Matthew 17

₁Six days later Jesus took with him Peter and the brothers James and John and led them up a high mountain where they were alone. ₂As they looked on, a change came over Jesus: his face was shining like the sun, and his clothes were dazzling white. ₃Then the three disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. ₄So Peter spoke up and said to Jesus, “Lord, how good it is that we are here! If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

₅While he was talking, a shining cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased — listen to him!”

₆When the disciples heard the voice, they were so terrified that they threw themselves face downwards on the ground. ₇Jesus came to them and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don't be afraid!” ₈So they looked up and saw no one there but Jesus.

₉As they came down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Don't tell anyone about this vision you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from death.”

₁₀Then the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?”

₁₁“Elijah is indeed coming first,” answered Jesus, “and he will get everything ready. ₁₂But I tell you that Elijah has already come and people did not recognize him, but treated him just as they pleased. In the same way they will also ill-treat the Son of Man.”

₁₃Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

₁₄When they returned to the crowd, a man came to Jesus, knelt before him, ₁₅and said, “Sir, have mercy on my son! He is an epileptic and has such terrible fits that he often falls in the fire or into water. ₁₆I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

₁₇Jesus answered, “How unbelieving and wrong you people are! How long must I stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here to me!” ₁₈Jesus gave a command to the demon, and it went out of the boy, and at that very moment he was healed.

₁₉Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked him, “Why couldn't we drive the demon out?”

₂₀“It was because you haven't enough faith,” answered Jesus. “I assure you that if you have faith as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this hill, ‘Go from here to there!’ and it will go. You could do anything!”

₂₂When the disciples all came together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be handed over to people ₂₃who will kill him; but three days later he will be raised to life.”

The disciples became very sad.

₂₄When Jesus and his disciples came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Does your teacher pay the temple tax?”

₂₅“Of course,” Peter answered.

When Peter went into the house, Jesus spoke up first, “Simon, what is your opinion? Who pays duties or taxes to the kings of this world? The citizens of the country or the foreigners?”

₂₆“The foreigners,” answered Peter.

“Well, then,” replied Jesus, “that means that the citizens don't have to pay. ₂₇But we don't want to offend these people. So go to the lake and drop in a line. Pull up the first fish you hook, and in its mouth you will find a coin worth enough for my temple tax and yours. Take it and pay them our taxes.”