Focused Passage

Matthew 16:5-12

The Confession of the Christ, the Church Christ Builds, and the Cross-Shaped Way of Discipleship

Matthew moves from sign-seeking unbelief, to warning against corrupt teaching, to the climactic confession of Jesus, to the promise of the church and kingdom authority, to the first explicit passion prediction, to Peter’s satanic opposition to the cross, and finally to Jesus’ call for self-denying discipleship in light of final judgment.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

5 When they crossed to the other side, the disciples forgot to take bread.

6 “Watch out!” Jesus told them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

7 They discussed this among themselves and concluded, “It is because we did not bring any bread.”

8 Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread?

9 Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?

10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?

11 How do you not understand that I was not telling you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

12 Then they understood that He was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 5

Original words

When Καὶ G2532 Conjunction they crossed ἐλθόντες G2064 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural to εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular other side πέραν G4008 Adverb the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural disciples μαθηταὶ G3101 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural forgot ἐπελάθοντο G1950 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural to take λαβεῖν G2983 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active bread ἄρτους G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 6

Original words

Watch out Ὁρᾶτε G3708 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular told εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction Beware προσέχετε G4337 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural of ἀπὸ G575 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular leaven ζύμης G2219 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular of the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Pharisees Φαρισαίων G5330 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Sadducees Σαδδουκαίων G4523 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 7

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction - Οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural They discussed this διελογίζοντο G1260 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural among ἐν G1722 Preposition themselves ἑαυτοῖς G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural [and] concluded λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural [It is] because Ὅτι G3754 Conjunction vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb we did not bring ἐλάβομεν G2983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural [any] bread Ἄρτους G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 8

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction Aware [of their conversation] Γνοὺς G1097 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular said εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [You] of little faith ὀλιγόπιστοι G3640 Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural why Τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular are you debating διαλογίζεσθε G1260 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural among ἐν G1722 Preposition yourselves ἑαυτοῖς G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural about ὅτι G3754 Conjunction having ἔχετε G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural no οὐκ G3756 Adverb bread ἄρτους G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 9

Original words

vvv οὔπω G3768 Adverb Do you still not understand νοεῖτε G3539 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural vvv οὐδὲ G3761 Conjunction Do you not remember μνημονεύετε G3421 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural five πέντε G4002 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural loaves ἄρτους G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural for the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural five thousand πεντακισχιλίων G4000 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction how many πόσους G4214 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural basketfuls κοφίνους G2894 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural you gathered ἐλάβετε G2983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Verse 10

Original words

[Or] οὐδὲ G3761 Conjunction the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural loaves ἄρτους G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural for the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural four thousand τετρακισχιλίων G5070 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction how many πόσας G4214 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Plural basketfuls σπυρίδας G4711 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural you gathered ἐλάβετε G2983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Verse 11

Original words

How πῶς G4459 Adverb vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb do you not understand νοεῖτε G3539 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb I was not telling you εἶπον G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular . . . ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural about περὶ G4012 Preposition bread ἄρτων G740 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural But δὲ G1161 Conjunction beware προσέχετε G4337 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural of ἀπὸ G575 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular leaven ζύμης G2219 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular of the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Pharisees Φαρισαίων G5330 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Sadducees Σαδδουκαίων G4523 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 12

Original words

Then Τότε G5119 Adverb they understood συνῆκαν G4920 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb He was not telling [them] εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to beware προσέχειν G4337 Verb - Present Infinitive Active of ἀπὸ G575 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular leaven ζύμης G2219 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular used in τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural bread ἄρτων G740 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction of ἀπὸ G575 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular teaching διδαχῆς G1322 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular of the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Pharisees Φαρισαίων G5330 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Sadducees Σαδδουκαίων G4523 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.