NgokukaMathewu 16:13-28

UJesu esefikile esifundeni saseKhesariya Filiphi wababuza abafundi bakhe, wathi: “Abantu bathi iNdodana yomuntu ingubani na?” Bathi: “Abanye bathi inguJohane, uMbhabhadisi; abanye bathi ingu-Eliya; abanye bathi inguJeremiya noma ingomunye wabaphrofethi.” Wayesethi kubo: “Nina-ke nithi ngingubani na?” USimoni Phethro waphendula wathi: “Wena unguKhristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo.” UJesu waphendula, wathi kuye: “Ubusisiwe wena Simoni kaJona, ngokuba inyama negazi akukwambulelanga lokhu, kodwa uBaba osezulwini. Nami-ke ngithi kuwe: Wena unguPhethro; phezu kwaleli dwala ngiyakulakha ibandla lami; amasango eHayidese awayukulahlula. Ngiyakukunika izihluthulelo zombuso wezulu. Oyakukubopha emhlabeni, kuyakube kuboshiwe nasezulwini; nalokho oyakukukhulula emhlabeni kuyakube kukhululiwe nasezulwini.” Wayesebayala abafundi ukuba bangatsheli muntu ukuthi unguKhristu. Kusukela lapho, uJesu waqala ukubachazela abafundi bakhe ukuthi kufanele aye eJerusalema, ahlushwe ngokuningi ngamalunga, nabaphristi abakhulu nezazimthetho, abulawe, kepha avuswe ngosuku lwesithathu. UPhethro wagudluka naye, wayeseqala ukumkhuza, ethi: “Phinde, Nkosi, lokho akusoze kwenzeke kuwe.” Kepha uJesu waphenduka wathi kuPhethro: “Buyela emuva kwami, Sathane; uyisikhubekiso kimi, ngokuba awukuqondi okukaNkulunkulu, kepha okwabantu.” UJesu wayesethi kubafundi bakhe: “Uma umuntu ethanda ukuza emuva kwami, makazidele, athabathe isiphambano sakhe, angilandele. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo othanda ukusindisa ukuphila kwakhe, uyakulahlekelwa yikho; kepha olahlekelwa ngukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yami, uyakukufumana. Ngokuba kuyakumsiza ngani umuntu, uma ezuza izwe lonke, kepha alahlekelwe ngukuphila kwakhe na? Yini angayikhipha umuntu, ibe yisihlengo sokuphila kwakhe na? Ngokuba iNdodana yomuntu iyakuza ngenkazimulo kaYise nezingelosi zayo; khona-ke iyakuvuza yilowo nalowo ngesenzo sakhe. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: bakhona abanye kwabemi lapha, abangayukukuzwa ukufa, baze bayibone iNdodana yomuntu iza nombuso wayo.”