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Three Disciples See Jesus Transformed, And Hear God Tell Them To Listen To Jesus

17 And after six days, Jesus takes-along Peter and James and John his brother, and brings them up on a high mountain privately. And He was transfigured[a] in front of them. And His face shined like the sun, and His garments became white as the light. And behold— Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. And having responded, Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If You wish, I will make three dwellings[b] here— one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”. While he was still speaking, behold— a bright[c] cloud overshadowed[d] them. And behold— a voice out of the cloud saying “This is My beloved Son, with Whom I was[e] well-pleased. Be listening-to Him”. And having heard it, the disciples fell on their face and became extremely afraid. And Jesus came to them, and having touched them, said, “Arise, and do not be afraid”. And having lifted up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.

Jesus Tells The Three Disciples That John The Baptist Was Elijah

And while they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the sight[f] to no one until which time the Son of Man is raised from the dead”. 10 And the disciples questioned Him, saying, “Why[g] then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 And the One, having responded, said, “Elijah is coming[h] and will restore all things 12 but I say to you that Elijah already came. And they did not recognize him, but did with[i] him whatever they wanted. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer by them”. 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them about John the Baptist.

Jesus Heals a Boy His Disciples Could Not Heal Because of Their Little Faith

14 And they having come to the crowd, a man came to Him, kneeling-before Him, 15 and saying, “Master, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and is suffering badly. 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 cure him”. 17 But having responded, Jesus said, “O unbelieving[j] and perverted generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear-with you? Bring him here to Me”. 18 And Jesus rebuked it, and the demon departed from him, and the boy was cured from that hour. 19 Then the disciples, having come to Jesus privately, said, “For what reason were we not able to cast it out?” 20 And the One says to them, “Because of your little-faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a seed[k] of a mustard-plant, you will say to this mountain, ‘Pass from-here to-there’, and it will pass. And nothing will be impossible for you. 21 [l]

Jesus Again Predicts His Death And Resurrection

22 And while they were being gathered[m] in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be handed-over into the hands of men. 23 And they will kill Him. And He will be raised on the third day”. And they were extremely grieved.

Jesus Pays His Temple Tax With a Coin From a Fish He Sent Peter To Catch

24 And they having come to Capernaum, the ones[n] taking the double-drachmas[o] came to Peter and said, “Does not your teacher pay the double-drachmas?” 25 He says, “Yes”. And Peter having come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What seems right to you, Simon— from whom do the kings of the earth take taxes[p] or a poll-tax[q], from their sons[r] or from the strangers?” 26 And Peter having said “From the strangers”, Jesus said to him, “Then indeed, the sons[s] are free! 27 But in order that we may not offend[t] them— having gone to the sea, cast a hook. And take the first fish having come up. And having opened its mouth, you will find a stater[u]. Having taken that, give it to them for Me and you”.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:2 Or, transformed.
  2. Matthew 17:4 Or, tents, tabernacles.
  3. Matthew 17:5 Or, full of light.
  4. Matthew 17:5 Or, covered, hovered over.
  5. Matthew 17:5 Or, am well pleased. See 3:17.
  6. Matthew 17:9 Or, vision, what was seen.
  7. Matthew 17:10 That is, since you are the Messiah, where is Elijah, whom Mal 4:5 says comes before You?
  8. Matthew 17:11 coming... came. Jesus may mean Elijah is coming in the future, but already came in John the Baptist; there are two comings of Elijah, just as with the Messiah. Or, the scribes rightly teach that Elijah is coming, but in fact he has already come in John; just as Jesus was not what the Jews expected, so with Elijah. Compare Mk 9:12.
  9. Matthew 17:12 Lit, in, in connection with, in his case.
  10. Matthew 17:17 Or, faithless.
  11. Matthew 17:20 That is, the tiniest amount, since it is God that does the work. But their ‘little faith’ did not issue in them using any at all on this occasion.
  12. Matthew 17:21 Some manuscripts add as v 21, But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
  13. Matthew 17:22 Or, gathering-themselves.
  14. Matthew 17:24 These are Jews commissioned by the Temple, not the hated ‘tax collectors’.
  15. Matthew 17:24 This was the yearly half-shekel (equivalent to two drachmas, the silver double-drachma coin) temple tax required of all male Jews 20 to 50 years old throughout the world. One Greek drachma was equivalent to one Roman denarius (one day’s wage).
  16. Matthew 17:25 That is, local taxes.
  17. Matthew 17:25 That is, a tax paid to the Emperor, based on a census.
  18. Matthew 17:25 Does the king’s family pay taxes, or the families of his subjects?
  19. Matthew 17:26 That is, the sons of the Father, Jesus and the disciples, are exempt from their Father’s temple tax.
  20. Matthew 17:27 Or, cause them to fall.
  21. Matthew 17:27 This Greek silver coin was worth four drachmas, enough for both of them.

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.

17 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?

25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.