Matthew 16:20
New International Version
Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

New Living Translation
Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

English Standard Version
Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Berean Standard Bible
Then He admonished the disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Christ.

Berean Literal Bible
Then He instructed the disciples that they should tell no one that He is the Christ.

King James Bible
Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

New King James Version
Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

New American Standard Bible
Then He gave the disciples strict orders that they were to tell no one that He was the Christ.

NASB 1995
Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

NASB 1977
Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

Amplified Bible
Then He gave the disciples strict orders to tell no one that He was the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

Christian Standard Bible
Then he gave the disciples orders to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And He gave the disciples orders to tell no one that He was the Messiah.

American Standard Version
Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was the Christ.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus told his disciples not to tell anyone he was the Messiah.

English Revised Version
Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was the Christ.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Good News Translation
Then Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

International Standard Version
Then he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Majority Standard Bible
Then He commanded His disciples not to tell anyone that He was Jesus the Christ.

NET Bible
Then he instructed his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

New Heart English Bible
Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he is the Christ.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then he charged his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Weymouth New Testament
Then He urged His disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ.

World English Bible
Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Then He charged His disciples that they may say to no one that He is Jesus the Christ.

Berean Literal Bible
Then He instructed the disciples that they should tell no one that He is the Christ.

Young's Literal Translation
Then did he charge his disciples that they may say to no one that he is Jesus the Christ.

Smith's Literal Translation
Then he enjoined his disciples that they say to none that he is Jesus Christ.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then he instructed his disciples that they should tell no one that he is Jesus the Christ.

New American Bible
Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Messiah.

New Revised Standard Version
Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then he charged his disciples not to tell any man that he is the Christ.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Then he ordered his disciples to tell no man that he is The Messiah.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Then he charged his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Godbey New Testament
Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He is the Christ.

Haweis New Testament
Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Messiah.

Mace New Testament
Then he charged his disciples not to tell any man that he was the Christ.

Weymouth New Testament
Then He urged His disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ.

Worrell New Testament
Then He charged the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

Worsley New Testament
Then charged He his disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Messiah.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Peter's Confession of Christ
19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20Then He admonished the disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Christ. 21From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.…

Cross References
Mark 8:30
And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about Him.

Luke 9:21
Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.

Matthew 17:9
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

John 7:6
Therefore Jesus told them, “Although your time is always at hand, My time has not yet come.

John 7:8
Go up to the feast on your own. I am not going up to this feast, because My time has not yet come.”

John 7:30
So they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

John 8:20
He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts, near the treasury. Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

John 10:24
So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

John 12:16
At first His disciples did not understand these things, but after Jesus was glorified they remembered what had been done to Him, and they realized that these very things had also been written about Him.

John 12:23
But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

John 13:1
It was now just before the Passover Feast, and Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the very end.

John 17:1
When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.

Acts 1:6-8
So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” / Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. / But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Isaiah 42:1-4
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. / He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets. / A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. ...


Treasury of Scripture

Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

charged.

Matthew 8:4
And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Matthew 17:9
And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

Mark 8:30
And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

Jesus.

John 1:41,45
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ…

John 20:31
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Acts 2:36
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

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Matthew 16
1. The Pharisees require a sign.
5. Jesus warns his disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13. The people's opinion of Jesus,
16. and Peter's confession of him.
21. Jesus foretells his death;
23. reproves Peter for dissuading him from it;
24. and admonishes those who will follow him, to bear the cross.














