Gospel according to Matthew 17

¹ Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone.

² There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light.

³ Suddenly Moses and Elijah[*a] appeared to them; they were talking with him.

⁴ Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’

⁵ He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’

⁶ When they heard this the disciples fell on their faces overcome with fear.

⁷ But Jesus came up and touched them. ‘Stand up,’ he said ‘do not be afraid.’

⁸ And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but only Jesus.

⁹ As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order, ‘Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead’.

¹⁰ And the disciples put this question to him, ‘Why do the scribes say then that Elijah has to come first?’

¹¹ ‘True;’ he replied ‘Elijah is to come to see that everything is once more as it should be;

¹² however, I tell you that Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him but treated him as they pleased; and the Son of Man will suffer similarly at their hands.’

¹³ The disciples understood then that he had been speaking of John the Baptist.

¹⁴ As they were rejoining the crowd a man came up to him and went down on his knees before him.

¹⁵ ‘Lord,’ he said ‘take pity on my son: he is a lunatic and in a wretched state; he is always falling into the fire or into the water.

¹⁶ I took him to your disciples and they were unable to cure him.’

¹⁷ ‘Faithless and perverse generation!’ Jesus said in reply ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’

¹⁸ And when Jesus rebuked it the devil came out of the boy who was cured from that moment.

¹⁹ Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out? they asked.

²⁰ He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there”, and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.’

²² One day when they were together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men;

²³ they will put him to death, and on the third day he will be raised to life again’. And a great sadness came over them.

²⁴ When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the half shekel[*b] came to Peter and said, ‘Does your master not pay the half-shekel?’

²⁵ ‘Oh yes’ he replied, and went into the house. But before he could speak, Jesus said, ‘Simon, what is your opinion? From whom do the kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from foreigners?’

²⁶ And when he replied, ‘From foreigners’, Jesus said, ‘Well then, the sons are exempt.

²⁷ However, so as not to offend these people, go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that bites, open its mouth and there you will find a shekel; take it and give it to them for me and for you.’