Matthew 16:13

King James Version (KJV)

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?

Translations

Matthew 16:13 - Amplified Bible

Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is?

Matthew 16:13 - American Standard Version

Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of man is?

Matthew 16:13 - Bible in Basic English

Now when Jesus had come into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he said, questioning his disciples, Who do men say that the Son of man is?

Matthew 16:13 - Darby Bible

But when Jesus was come into the parts of Caesarea-Philippi, he demanded of his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I the Son of man am?

Matthew 16:13 - English Standard Version

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

Matthew 16:13 - King James Version

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?

Matthew 16:13 - La Biblia de las Americas

Cuando llegò Jesùs a la regiòn de Cesarea de Filipo, preguntò a sus discìpulos, diciendo: ¿Quién dicen los hombres que es el Hijo del Hombre?

Matthew 16:13 - The Message

When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?"

Matthew 16:13 - New American Standard Bible

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

Matthew 16:13 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy

Cuando Jesùs llegò a la regiòn de Cesarea de Filipo, preguntò a Sus discìpulos: "¿Quién dicen los hombres que es el Hijo del Hombre?"

Matthew 16:13 - World English Bible

Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am ?"

Matthew 16:13 - Young's Living Translation

And Jesus, having come to the parts of Cesarea Philippi, was asking his disciples, saying, `Who do men say me to be -- the Son of Man?`

Matthew 16:13 - Additional Comments

Caesarea Philippi was a city near where the Jordan River starts -- it is about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee. It is a city of Baal worship, and the worship of other Gods. There was little Judaism there, so Jesus has some freedom to speak about private matters to His disciples. This is probably close to where Jesus was transfigured.
The apostles were Jesus family on earth. Jesus spent time with the ones closest to Him. We need to make sure we are doing the same.
-- From cnn.com profile, 4/13, 2001 -- "Growing up with a famous father, who was gone on the road for months at a time, wasn't easy. During Franklin Graham's youth, his father was already an internationally known evangelist who organized large-scale preaching crusades and served as spiritual adviser to U.S. presidents. "Being raised by a single parent," said Graham's sister Anne Graham Lotz, "and giving your father up when he spends more time with a secretary or a news reporter than he does with me -- that hurts. ... We knew he preached and he went and served Jesus, so I was glad to let him go because of that. ... Franklin and his wife live on a farm in Boone, North Carolina. They have four children. Like his father, he travels with his work, although he makes a point of not staying away too long."
Jesus is teaching basic, foundational doctrine here. He is grounding them on the basics, so they know what their most important fundamental beliefs are.
Christianity differs from cults and false religions in many ways but most significantly in the identity of Jesus Christ. No other religion founder claims to have defeated death, except Jesus Christ.
Jesus calls Himself "the Son of Man". This title may refer to Him being born of a woman. In courts of honor, it is a rule to distinguish men by their highest title, but Jesus humbles Himself with this title, certainly not his grandest. This title could otherwise be referring to the promised one that would come (see Daniel 7:13).
Isn't it odd that Jesus is asking who He is, yet at the same time giving them a title, i.e. a description, of who He is?
Note that He cared not what the Pharisees and scribes were saying of Him - He wanted to know what the common people were saying of Him.
We must realize that Jesus already knows what the people think (Matt 9:4, 12:25, Mark 2:8, Luke 5:22, 16:14-15). He was asking this for their sake, not for His.
If we were to ask how others perceive us, we likely would be seeking praise or assurance. But that is not why Jesus was asking. He was asking for their sake, not for His.

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