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1 And the Perushim and Tzedukim approached, to test Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, asking him to present them with an ot (sign) from Shomayim. 2 But in reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, When it is erev, you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is fiery red. 3 And in the boker (morning) you say, There will be stormy weather today, for the sky is overcast fiery red and threatening. You have daas to distinguish the signs of the appearance of the sky, but you can't discern the signs of the times?* 4 A dor rah umnaef (an evil and adulterous generation) demands an ot (sign), and no ot will be given it except the ot of Yonah HaNavi. And having left them, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach went away.
5 When the Moshiachʼs talmidim arrived at the other side, they had forgotten to take lechem. 6 But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Take special precaution against the chametz (swelling leaven) of the Perushim and Tzedukim. 7 But they began reasoning among themselves, saying, We took no lechem. 8 But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, aware of their machshavot (thoughts), said, You men of little emunah, why do you reason among yourselves that you have no lechem? 9 Do you not yet have binah or remember the five loaves of the chamesh elafim (five thousand), and how many baskets full you took up? 10 Or the shevah loaves of the arbaat elafim (four thousand), and how many large baskets full you took up? 11 How is it that you do not chap (grasp mentally) that I did not speak to you concerning lechem? But beware of the chametz (swelling, all-permeating leaven)† of the Perushim and Tzedukim. 12 Then Moshiachʼs talmidim understood that Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach did not say to beware of the chametz of the lechem, but of the chametz of the teaching of the Perushim and the Tzedukim.
13 Now, having arrived in the district of Caesarea Philippi, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach began asking his talmidim, saying, Who do men say that [I] the Bar Enosh am? 14 And Moshiachʼs talmidim said, Some say Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva, and others say, Eliyahu HaNavi, but still others say, Yirmeyah or one of the Neviim. 15 He says to them, But you, who do you consider me to be? 16 And, Shim'on Kefa said in reply, You are the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, the Ben Elohim Chayyim! 17 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said in reply to him, Ashrey atah (happy are you), Shim'on Bar-Yonah, because basar vadahm (flesh and blood) did not give you this hisgalus (revelation), but Avi sh'ba'Shomayim. 18 And I also say to you that you are Shim'on Kefa‡ and upon this TSUR I will build my Kehillah, my Chavurah (the Community of Moshiach) and the shaarei Sheol (gates of Sheol) shall not overpower it. 19 I will give you the maftechot Malchut HaShomayim (keys of the Kingdom of Heaven); and whatever you shall bind as asur (prohibited) on haaretz shall be bound as asur (prohibited) in Shomayim, and whatever you shall loose as mutar (permitted) on haaretz shall be loosed as mutar (permitted) in Shomayim. 20 Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach gave the directive to his talmidim that they should tell no one that he was the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.
21 From that point he began to explain to his talmidim that it was necessary that Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach go to Yerushalayim, and suffer many things from the Zekenim (Elders), and the Rashei Hakohanim (the Chief Priests) and the Sofrim (Scribes) and it was necessary for Moshiach to be killed and have his histalkus (passing), that he would undergo the Techiyas HaMoshiach (Resurrection of Moshiach) on Yom HaShlishi. 22 And Kefa took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, Chas vshalom (G-d forbid)! Adoni, this shall never happen to you! 23 But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach turned and said to Kefa, Get behind me, HaSatan! You are a michshol (stumbling block) to me; for you are not setting your mind on the things of Hashem, but the things of Bnei Adam!
24 Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to his talmidim, If anyone wishes to come after me, let him turn in hinnazrut (self-denial), and take up his etz shel mesiros nefesh (tree of self-sacrifice), and follow me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his nefesh shall lose it; but whoever loses his nefesh on account of me§ shall find it. 26 For what will a man be benefited if he acquires the whole world and forfeits his neshamah, or what will a man give in exchange for his neshamah? 27 For the Bar Enosh* is about to come in the kavod of his Av with his malachim and will then recompense every man according to his ma'asim. 28 Omein, I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Bias of the Bar Enosh† coming in his Malchut.
* 16:3 T.N. See Ro 1:18 † 16:11 like evil, like gaavah, pride ‡ 16:18 Petros § 16:25 Moshiach * 16:27 Moshiach † 16:28 Moshiach