Matthew 17
New Testament for Everyone
The transfiguration
17 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and James’s brother John, and led them off up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transformed in front of them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3 Then, astonishingly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them. They were talking with Jesus.
4 Peter just had to say something. “Master,” he said to Jesus, “it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters here—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah!”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Then there came a voice out of the cloud. “This is my dear son,” said the voice, “and I’m delighted with him. Pay attention to him.”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were scared out of their wits. 7 Jesus came up and touched them.
“Get up,” he said, “and don’t be afraid.”
8 When they raised their eyes, they saw nobody except Jesus, all by himself.
The question about Elijah
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them strict instructions. “Don’t tell anyone about the vision,” he said, “until the son of man has been raised from the dead.”
10 “So why,” asked the disciples, “do the scribes say that ‘Elijah must come first’?”
11 “Elijah does indeed come,” replied Jesus, “and ‘he will restore everything.’ 12 But let me tell you this: Elijah has already come, and they didn’t recognize him! They did to him whatever they wanted. That’s how the son of man, too, will suffer at their hands.”
13 Then the disciples realized that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
Faith that moves mountains
14 When they came near the crowd, a man approached and knelt in front of him.
15 “Master,” he said, “take pity on my son! He suffers from awful fits which are frightful for him. He often falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t cure him.”
17 “You unbelieving and twisted generation!” responded Jesus. “How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.”
18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him. The boy was cured from that moment.
19 The disciples came to Jesus in private. “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” they asked.
20 “Because of your lack of faith,” Jesus replied. “I’m telling you the truth: if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
The Temple tax
22 As they regathered in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The son of man is going to be given over into human hands. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they were very sad.
24 They came to Capernaum, where the officials who collected the Temple tax approached Peter.
“Your teacher pays the Temple tax, doesn’t he?” they asked.
25 “Yes,” he replied.
When he came into the house, Jesus spoke first, “What d’you think, Simon? When the kings of the world collect taxes or duties, who do they collect them from? From their own families, or from outsiders?”
26 “From outsiders,” he replied.
“Well then,” said Jesus, “that means the families are free. 27 But we don’t want to give them offense, do we? So why don’t you go down to the sea and cast out a hook? The first fish you catch, open its mouth and you’ll find a coin. Take that and give it to them for the two of us.”
Mattityahu 17
Orthodox Jewish Bible
17 And after shisha yamim (six days), Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach took Kefa, Yaakov and Yochanan his brother; he brings them up to a high mountain in yechidus.
2 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was transfigured before them, and Moshiach’s face shone like the shemesh (sun), and his garments became brilliant like the ohr.
3 And hinei! There appeared before them Moshe Rabbenu and Eliyahu HaNavi conferring with Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.
4 And Kefa said in reply to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Adoni, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make shalosh sukkot here: one for you, and one for Moshe Rabbenu, and one for Eliyahu HaNavi.
5 While he was speaking, hinei! A brightly shining anan (cloud) overshadowed them, and hinei! A bat kol (a voice from heaven) out of the anan was saying, This is My Ben ahuvi (beloved Son) with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him.
6 And having heard this, the talmidim fell on their faces and were filled with pachad.
7 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach came to them, and touched them, and said, Arise, and do not be afraid.
8 And lifting their eyes, they saw no one except only Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach himself, alone.
9 And as Moshiach’s talmidim were coming down from the mountain, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach gave them this directive saying, Tell the mareh (vision) to no one until the Ben HaAdam [Moshiach] has undergone the Techiyas HaMoshiach.
10 And Moshiach’s talmidim asked him, saying, Why then do the Sofrim say that it is necessary for Eliyahu HaNavi to come first?
11 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said in reply, Eliyahu HaNavi does indeed have his coming and will restore all things.
12 But I say to you, that Eliyahu has come already, and they did not have daas of him, but did to him whatever they willed [Mt 6:10]. So also the Ben HaAdam [Moshiach] is about to suffer by them.
13 Then the Moshiach’s talmidim had binah that he spoke to them about Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva.
14 And when they came to the multitude, a man came up to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, falling down before him.
15 And the man said, Adoni, grant rachamim (mercy) on this ben (son) of mine, for he is an epileptic, and suffers horribly; for often he falls into the eish, and often into the mayim.
16 And I brought him to your talmidim, and they could not give him refuah.
17 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said in reply, O perverted generation without emunah, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to me.
18 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach rebuked it, and the shed came out of him, and the bocher received his refuah that hour.
19 Then the talmidim came to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach in a yechidus (private meeting with the Rebbe), and said, Why were we not able to cast it out?
20 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, On account of your little emunah, for, omein, I say to you, if you have emunah as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Move from here, and it shall be moved; and nothing shall be impossible for you.
21 But this kind [i.e., kind of mazikim (malicious spirits)] do not come out except by tefillah and tzom.
22 And as they were gathering together in the Galil, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, The Ben HaAdam [Moshiach] is about to be handed over, even betrayed, into the hands of Bnei Adam.
23 And they will kill him, and Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach will have a histalkus (passing) and will undergo the Techiyas HaMoshiach on the Yom HaShlishi. And Moshiach’s talmidim were deeply moved with agmat nefesh (grief).
24 And when they had come to Kfar-Nachum, those who collected the two drachma tax approached Kefa, and said, Does your rebbe not pay the two drachma tax?
25 Kefa said, Ken. And when Kefa came into the bais (house), Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach anticipated Kefa with this question, What think you, Shimon? From whom do the melechei haaretz (kings of the earth) collect customs or poll tax, from their banim (sons) or from zarim (strangers)?
26 And upon Kefa’s saying, From zarim, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to Kefa, Veha raya (consequently), the banim are patur (exempt, free).
27 But, lest we give them offense, go to the yam (sea), and cast in a hook, and take the first dag (fish) that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a stater (coin). Take that and give it to them for you and for me.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
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