9 ¹⁸ One day when he was praying alone in the presence of his disciples, he asked them, 'Who do the people say I am?' 9 ¹⁹ They answered, 'Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, others that one of the old prophets has come back to life.' 9 ²⁰ 'And you,' he said, 'who do you say I am?' Peter answered, 'God's Messiah.' 9 ²¹ Then he gave them strict orders not to tell this to anyone.