1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
The Pharisees and Sadducees asked Jesus to show them a sign from heaven.
Jesus said to them,
In the evening you say, "It will be fair weather for the sky is red."
And in the morning you say, "It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering." [1]
You hypocrites [2], you can read the sky, but not the signs of the times.
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed.
A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign. There will be no sign given to it, except for the sign of Jonah. [3]
And he left and departed.
5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
He is angry with us for not bringing bread.
8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
Oh you of little faith, why do you talk about having no bread.
9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
Do you still not understand?Don't you remember the five loaves that fed five thousand [4], and the baskets that were left over?
10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
Or the seven loaves that fed four thousand [5], and the baskets that were left over?
11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
Why didn't you understand that I wasn't talking about bread, but that you should beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees?
12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
Who do people say I am?
14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.
Some say you're John the Baptist, some say you're Elijah, others say your Jeremiah or one of the prophets. [7]
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
But whom do you say that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because no human has revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. [8]
18 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.
You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not prevail against it. [9]
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
I give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth shall be fobidden in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth will be allowed in heaven.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
Lord, this will not happen to you!
23 But 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.
Get away from me, Satan! [12]You offend me, because you value the things of men, not of God.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
If anyone wants to be my disciple, let him deny himself, carry his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Whoever saves his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. [13]
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?How much is your soul worth, anyway?
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
The Son of man will come in the glory of the Father with his angels, and he will reward every man according to his works. [14]
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
There are some standing here that will still be alive when they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. [15]
This is one of the few (more or less) scientifically valid statements in the Bible.
The ever-so-kind Jesus calls an entire generation wicked, adulterous hypocrites. Why? For asking for some evidence that Jesus is who he claims to be.
Jesus believed in the literal truth of the fish story in Jonah. (See 12:39-41)
See 14:13-21.
See 15:29-39
Opinions varied regarding the identity of Jesus, but many thought that he was the risen John the Baptist. The fact that people could be so easily fooled regarding the Baptist's "resurrection" casts doubt on the resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus founds the Catholic church, makes Peter the pope, and gives him the keys to the kingdom of heaven. (Protestants hate this verse.)
Of course, the gates of hell have pretty much had their way with the Catholic church since then, as the crusades, inquisition, reformation, and priestly pedophilia testify.
It is interesting that both Mark and Luke include Peter's declaration, but neither has the part about the keys of the kingdom, gates of hell, or loosing and binding. (See Mk 8:27-30 and Lk 9:18-21)
And later in Matthew (18:18), Jesus gives the same binding and loosing power to the disciples.
Did Jesus tell his disciples about his coming death and resurrection?
When Peter expressed his dismay about Jesus's upoming death, Jesus said to him "Get thee behind me, Satan" -- a fine way to address his holiness, the first pope!
If you want to stay alive, you must lose your life (kill yourself?) for Jesus' sake.
16:1-4, Cf. 
16:13-20, Cf. 
16:21-26,
Matthew 16:18 - This verse is said to be the connection between the birth of Christianity and its inspiration, Mithranism.
The name "Peter" is 12th century Old English, stemming from Latin, and Greek. It translates to "stone" or "rock." This is interesting considering in 6th century B.C. Persia, Mithra was "The Way... Light... Word... Son of God..." etc. Mithranism born of the belief in Mithra showed a lot of the same core features of what Jesus would carry centuries later.
Born of a virgin, connections to Sunday being sacred or "The Lord's Day", December 25th being a day of celebration, and the overarching idea that there's going to be a "Day of Judgment" (or commonly referred to today in Christianity as "The Rapture".)
However, the biggest connection (theft?) between Mithra and Jesus is the death and three-day resurrection. Mithra also went through this ordeal. Mithranites (?) were eventually eradicated by Roman Christians altogether. I wonder why...
Petra, the historical site in Jordan, is what is understood to be the inspiration for the Apostle Peter in the Biblical account, hence the verse in Matthew. It was a place for worship of Arab gods, but the place was assaulted by a rather large army and converted into a Christian landmark. Romans at it again.