^(AD) will save it.^{(AE) 36} For what does it benefit^(AF) someone to gain^(AG) the whole world^(AH) and yet lose^(AI) his life?^{(AJ) 37} What can anyone give in exchange for his life?^{(AK) 38} For whoever is ashamed^(AL) of me and my words^(AM) in this adulterous and sinful^(AN) generation,^(AO) the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory^(AP) of his Father^(AQ) with the holy^(AR) angels.”^(AS)