Matthew 17:1–13

The Transfiguration

17:1–8pp—Lk 9:28–36 17:1–13pp—Mk 9:2–13

17After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John^v the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ²There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. ³Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

⁴Peter 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.”

⁵While 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.^w Listen to him!”^x

⁶When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. ⁷But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”^{y 8}When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

⁹As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone^z what you have seen, until the Son of Man^a has been raised from the dead.”^b

¹⁰The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

¹¹Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.^{c 12}But I tell you, Elijah has already come,^d and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.^e In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer^f at their hands.” ¹³Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.^g