A new addition to the Bryce Haymond Translation (BHT). I had already translated it once before, but I added a new translation that suggests other interpretations. There is no one “right” translation. The scriptures are endlessly translatable, because the mystical is essentially ineffable, transcending all words, and so there are perhaps infinite layers of meaning in these texts. But I’m grateful to be a conduit for these words, these pointers, and to share them with you.

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his friends, “Who do people say is the Human One?”

14 They replied, “Some say John that baptizes; others say Elijah; and yet others, Jeremiah or one of those that speaks from Divine Consciousness.”

15 Jesus then asked, “But who do you say I AM?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “I AM the Anointed One, the Incarnation of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Wonderful to hear you say, Simon, Jonah’s son, because this cannot be unveiled to you by any human being or human mind, even your own, but rather only by the Ultimate One directly in nondual Consciousness.

18 “And I’ll also tell you this: in your bodily form you are called ‘Peter’ (petros), meaning a small rock fragment, but it is on this revelatory ‘bedrock’ (petra) where I AM gathers ALL people together as One in Love, and even all the powers of hell (egoic mind) combined against it won’t prove superior.

19 “For I AM gives you ALL the power of Loving Awareness, even of God’s Eternal Presence, here and now, so that what you find harmful on Earth will already be harmful in heavenly Divine Consciousness, and what you find helpful on Earth will already be helpful in heavenly Divine Consciousness. As above, so below.”

20 Then Jesus asked his friends to not tell anyone that he or any one person in particular was the ‘Anointed One,’ or ever would be.