Then He admonished
The Greek word for "admonished" is "ἐπετίμησεν" (epetimēsen), which can also be translated as "commanded" or "charged." This word carries a sense of urgency and authority, indicating that Jesus was not merely suggesting but strongly instructing His disciples. In the historical context, Jesus often used strong language to ensure His teachings were taken seriously, especially when it came to His identity and mission. This reflects the importance of timing in revealing His messianic role, as premature disclosure could have led to misunderstandings or hindered His ministry.

the disciples
The term "disciples" comes from the Greek "μαθηταί" (mathētai), meaning "learners" or "students." This highlights the relationship between Jesus and His followers, who were committed to learning from Him and living according to His teachings. In the first-century Jewish context, discipleship was a common practice where students would follow a rabbi closely, absorbing his teachings and lifestyle. This underscores the intimate and transformative nature of the relationship between Jesus and His disciples.

not to tell anyone
The phrase "not to tell anyone" is significant in understanding Jesus' strategic approach to His ministry. The Greek word "μηδενὶ" (mēdeni) means "no one" or "nobody," emphasizing the exclusivity of this command. Historically, Jesus often instructed His followers to keep certain revelations private to avoid drawing premature attention from authorities or the public, which could disrupt His mission. This instruction reflects Jesus' awareness of the socio-political climate and His desire to control the narrative of His identity and mission.

that He was the Christ
The term "Christ" is derived from the Greek "Χριστός" (Christos), meaning "Anointed One," equivalent to the Hebrew "Messiah." This title carries profound theological significance, as it identifies Jesus as the long-awaited deliverer prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures. In the historical and scriptural context, the Messiah was expected to bring salvation and restoration to Israel. Jesus' instruction to keep His identity as the Christ secret at this point in His ministry highlights the need for His followers to fully understand the nature of His messianic mission, which was not to be a political liberator but a spiritual savior. This understanding would only be complete after His death and resurrection, which would redefine the expectations of the Messiah for His disciples and the world.

(20) Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man.--We may venture to analyse what we may reverently call the motives of this reticence. Had the disciples gone about, not only as proclaiming the kingdom and as preachers of repentance, but sounding the watchword that the Christ had come, it might not have been difficult for them to gather round Him the homage of excited crowds. It was not such homage, however, that He sought, but that which had its root in a deeper faith. It tended to present a false aspect of His kingdom to the minds of men; it tended also to prevent the consummation to which He was now directing the thoughts of His disciples as the necessary condition of His entering on the glory of His kingdom. The zeal of the multitude to make him a king after their own fashion (John 6:15) was what He deprecated and shunned.

Verse 20. - Then charged he his disciples. Immediately after Peter's confession and Jesus' promise. St. Matthew's word "charged" (διεστείλατο) becomes more emphatic in the other synoptists (ἐπετίμησεν), implying a command with a rebuke attached to it on its infringement; Vulgate, comminatus est (Mark 8:30). That they should tell no man that he (au)to\) was [Jesus] the Christ. The received text inserts the word "Jesus," but very many good manuscripts omit it; and it seems to have been received by inadvertence, the point being that he was Messiah. The injunction to tell no man (with which comp. Matthew 8:4) was necessary at this time for many reasons. The time was not ripe for the declaration which might have led to tumult and disorder among an excited populace. Any ambitious ideas which the apostles might have formed from what had just passed were here nipped in the bud. They were not sufficiently familiar with the true notion of the Messiah, especially a suffering Messiah, to be competent to preach him to others. This we see by Peter's inconsiderate remonstrance in ver. 22. Till they received the Holy Ghost after Christ's ascension, they could not rightly and profitably preach of Christ's nature, office, and kingdom. Jesus may have looked forward to their desertion of him in his hour of trial, and prevented them from proclaiming his real character, which, in the face of such desertion, would have proved a stumbling block to the faith of believers. Some of these reasons we may reverently believe were those which led Christ to lay this severe restriction on the enthusiasm of his followers (see on Matthew 17:9).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
Τότε (Tote)
Adverb
Strong's 5119: Then, at that time. From ho and hote; the when, i.e. At the time that.

He admonished
διεστείλατο (diesteilato)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1291: To give a commission (instructions), order; To admonish, prohibit.

the
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

disciples
μαθηταῖς (mathētais)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3101: A learner, disciple, pupil. From manthano; a learner, i.e. Pupil.

not to tell anyone
εἴπωσιν (eipōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

He
αὐτός (autos)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

was
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Christ.
Χριστός (Christos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.


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