# Matthew 16.16

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 14. And they said, Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. 15. He saith unto them, <span class="rl-speech">But who say ye that I am?</span>
>
> **16. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.**
>
> 17. And Jesus answered and said unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.</span> (Matthew 16:14-18, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 14. They said, “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15. He said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“But who do you say that I am?”</span>
>
> **16. Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”**
>
> 17. Jesus answered him, <span class="rl-speech">“Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.</span> (Matthew 16:14-18, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 14. And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15. He saith unto them, <span class="rl-speech">But whom say ye that I am?</span>
>
> **16. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.**
>
> 17. And Jesus answered and said unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. <sup>Peter: this name signifies a rock</sup></span> (Matthew 16:14-18, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 14. and they said, 'Some, John the Baptist, and others, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.' 15. He saith to them, <span class="rl-speech">'And ye, who do ye say me to be?'</span>
>
> **16. and Simon Peter answering said, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.'**
>
> 17. And Jesus answering said to him, <span class="rl-speech">'Happy art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood did not reveal [it] to thee, but my Father who is in the heavens.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">'And I also say to thee, that thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my assembly, and gates of Hades shall not prevail against it;</span> (Matthew 16:14-18, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** Matthew (traditionally) the tax-collector-apostle / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** Jewish-Christian audience (heavy OT-fulfillment emphasis)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Antioch (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 60-80

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G2198 - zao](/codex/g2198-zao/), *zao* (Strong's G2198). Also appears in: [Matthew 26.57-68](/codex/matthew-26-57-68/), [Mark 12](/codex/mark-12/), [Luke 2.36](/codex/luke-2-36/).
- [G2316 - theos](/codex/g2316-theos/), *theos* (Strong's G2316). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.23](/codex/matthew-1-23/), [Matthew 3.16](/codex/matthew-3-16/), [Matthew 5.9](/codex/matthew-5-9/).
- [G5207 - huios](/codex/g5207-huios/), *huios* (Strong's G5207). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.1](/codex/matthew-1-1/), [Matthew 1.20](/codex/matthew-1-20/), [Matthew 1.21](/codex/matthew-1-21/).
- [G5547 - christos](/codex/g5547-christos/), *christos* (Strong's G5547). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.1](/codex/matthew-1-1/), [Matthew 1.16](/codex/matthew-1-16/), [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Christianity](/codex/christianity/), via [Matthew 16.13-20](/codex/matthew-16-13-20/)
- [Christology](/codex/christology/)
- [Davidic Covenant](/codex/2-samuel-7-14/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 16](/codex/matthew-16/)
- [Petrine Primacy](/codex/petrine-primacy/)

**People:**

- [Peter the Apostle](/codex/peter-the-apostle/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G2198 - zao](/codex/g2198-zao/)
- [G5207 - huios](/codex/g5207-huios/)
- [G5547 - christos](/codex/g5547-christos/)
- [H1121 - ben](/codex/h1121-ben/)
- [H2416 - chay](/codex/h2416-chay/)

**Passages:**

- [1 Corinthians 15.44-45](/codex/1-corinthians-15-44-45/)
- [1 Corinthians 7.39](/codex/1-corinthians-7-39/)
- [1 Peter 1.3](/codex/1-peter-1-3/)
- [2 Corinthians 1.8](/codex/2-corinthians-1-8/)
- [Acts 1](/codex/acts-1/)
- [Acts 9](/codex/acts-9/)
- [Colossians 2.20](/codex/colossians-2-20/)
- [Galatians 2.20](/codex/galatians-2-20/)
- [Galatians 5](/codex/galatians-5/)
- [Hebrews 12.22-24](/codex/hebrews-12-22-24/)
- [Hebrews 7.25](/codex/hebrews-7-25/)
- [John 11](/codex/john-11/)
- [John 5](/codex/john-5/)
- [John 5.24-27](/codex/john-5-24-27/)
- [John 5.25](/codex/john-5-25/)
- [John 6.51](/codex/john-6-51/)
- [John 6.57](/codex/john-6-57/)
- [John 7.53-8](/codex/john-7-53-8/)
- [Luke 10.25-28](/codex/luke-10-25-28/)
- [Luke 15.11-32](/codex/luke-15-11-32/)
- [Luke 2.36](/codex/luke-2-36/)
- [Luke 24.5-6](/codex/luke-24-5-6/)
- [Mark 12](/codex/mark-12/)
- [Matthew 26.57-68](/codex/matthew-26-57-68/)
- [Matthew 26.63-64](/codex/matthew-26-63-64/)
- [Revelation 1.17-18](/codex/revelation-1-17-18/)
- [Revelation 19.20](/codex/revelation-19-20/)
- [Revelation 2.8](/codex/revelation-2-8/)
- [Revelation 3.1](/codex/revelation-3-1/)
- [Romans 10](/codex/romans-10/)
- [Romans 12](/codex/romans-12/)
- [Romans 6.1-2](/codex/romans-6-1-2/)
- [Romans 6.10](/codex/romans-6-10/)
- [Romans 7](/codex/romans-7/)
- [Romans 8](/codex/romans-8/)
- [Romans 8.13](/codex/romans-8-13/)
- [Titus 2.12](/codex/titus-2-12/)

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