Peter’s Confession of the Christ
Afterwards Jesus and his disciples went into the villages round Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples this question—
“Who do people say that I am?”
“John the Baptist,” they answered, “but others say Elijah, while others say one of the Prophets.”
“But you,” he asked, “who do you say that I am?”
To this Peter replied:
“You are the Christ.”
On which Jesus charged them not to say this about him to any one.
Jesus Foretells his Death
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo much suffering, and that he must be rejected by the Councillors, and the Chief Priests, and the Teachers of the Law, and be put to death, and rise again after three days. This statement he made openly. But Peter took Jesus aside, and began to rebuke him. Jesus, however, turning round and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter.
“Out of my sight, Satan!” he exclaimed. “For you look at things, not as God does, but as man does.”
A Call to Renounce Self
Calling the people and his disciples to him, Jesus said:
“If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, will lose his life shall save it. What good is it to a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what could a man give that is of equal value with his life? Whoever is ashamed of me and of my teaching, in this unfaithful and wicked generation, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels. I tell you,” he added, “that some of those who are standing here will not know death, till they have seen the Kingdom of God come in power.”
—Mark.