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17 After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. He was changed[a] before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light. Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.

Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid. Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.” Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

10 His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things; 12 but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer.

14 When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

17 Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?”

20 He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.” [b]

22 While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up.”

They were exceedingly sorry.

24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins[c] came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?” 25 He said, “Yes.”

When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?”

26 Peter said to him, “From strangers.”

Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt. 27 But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin.[d] Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”

Footnotes

  1. 17:2 or, transfigured
  2. 17:21 NU omits verse 21.
  3. 17:24 A didrachma is a Greek silver coin worth 2 drachmas, about as much as 2 Roman denarii, or about 2 days’ wages. It was commonly used to pay the half-shekel temple tax, because 2 drachmas were worth one half shekel of silver. A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.
  4. 17:27 A stater is a silver coin equivalent to four Attic or two Alexandrian drachmas, or a Jewish shekel: just exactly enough to cover the half-shekel temple tax for two people. A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, usually in the form of a silver coin.

17 And six days after this, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

And His appearance underwent a change in their presence; and His face shone [a]clear and bright like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light.

And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, who kept talking with Him.

Then Peter began to speak and said to Jesus, Lord, it is good and delightful that we are here; if You approve, I will put up three booths here—one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah.

While he was still speaking, behold, a shining cloud [[b]composed of light] overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is My Son, My Beloved, with Whom I am [and [c]have always been] delighted. Listen to Him!(A)

When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were [d]seized with alarm and struck with fear.

But Jesus came and touched them and said, Get up, and do not be afraid.

And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

And as they were going down the mountain, Jesus cautioned and commanded them, Do not mention to anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.

10 The disciples asked Him, Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?

11 He replied, Elijah does come and will get everything restored and ready.

12 But I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know or recognize him, but did to him as they liked. So also the Son of Man is going to be treated and suffer at their hands.

13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them about John the Baptist.(B)

14 And when they approached the multitude, a man came up to Him, kneeling before Him and saying,

15 Lord, do pity and have mercy on my son, for he has epilepsy (is [e]moonstruck) and he suffers terribly; for frequently he falls into the fire and many times into the water.

16 And I brought him to Your disciples, and they were not able to cure him.

17 And Jesus answered, O you unbelieving ([f]warped, wayward, rebellious) and [g]thoroughly perverse generation! How long am I to remain with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to Me.

18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked privately, Why could we not drive it out?

20 He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of [h]firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [[i]that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.

21 [j]But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.

22 When they were going about here and there in Galilee, Jesus said to them, The Son of Man is going to be turned over into the hands of men.

23 And they will kill Him, and He will be raised [to life] again on the third day. And they were deeply and exceedingly grieved and distressed.

24 When they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the half shekel [the temple tax] went up to Peter and said, Does not your Teacher pay the half shekel?(C)

25 He answered, Yes. And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him [about it] first, saying, What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly rulers collect duties or tribute—from their own sons or from others [k]not of their own family?

26 And when Peter said, From other people [l]not of their own family, Jesus said to him, Then the sons are exempt.

27 However, in order not to give offense and cause them to stumble [that is, to cause them [m]to judge unfavorably and unjustly] go down to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find there a shekel. Take it and give it to them to pay the temple tax for Me and for yourself.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:2 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  2. Matthew 17:5 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  3. Matthew 17:5 Charles B. Williams, The New Testament: A Translation: “suggested by the aorist (past) tense.”
  4. Matthew 17:6 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  5. Matthew 17:15 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon: “Epilepsy is supposed to return and increase with the increase of the moon.”
  6. Matthew 17:17 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  7. Matthew 17:17 Literally, “throughout” (dia).
  8. Matthew 17:20 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  9. Matthew 17:20 Charles B. Williams, The New Testament: A Translation.
  10. Matthew 17:21 Some manuscripts do not contain this verse.
  11. Matthew 17:25 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  12. Matthew 17:26 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  13. Matthew 17:27 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.