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

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. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

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.”

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)

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

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.