Jesus Transfigured on the Mount(A)

17 Now (B)after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, [a]let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

(C)While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, (D)“This is My beloved Son, (E)in whom I am well pleased. (F)Hear Him!” (G)And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and (H)touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

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, (I)“Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

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

A Boy Is Healed(O)

14 (P)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 [c]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 [d]faithless and (Q)perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus (R)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 [e]unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, (S)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 [f]However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Jesus Again Predicts His Death and Resurrection(T)

22 (U)Now while they were [g]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 (V)sorrowful.

Peter and His Master Pay Their Taxes

24 (W)When they had come to [h]Capernaum, those who received the [i]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 (X)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 [j]piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:4 NU I will make
  2. Matthew 17:11 NU omits first
  3. Matthew 17:15 Lit. moonstruck
  4. Matthew 17:17 unbelieving
  5. Matthew 17:20 NU little faith
  6. Matthew 17:21 NU omits v. 21.
  7. Matthew 17:22 NU gathering together
  8. Matthew 17:24 NU Capharnaum, here and elsewhere
  9. Matthew 17:24 Lit. double drachma
  10. Matthew 17:27 Gr. stater, the exact temple tax for two

The Transfiguration

17 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John the brother of James, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.(A) And His appearance changed dramatically in their presence; and His face shone [with heavenly glory, clear and bright] like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus. Then Peter began to speak and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good and delightful and auspicious that we are here; if You wish, I will put up three [sacred] tents here—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and [a]a voice from the cloud said, “[b]This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased and delighted! Listen to Him!”(B) When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.

And as they were going down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 10 The disciples asked Him, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; 12 but I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not recognize him, but did to him as they wished. The Son of Man is also going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.(C)

The Demoniac

14 When they approached the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, kneeling before Him and saying,(D) 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic (moonstruck) and suffers terribly; for he often 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, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed at once.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why could we not drive it out?” 20 He answered, “Because of your little faith [your lack of trust and confidence in the power of God]; for I assure you and most solemnly say to you, [c]if you have [living] faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and [if it is God’s will] it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.(E) 21 [d][But this kind of demon does not go out except by prayer and fasting.]”

22 When they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed and handed over to men [who are His enemies]; 23 and they will kill Him, and He will be raised [from death to life] on the third day.” And they were deeply grieved and distressed.

The Tribute Money

24 When they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the [e]half-shekel [temple tax] went up to Peter and said, “Does not your teacher pay the half-shekel?”(F) 25 Peter answered, “Yes.” And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly rulers collect duties or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” 26 When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt [from taxation]. 27 However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take it and give it to them [to pay the temple tax] for you and Me.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:5 See note 3:17.
  2. Matthew 17:5 The Father’s words were a reminder that Jesus is unique, not to be equated with Moses and Elijah. He alone is the Son. The focus is on Him.
  3. Matthew 17:20 Jesus used this moment to emphasize to the disciples that a person’s confident, abiding faith combined with God’s power can produce absolutely amazing results, if the request is in harmony with God’s will. God is fully capable of doing that which man regards as impossible (Mark 14:36; James 4:3).
  4. Matthew 17:21 Early mss do not contain this verse.
  5. Matthew 17:24 Equivalent to two denarii or two days’ wages.

Two Witnesses and a Voice from Heaven

17 After six days, Yeshua takes with Him Peter and Jacob and John his brother, and brings them up a high mountain by themselves. Now He was transfigured before them; His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Yeshua. Peter responded to Yeshua, “Master, it’s good for us to be here! If You wish, I will make three sukkot here—one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”[a]

While He was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice from out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”[b]

When the disciples heard this, they fell face down, terrified. But Yeshua came and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Stop being afraid.” And lifting their eyes, they saw no one except Yeshua alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Yeshua commanded them, saying, “Do not tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”

10 The disciples questioned Him, saying, “Why then do the Torah scholars say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Yeshua replied, “Indeed, Elijah is coming and will restore all things. [c] 12 I tell you that Elijah already came; and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted. In the same way, the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He was speaking to them about John the Immerser.

See What Faith Can Do

14 When they came to the crowd, a man came to Yeshua, falling on his knees before Him and saying, 15 “Master, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and suffers badly. For he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 I brought him to Your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

17 And answering, Yeshua said, “O faithless and twisted generation![d] How long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 Yeshua rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed from that very hour.

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

20 And He said to them, “Because you trust so little. Amen, I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (21 )[e]

Second Prediction: Death and Resurrection

22 Now while they were gathering in the Galilee, Yeshua said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men; 23 and they will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised.” And the disciples became greatly distressed.

24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the Temple tax,[f] doesn’t He?”

25 “Yes,” Peter said.

Now when Peter came into the house, Yeshua spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? The kings of the earth, from whom do they collect tolls or tax? From their sons or from strangers?”

26 After Peter said, “From strangers,” Yeshua said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 But so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw out a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. And when you open its mouth, you’ll find a coin.[g] Take that, and give it to them, for Me and you.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:4 cf. Exod. 40:34.
  2. Matthew 17:5 cf. Ps. 2:7; Prov. 30:4; Isa. 9:5(6); Deut. 18:15.
  3. Matthew 17:12 cf. Mal. 3:23(4:5).
  4. Matthew 17:17 cf. Deut. 32:5.
  5. Matthew 17:21 Most manuscripts omit verse 21: But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
  6. Matthew 17:24 Greek double drachma, Hebrew half-shekel; cf. Ex. 30:13; 38:26.
  7. Matthew 17:27 Lit. stater, a silver coin worth four drachmas or one shekel; the Temple Tax for two people.

The Transfiguration

17 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.

Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials[a]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.

Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus.

As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man[b] has been raised from the dead.”

10 Then his disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?[c]

11 Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.” 13 Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”

20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.[d]

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

22 After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. 23 He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

Payment of the Temple Tax

24 On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax[e] came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”

25 “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.

But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter?[f] Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?[g]

26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin.[h] Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

Footnotes

  1. 17:4 Greek three tabernacles.
  2. 17:9 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  3. 17:10 Greek that Elijah must come first?
  4. 17:20 Some manuscripts add verse 21, But this kind of demon won’t leave except by prayer and fasting. Compare Mark 9:29.
  5. 17:24 Greek the two-drachma [tax]; also in 17:24b. See Exod 30:13-16; Neh 10:32-33.
  6. 17:25a Greek Simon?
  7. 17:25b Greek their sons or others?
  8. 17:27 Greek a stater [a Greek coin equivalent to four drachmas].