Matthew 17
Christian Standard Bible
The Transfiguration
17 After six days(A) Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.(B) 2 He was transfigured in front of them, and his face shone like the sun; his clothes became as white as the light.(C) 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it’s good for us to be here. If you want, I will set up[a] three shelters here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”(D)
5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud covered[b] them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!” (E) 6 When the disciples(F) heard this, they fell facedown and were terrified.
7 Jesus came up, touched them, and said, “Get up; don’t be afraid.”(G) 8 When they looked up they saw no one except Jesus alone.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them,(H) “Don’t tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised[c] from the dead.”
10 So the disciples asked him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” (I)
11 “Elijah is coming[d] and will restore everything,” he replied.[e](J) 12 “But I tell you: Elijah has already come, and they didn’t recognize him. On the contrary, they did whatever they pleased to him. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”(K) 13 Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist.
The Power of Jesus over a Demon
14 When they reached the crowd,(L) a man approached and knelt down before him. 15 “Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son, because he has seizures[f] and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”(M)
17 Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.”(N) 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon,[g] and it[h] came out of him,(O) and from that moment[i] the boy was healed.
19 Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20 “Because of your little faith,” he[j] told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of [k] a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.(P) Nothing will be impossible for you.”[l](Q)
The Second Prediction of His Death
22 As(R) they were gathering together[m] in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up.” And they were deeply distressed.
Paying the Temple Tax
24 When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” (S)
25 “Yes,” he said.
When he went into the house, Jesus spoke to him first,[n] “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tariffs or taxes? From their sons or from strangers?”[o](T)
26 “From strangers,” he said.[p]
“Then the sons are free,” Jesus told him. 27 “But, so we won’t offend them, go to the sea, cast in a fishhook, and take the first fish that you catch. When you open its mouth you’ll find a coin.[q] Take it and give it to them for me and you.”(U)
Footnotes
- 17:4 Other mss read Let’s make
- 17:5 Or enveloped; Ex 40:34–35
- 17:9 Other mss read Man has risen
- 17:11 Other mss add first
- 17:11 Other mss read Jesus said to them
- 17:15 Lit he is moonstruck; thought to be a form of epilepsy
- 17:18 Lit rebuked him, or it
- 17:18 Lit the demon
- 17:18 Lit hour
- 17:20 Other mss read your unbelief, Jesus
- 17:20 Lit faith like
- 17:20 Some mss include v. 21: “However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.”
- 17:22 Other mss read were staying
- 17:25 Lit Jesus anticipated him by saying
- 17:25 Or foreigners
- 17:26 Other mss read Peter said to him
- 17:27 Gk stater, worth 2 double-drachmas
Matthew 17
New Living Translation
The Transfiguration
17 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. 2 As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.
4 Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials[a]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.
7 Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus.
9 As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man[b] has been raised from the dead.”
10 Then his disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?[c]”
11 Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.” 13 Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”
17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.
19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”
20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.[d]”
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
22 After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. 23 He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” And the disciples were filled with grief.
Payment of the Temple Tax
24 On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax[e] came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”
25 “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.
But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter?[f] Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?[g]”
26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.
“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin.[h] Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”
Footnotes
- 17:4 Greek three tabernacles.
- 17:9 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 17:10 Greek that Elijah must come first?
- 17:20 Some manuscripts add verse 21, But this kind of demon won’t leave except by prayer and fasting. Compare Mark 9:29.
- 17:24 Greek the two-drachma [tax]; also in 17:24b. See Exod 30:13-16; Neh 10:32-33.
- 17:25a Greek Simon?
- 17:25b Greek their sons or others?
- 17:27 Greek a stater [a Greek coin equivalent to four drachmas].
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
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