Matthew 16:19


Matthew 16:19 is the nineteenth verse in sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records the words spoken by Jesus to Simon Peter.

Content

In Koine Greek it reads
The exact translation varies slightly depending on the version of the Bible, but it is generally translated into English as:
For a collection of other versions see

Analysis

The Keys of the kingdom and the Kingdom of Heaven are popular Christian concepts and are quite significant in multiple denominations. While the "Kingdom of Heaven" is referenced elsewhere in the Bible, the "Keys of the Kingdom" is only referenced in this passage. "Keys" symbolize "authority". This is not to be understood as a statement about exorcism or the forgiveness of sins, but Peter, being a sort of 'supreme rabbi of the kingdom', is given teaching authority, that 'his decisions stand'.
The verbs in future perfect tense—'will have been bound', 'will have been loosed'—suggest that 'the heavenly decision preceded Peter's declaration of it on earth'. "Bind" and "loose" are judicial terms denoting "forbid" and "permit". This expression is to contrast Peter's authority in teaching with that of the Pharisees and the scribes. In the same authority is given to all disciples.

Cultural references

This is a very popular line from the Bible and is referenced in many different forms.

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