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Matthew 16:17
ESV And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
NIV Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
NASB And Jesus said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
CSB Jesus responded, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven.
NLT Jesus replied, 'You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.
KJV 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.
NKJV Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

What does Matthew 16:17 mean?

This is an enthusiastic response to Peter's answer from the prior verse (Matthew 16:13–16). Christ asked the disciples who they say that He is. Peter responded simply and profoundly, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Peter's answer showed that he understood Jesus to be both the promised Messiah and to be divine. This is exactly what men like Peter should have thought, and Jesus praises him for that confession.

Peter has been labeled "blessed" for understanding and believing this to be true. Jesus uses the equivalent of Peter's family name, Simon Bar-Jonah, which would literally mean "Simon, son of Jonah." Making specific reference to Peter's father emphasizes the point Jesus immediately makes about that knowledge. It did not come from Peter's earthly father. He also did not come to this conclusion about Jesus out of his own cleverness or careful study.

Rather, Peter's conviction that Jesus is the Christ was given by Jesus' Father in heaven. God revealed to Peter and the other disciples that Jesus was His Son. God still participates in revealing the truth about Jesus to those who believe in Him (John 6:44; 16:7–11).
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