AFTER SIX DAYS JESUS TOOK WITH HIM PETER, JAMES AND JOHN THE BROTHER OF JAMES, AND LED THEM UP A HIGH MOUNTAIN BY THEMSELVES.
MATTHEW 17:2
THERE HE WAS TRANSFIGURED BEFORE THEM. HIS FACE SHONE LIKE THE SUN, AND HIS CLOTHES BECAME AS WHITE AS THE LIGHT.
MATTHEW 17:3
JUST THEN THERE APPEARED BEFORE THEM MOSES AND ELIJAH, TALKING WITH JESUS.
MATTHEW 17:4
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.'
MATTHEW 17:5
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. LISTEN TO HIM!'
MATTHEW 17:6
WHEN THE DISCIPLES HEARD THIS, THEY FELL FACEDOWN TO THE GROUND, TERRIFIED.
MATTHEW 17:7
BUT JESUS CAME AND TOUCHED THEM. 'GET UP,' HE SAID. 'DON'T BE AFRAID.'
MATTHEW 17:8
WHEN THEY LOOKED UP, THEY SAW NO ONE EXCEPT JESUS.
MATTHEW 17:9
AS THEY WERE COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, JESUS INSTRUCTED THEM, 'DON'T TELL ANYONE WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN, UNTIL THE SON OF MAN HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD.'
MATTHEW 17:10
THE DISCIPLES ASKED HIM, 'WHY THEN DO THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW SAY THAT ELIJAH MUST COME FIRST?'
MATTHEW 17:11
JESUS REPLIED, 'TO BE SURE, ELIJAH COMES AND WILL RESTORE ALL THINGS.
MATTHEW 17:12
BUT I TELL YOU, ELIJAH HAS ALREADY COME, AND THEY DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM, BUT HAVE DONE TO HIM EVERYTHING THEY WISHED. IN THE SAME WAY THE SON OF MAN IS GOING TO SUFFER AT THEIR HANDS.'
MATTHEW 17:13
THEN THE DISCIPLES UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WAS TALKING TO THEM ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIST.
MATTHEW 17:14
WHEN THEY CAME TO THE CROWD, A MAN APPROACHED JESUS AND KNELT BEFORE HIM.
MATTHEW 17:15
LORD, HAVE MERCY ON MY SON,' HE SAID. 'HE HAS SEIZURES AND IS SUFFERING GREATLY. HE OFTEN FALLS INTO THE FIRE OR INTO THE WATER.
MATTHEW 17:16
I BROUGHT HIM TO YOUR DISCIPLES, BUT THEY COULD NOT HEAL HIM.'
MATTHEW 17:17
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.'
MATTHEW 17:18
JESUS REBUKED THE DEMON, AND IT CAME OUT OF THE BOY, AND HE WAS HEALED AT THAT MOMENT.
MATTHEW 17:19
THEN THE DISCIPLES CAME TO JESUS IN PRIVATE AND ASKED, 'WHY COULDN'T WE DRIVE IT OUT?'
MATTHEW 17:20
HE REPLIED, 'BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO LITTLE FAITH. TRULY I TELL YOU, IF YOU HAVE FAITH AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED, YOU CAN SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, 'MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE,' AND IT WILL MOVE. NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU.'
Matthew 17:21
MATTHEW 17:22
WHEN THEY CAME TOGETHER IN GALILEE, HE SAID TO THEM, 'THE SON OF MAN IS GOING TO BE DELIVERED INTO THE HANDS OF MEN.
MATTHEW 17:23
THEY WILL KILL HIM, AND ON THE THIRD DAY HE WILL BE RAISED TO LIFE.' AND THE DISCIPLES WERE FILLED WITH GRIEF.
MATTHEW 17:24
AFTER JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES ARRIVED IN CAPERNAUM, THE COLLECTORS OF THE TWO-DRACHMA TEMPLE TAX CAME TO PETER AND ASKED, 'DOESN'T YOUR TEACHER PAY THE TEMPLE TAX?'
MATTHEW 17:25
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--FROM THEIR OWN CHILDREN OR FROM OTHERS?'
MATTHEW 17:26
FROM OTHERS,' PETER ANSWERED. 'THEN THE CHILDREN ARE EXEMPT,' JESUS SAID TO HIM.
MATTHEW 17:27
But so that we may not cause offense, 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.'