The Transfiguration

17 (A)And after six days Jesus took with him (B)Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was (C)transfigured before them, and (D)his face shone like the sun, and (E)his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for (F)Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, (G)a bright cloud overshadowed them, and (H)a voice from the cloud said, (I)“This is my beloved Son,[a] with whom I am well pleased; (J)listen to him.” When (K)the disciples heard this, (L)they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and (M)touched them, saying, “Rise, and (N)have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

(O)And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, (P)“Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say (Q)that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and (R)he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but (S)did to him whatever they pleased. (T)So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 (U)Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon

14 (V)And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has (W)seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and (X)they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and (Y)twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? (Z)How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus (AA)rebuked the demon,[b] and it[c] came out of him, and (AB)the boy was healed instantly.[d] 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, (AC)“Because of your little faith. For (AD)truly, I say to you, (AE)if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, (AF)you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and (AG)nothing will be impossible for you.”[e]

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection

22 (AH)As they were gathering[f] in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on (AI)the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

The Temple Tax

24 (AJ)When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of (AK)the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, (AL)“What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or (AM)tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel.[g] Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:5 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
  2. Matthew 17:18 Greek it
  3. Matthew 17:18 Greek the demon
  4. Matthew 17:18 Greek from that hour
  5. Matthew 17:20 Some manuscripts insert verse 21: But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting
  6. Matthew 17:22 Some manuscripts remained
  7. Matthew 17:27 Greek stater, a silver coin worth four drachmas or approximately one shekel

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) He was transformed[a] in front of them, and His face shone like the sun. Even His clothes became as white as the light.(C) Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it’s good for us to be here! If You want, I will make[b] three tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”(D)

While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud covered[c] them, and a voice from the cloud said:

This is My beloved Son.
I take delight in Him.
Listen to Him!(E)

When the disciples(F) heard it, they fell facedown and were terrified.

Then Jesus came up, touched them, and said, “Get up; don’t be afraid.”(G) When they looked up they saw no one except Him[d]—Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them,(H) “Don’t tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised[e] from the dead.”

10 So the disciples questioned Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”(I)

11 “Elijah is coming[f] and will restore everything,” He replied.[g](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.”[h](K) 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them about John the Baptist.

The Power of Faith 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[i] and suffers severely. 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 rebellious[j] 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,[k] and it[l] came out of him,(O) and from that moment[m] 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[n] told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of[o] a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.(P) Nothing will be impossible for you.(Q) [21 However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.][p]

The Second Prediction of His Death

22 As(R) they were meeting[q] 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 double-drachma tax[r] approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your Teacher pay the double-drachma tax?”(S)

25 “Yes,” he said.

When he went into the house, Jesus spoke to him first,[s] “What do you think, Simon? Who do earthly kings collect tariffs or taxes from? From their sons or from strangers?”[t](T)

26 “From strangers,” he said.[u]

“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.[v] Take it and give it to them for Me and you.”(U)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:2 Or transfigured
  2. Matthew 17:4 Other mss read wish, let’s make
  3. Matthew 17:5 Or enveloped; Ex 40:34-35
  4. Matthew 17:8 Other mss omit Him
  5. Matthew 17:9 Other mss read Man has risen
  6. Matthew 17:11 Other mss add first
  7. Matthew 17:11 Other mss read Jesus said to them
  8. Matthew 17:12 Lit suffer by them
  9. Matthew 17:15 Lit he is moonstruck; thought to be a form of epilepsy
  10. Matthew 17:17 Or corrupt, or perverted, or twisted; Dt 32:5
  11. Matthew 17:18 Lit rebuked him or it
  12. Matthew 17:18 Lit the demon
  13. Matthew 17:18 Lit hour
  14. Matthew 17:20 Other mss read your unbelief,” Jesus
  15. Matthew 17:20 Lit faith like
  16. Matthew 17:21 Other mss omit bracketed text; Mk 9:29
  17. Matthew 17:22 Other mss read were staying
  18. Matthew 17:24 Jewish men paid this tax to support the temple; Ex 30:11-16. A double-drachma could purchase 2 sheep.
  19. Matthew 17:25 Lit Jesus anticipated him by saying
  20. Matthew 17:25 Or foreigners
  21. Matthew 17:26 Other mss read Peter said to Him
  22. Matthew 17:27 Gk stater, worth 2 double-drachmas