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Matthew 17
EasyEnglish Bible

Three disciples see how great Jesus is

17 Six days after that, Jesus asked Peter and the two brothers, James and John, to go with him. Jesus led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 Peter, James and John saw Jesus change in front of them. He became different to look at. His face was bright like the sun. His clothes became very white and they shone. 3 Then Moses and Elijah appeared in front of the three disciples.[a][b] They were talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good that we are here. If you want, please let me build three huts. One hut will be for you. One hut will be for Moses and one hut will be for Elijah.’[c]

5 While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud appeared. It covered them all. A voice spoke from the cloud and it said, ‘This is my Son and I love him. He makes me very happy. Listen to him.’

6 The disciples heard the voice. They threw themselves down to the ground. They were very frightened. 7 But Jesus came to them and he touched them. ‘Stand up,’ he said. ‘Do not be afraid.’ 8 When they looked up, they could not see anyone else. Only Jesus was there with them.

9 While they were walking down the mountain, Jesus said to the three disciples, ‘You must not tell anyone now about the things that you have just seen. One day, the Son of Man will die and then he will become alive again. Then you can tell people about these things.’

10 Then the three disciples said to Jesus, ‘The teachers of God's Law say that God's prophet Elijah must return first, before the Messiah comes. Why do they say this?’

11 Jesus replied, ‘Yes, Elijah does come first. He gets everything ready. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come. People did not recognize him. They did to him all the things that they wanted to do. In the same way, they will also give me, the Son of Man, great pain.’ 13 Then the disciples understood that he was really talking about John the Baptist.

Jesus makes a boy well

14 Then Jesus, and the three disciples reached the place where the crowd was. A man came to Jesus. He went down on his knees in front of him. 15 He said to Jesus, ‘Please sir, be kind to my son. He cannot control his body. Sometimes he does not know what he is doing. Often he falls into the fire, or he falls into water. 16 I brought the boy to your disciples, but they could not make him well.’

17 Jesus replied, ‘You people today still do not believe in God. You have turned away from him. I have been with you for a long time and still you do not believe. It is difficult for me to be patient with you.’ Then Jesus said to the man, ‘Bring the boy here to me.’ 18 Jesus said to the bad spirit, ‘Stop!’ Then the bad spirit left the boy and immediately he became well again.

19 When the disciples were alone with Jesus, they asked him, ‘Why could we not make the bad spirit leave the boy?’

20 Jesus replied, ‘You could not do it because you do not trust God very much. I tell you this: You may believe in God only a little bit, like a very small seed. Even then, you could say to this mountain, “Go away from this place and move to that other place.” Then it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you to do.’[d] [21 Jesus then said, ‘This kind of spirit will not leave a person unless you pray and you do not eat for a time.’][e]

22 When Jesus and his disciples all met together in Galilee, he said, ‘Soon they will deliver the Son of Man to powerful people. 23 They will kill him. But three days after that, he will become alive again.’ When the disciples heard that, they were very sad.

24 After that, Jesus and his disciples arrived at Capernaum. Some men who received taxes for the temple went to talk to Peter. They asked him, ‘Does your teacher pay the tax for the temple?’[f]

25 Peter answered them, ‘Yes, my teacher does pay the tax.’

Then Peter returned to the house where Jesus was staying. Before Peter could say anything, Jesus spoke to him first. He said, ‘Here is a question for you to answer, Simon. Who are the people who must pay taxes and money to the kings in this world? Do the rulers take taxes from their own people? Or do they take taxes from other people?’

26 ‘They take the taxes from other people,’ Peter replied.

Jesus said to him, ‘This means that people from the ruler's own country do not need to pay anything.[g] 27 But we do not want to make these men who take the tax angry. So go to the lake and throw out a line to catch fish. Pull up the first fish that you catch on your line. Open the mouth of the fish and you will find a coin inside it. Take the coin and give it to those who receive taxes for the temple. This will be enough money for both my tax and yours.’

Footnotes

  1. 17:3 Moses had lived a long time ago. He was a leader of God's people. He brought them out of Egypt. He died about 1400 years before Jesus was born. We can read about Moses in Exodus.
  2. 17:3 Elijah was a prophet of God. He lived about 850 years before Jesus was born. He did not die. God took him up alive to heaven. We can read about him in 1 Kings.
  3. 17:4 Peter and his friends wanted to build the huts so that these three important people could stay with them longer. But God had not asked the disciples to build any huts. Many years before, Moses had given the people God's Law. Elijah was an important prophet of God. And Jesus was God's Son. Jesus was showing people something new. This was the kingdom of God.
  4. 17:20 The 12 disciples had forgotten that God had caused them to be powerful. They needed to ask God to help them before they could help someone else.
  5. 17:21 Some people think that Matthew did not write verse 21. They think that someone else wrote it later.
  6. 17:24 These men took a small silver coin as tax from everybody in the town. The priests used the money from this tax to keep the temple in good repair. The small silver coin was about two days' pay for a worker.
  7. 17:26 Jesus is telling Peter that he and the other disciples belong to God's family. So they did not need to pay tax for the temple.
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Matthew 17
Lexham English Bible

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. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became bright as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. 4 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.” 5 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!” 6 And when[c] the disciples heard this,[d] they fell down on their faces and were extremely frightened. 7 And Jesus came and touched them and[e] said, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8 And when they[f] lifted up their eyes they saw no one except him—Jesus alone.

9 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
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Matthew 17
New International Version

The Transfiguration(A)(B)

17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John(C) the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.(D) Listen to him!”(E)

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”(F) 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone(G) what you have seen, until the Son of Man(H) has been raised from the dead.”(I)

10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.(J) 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come,(K) and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.(L) In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer(M) at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.(N)

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy(O)

14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures(P) and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith(Q) as small as a mustard seed,(R) you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.(S) Nothing will be impossible for you.” [21] [a]

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

22 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man(T) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him,(U) and on the third day(V) he will be raised to life.”(W) And the disciples were filled with grief.

The Temple Tax

24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax(X) came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes(Y)—from their own children or from others?”

26 “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 “But so that we may not cause offense,(Z) go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:21 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 9:29.
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