The Transfiguration

17 And after six days Jesus took along Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became bright as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. So Peter answered and[a] said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here! If you want, I will make here three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While[b] he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!” And when[c] the disciples heard this,[d] they fell down on their faces and were extremely frightened. And Jesus came and touched them and[e] said, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they[f] lifted up their eyes they saw no one except him—Jesus alone.

And as[g] they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them saying, “Tell no one the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 And he answered and[h] said, “Elijah indeed is coming, and will restore all things. 12 But I say to you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did with him whatever they wanted. In the same way also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

A Demon-possessed Boy Healed

14 And when they[i] came to the crowd, a man approached him, kneeling down before him 15 and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers severely, for often he falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they were not able to heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered and[j] said, “O unbelieving and perverse generation! How long[k] will I be with you? How long[l] must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!” 18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him and the boy was healed from that hour.

19 Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and[m] said, Why[n] were we not able to expel it?” 20 And he said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”[o]

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Second Time

22 Now as[p] they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men,[q] 23 and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they were extremely distressed.

Paying the Double Drachma Temple Tax

24 Now when[r] they arrived in Capernaum, the ones who collected the double drachma tax[s] came up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the double drachma tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he[t] came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect tolls or taxes—from their own sons, or from foreigners?” 26 And when he[u] said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 But so that we do not give offense to them, go out to the sea, cast a line with[v] a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. And when you[w] open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take that and[x] give it[y] to them for me and you.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:4 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  2. Matthew 17:5 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“speaking”)
  3. Matthew 17:6 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  4. Matthew 17:6 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  5. Matthew 17:7 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“touched”) has been translated as a finite verb
  6. Matthew 17:8 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“lifted up”) which is understood as temporal
  7. Matthew 17:9 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were coming down”)
  8. Matthew 17:11 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  9. Matthew 17:14 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“came”)
  10. Matthew 17:17 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  11. Matthew 17:17 Literally “until when”
  12. Matthew 17:17 Literally “until when”
  13. Matthew 17:19 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“approached”) has been translated as a finite verb
  14. Matthew 17:19 Literally “for what”
  15. Matthew 17:20 Most later Greek manuscripts add v. 21, “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
  16. Matthew 17:22 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were gathering”)
  17. Matthew 17:22 Or possibly “of people,” in a generic sense, although the reference here may be to the specific group responsible for Jesus’ arrest, where it is unlikely women were present
  18. Matthew 17:24 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“arrived”)
  19. Matthew 17:24 This refers to the half-shekel annual tax paid by Jewish males to support the temple; over time the name of the coin commonly used to pay the tax came to be used for the tax itself
  20. Matthew 17:25 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came”) which is understood as temporal
  21. Matthew 17:26 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“said”) which is understood as temporal
  22. Matthew 17:27 The words “a line with” are not in the Greek text but are implied
  23. Matthew 17:27 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“open”) which is understood as temporal
  24. Matthew 17:27 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“take”) has been translated as a finite verb
  25. Matthew 17:27 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

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 transfigured in front of them, and his face shone like the sun; 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 set up[a] three shelters here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”(D)

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

Jesus came up, touched them, and said, “Get up; don’t be afraid.”(G) When they looked up they saw no one except Jesus alone.

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

  1. 17:4 Other mss read Let’s make
  2. 17:5 Or enveloped; Ex 40:34–35
  3. 17:9 Other mss read Man has risen
  4. 17:11 Other mss add first
  5. 17:11 Other mss read Jesus said to them
  6. 17:15 Lit he is moonstruck; thought to be a form of epilepsy
  7. 17:18 Lit rebuked him, or it
  8. 17:18 Lit the demon
  9. 17:18 Lit hour
  10. 17:20 Other mss read your unbelief, Jesus
  11. 17:20 Lit faith like
  12. 17:20 Some mss include v. 21: “However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.”
  13. 17:22 Other mss read were staying
  14. 17:25 Lit Jesus anticipated him by saying
  15. 17:25 Or foreigners
  16. 17:26 Other mss read Peter said to him
  17. 17:27 Gk stater, worth 2 double-drachmas