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

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

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.