Matthew 16:23
What does Matthew 16:23 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 16:23 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 16:23 means
Jesus sharply rebukes Peter, saying, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men." Though Peter had just been blessed for his divine revelation, here he is condemned for speaking from a purely human perspective, unwittingly aligning with Satan's temptation to avoid the cross. Jesus' strong words emphasize the profound conflict between God's redemptive plan through suffering and humanity's desire for an easier path.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.
KJV
King James Version · 1611But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But he, turning to Peter, said, Get out of my way, Satan: you are a danger to me because your mind is not on the things of God, but on the things of men.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and he having turned, said to Peter, `Get thee behind me, adversary! thou art a stumbling-block to me, for thou dost not mind the things of God, but the things of men.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Who turning, said to Peter: Go behind me, Satan, thou art a scandal unto me: because thou savourest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But turning round, he said to Peter, Get away behind me, Satan; thou art an offence to me, for thy mind is not on the things that are ofGod, but on the things that are of men.
Context
This verse is Jesus' severe and immediate response to Peter's rebuke regarding the prediction of His suffering and death. This dramatic confrontation underscores the spiritual warfare at play regarding Jesus' mission. It immediately precedes Jesus' broader call to all discipleship, establishing the necessary cost of following Him in light of His own path to the cross.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Genesis 3:17
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
- Matthew 18:7
Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!
- Romans 14:13
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother’s way, or an occasion of falling.
- Zechariah 3:1
And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary.
- Romans 8:5
For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
- Colossians 3:2
Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.
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