Mathewu 16:1-20

Kwafika abaFarisi nabaSadusi, bamlinga bamcela ukuba ababonise isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini. Waphendula wathi kubo: Kusihlwa nithi: Izulu lizokuba sihle, ngokuba izulu libomvu; Futhi ekuseni nithi: ‘Namuhla izulu lizoba mnyama, ngokuba izulu libomvu, lisibekele. Bazenzisi, niyakwazi ukubona ubuso bezulu; kepha aniziqondi izibonakaliso zezikhathi na? Isizukulwane esibi nesiphingayo sifuna isibonakaliso; futhi kasiyikunikwa sibonakaliso, ngaphandle kwesibonakaliso sikaJona umprofethi. Wabashiya, wahamba. Kwathi abafundi bakhe sebewelela ngaphesheya, babekhohliwe ukuphatha izinkwa. UJesu wasesithi kubo: Qaphelani liqaphele imvubelo yabaFarisi labaSadusi. Basebekhulumisana bodwa, besithi: Kungoba singaphathanga izinkwa. Ekwazi uJesu wathi kubo: “O nina eninokukholwa okuncane, nikhulumelani phakathi kwenu ngokuthi ningaphathanga izinkwa na? Anikaqondi yini, futhi anikazikhumbuli izinkwa eziyisihlanu zezinkulungwane ezinhlanu nokuthi bangaki obhasikidi enabutha? Nezinkwa eziyisikhombisa zezinkulungwane ezine nokuthi nabutha oqoma abangaki na? Aniqondi kanjani ukuthi angikhulumanga kini ngesinkwa ukuthi nixwaye imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi na? Base beqonda ukuthi wayengashongo ukuthi baxwaye imvubelo yesinkwa kodwa isifundiso sabaFarisi nabaSadusi. Kwathi uJesu esefikile emikhawulweni yeKesariya yeFiliphi, wabuza abafundi bakhe, wathi: Abantu bathi mina iNdodana yomuntu ngingubani? Basebesithi: Abanye bathi unguJohane uMbhabhathizi; labanye bathi nguJeremiya kumbe omunye wabaprofethi. Wathi kubo: “Nina-ke nithi ngingubani na? USimoni Petru waphendula wathi: “Wena unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu ophilayo. UJesu waphendula wathi kuye: “Ubusisiwe wena Simoni kaJona, ngokuba inyama negazi akukwambulelanga lokhu, kodwa uBaba osezulwini. Nami ngithi kuwe: Wena unguPetru, phezu kwalelidwala ngiyakulakha ibandla lami; futhi amasango esihogo ngeke alinqobe. Ngizakunika izihluthulelo zombuso wezulu, njalo loba yini ozayibopha emhlabeni izakuba kubotshiwe ezulwini, njalo loba yini ozayikhulula emhlabeni izakuba yinto ethukululiwe ezulwini. Wasebalaya abafundi bakhe ukuthi bangatsheli muntu ukuthi yena unguJesu uKristu.