Matthew 17:9-18:7

New King James Version

⁹ Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”

¹⁰ And His disciples asked Him, saying, ^(A)“Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

¹¹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming ^[a]first and will ^(B)restore all things. ^12 (C)But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they ^(D)did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise ^(E)the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” ^13 (F)Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

A Boy Is Healed^(G)

^14 (H)And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, ¹⁵ “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is ^[b]an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶ So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

¹⁷ Then Jesus answered and said, “O ^[c]faithless and ^(I)perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” ¹⁸ And Jesus ^(J)rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

²⁰ So Jesus said to them, “Because of your ^[d]unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, ^(K)if you have faith as 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. ^21 [e]However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection^(L)

^22 (M)Now while they were ^[f]staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, ²³ and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly ^(N)sorrowful.

Peter and His Master Pay Their Taxes

^24 (O)When they had come to ^[g]Capernaum, those who received the ^[h]temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”

²⁵ He said, “Yes.”

And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from ^(P)strangers?”

²⁶ Peter said to Him, “From strangers.”

Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. ²⁷ Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a ^[i]piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”

Who Is the Greatest?^(Q)

18 At ^(R)that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

² Then Jesus called a little ^(S)child to Him, set him in the midst of them, ³ and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, ^(T)unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. ^4 (U)Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ^5 (V)Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

Jesus Warns of Offenses^(W)

^6 (X)“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. ⁷ Woe to the world because of ^[j]offenses! For ^(Y)offenses must come, but ^(Z)woe to that man by whom the offense comes!