Matthew 17

The Transfiguration

Mark 9:2–13; Luke 9:28–36; 2 Pet. 1:17, 18

17Now ^aafter six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; ²and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. ³And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. ⁴Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, ¹let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

^5bWhile he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ^c“This is My beloved Son, ^din whom I am well pleased. ^eHear Him!” ^6fAnd when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. ⁷But Jesus came and ^gtouched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” ⁸When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

⁹Now 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.”

¹⁰And His disciples asked Him, saying, ^h“Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

¹¹Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming ²first and will ⁱrestore all things. ^12jBut I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they ^kdid not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise ^lthe Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” ^13mThen the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.

Instruction About Faith

Mark 9:14–29; Luke 9:37–42

¹⁴ⁿAnd 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 ³an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

¹⁷Then Jesus answered and said, “O ⁴faithless and ^operverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” ¹⁸And Jesus ^prebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

¹⁹Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

²⁰So Jesus said to them, “Because of your ⁵unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, ^qif 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. ²¹⁶However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Instruction About Jesus’ Death

Mark 9:30–32; Luke 9:43–45

^22rNow while they were ⁷staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, ²³and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly ^ssorrowful.

Instruction About Taxes

^24tWhen they had come to ⁸Capernaum, those who received the ⁹temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”

²⁵He 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 ^ustrangers?”

²⁶Peter said to Him, “From strangers.”

Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. ²⁷Nevertheless, 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 ¹piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”