New International Reader's Version

Matthew 16:17-27 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

17. Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah! No mere man showed this to you. My Father in heaven showed it to you.

18. Here is what I tell you. You are Peter. On this rock I will build my church. The gates of hell will not be strong enough to destroy it.

19. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. What you lock on earth will be locked in heaven. What you unlock on earth will be unlocked in heaven."

20. Then Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

21. From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples what would happen to him. He told them he must go to Jerusalem. There he must suffer many things from the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law. He must be killed and on the third day rise to life again.

22. Peter took Jesus to one side and began to scold him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This will never happen to you!"

23. Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are standing in my way. You do not have in mind the things of God. Instead, you are thinking about human things."

24. Then Jesus spoke to his disciples. He said, "If anyone wants to follow me, he must say no to himself. He must pick up his cross and follow me.

25. If he wants to save his life, he will lose it. But if he loses his life for me, he will find it.

26. "What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses his soul? Or what can anyone trade for his soul?

27. The Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory. His angels will come with him. And he will reward everyone in keeping with what they have done.