Matthew 17
17
Moses and Elijah Appear with Jesus
(Mark 9:2–13; Luke 9:28–36)
1After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John (the brother of James) and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone.
2Jesus’ appearance changed in front of them. His face became as bright as the sun and his clothes as white as light. 3Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them and were talking with Jesus.
4Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it’s good that we’re here. If you want, I’ll put up three tents here—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5He was still speaking when a bright cloud overshadowed them. Then a voice came out of the cloud and said, “This is my Son, whom I love and with whom I am pleased. Listen to him!”
6The disciples were terrified when they heard this and fell facedown on the ground. 7But Jesus touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid!” 8As they raised their heads, they saw no one but Jesus.
9On their way down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen. Wait until the Son of Man has been brought back to life.”
10So the disciples asked him, “Why do the experts in Moses’ Teachings say that Elijah must come first?”
11Jesus answered, “Elijah is coming and will put everything in order again. 12Actually, I can guarantee that Elijah has already come. Yet, people treated him as they pleased because they didn’t recognize him. In the same way they’re going to make the Son of Man suffer.”
13Then the disciples understood that he was talking about John the Baptizer.
Jesus Cures a Demon-Possessed Boy
(Mark 9:14–29; Luke 9:37–43a)
14When they came to a crowd, a man came up to Jesus, knelt in front of him, 15and said, “Sir, have mercy on my son. He suffers from seizures. Often he falls into fire or water. 16I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t cure him.”
17Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and corrupt generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!”
18Jesus ordered the demon to come out of the boy. At that moment the boy was cured.
19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we force the demon out of the boy?”
20He told them, “Because you have so little faith. I can guarantee this truth: If your faith is the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” #17:20 Some manuscripts and translations add verse 21: “However, this kind ⌞of demon⌟ goes away only by prayer and fasting.”
Jesus Again Foretells That He Will Die and Come Back to Life
(Mark 9:30–32; Luke 9:43b–45)
22While they were traveling together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over to people. 23They will kill him, but on the third day he will be brought back to life.” Then the disciples became very sad.
Paying the Temple Tax
24When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter. They asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
25“Certainly,” he answered.
Peter went into the house. Before he could speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the world collect fees or taxes? Is it from their family members or from other people?”
26“From other people,” Peter answered.
Jesus said to him, “Then the family members are exempt. 27However, so that we don’t create a scandal, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that you catch. Open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Give that coin to them for you and me.”
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Matthew 17
17
Sunlight Poured from His Face
1-3Six days later, three of them saw that glory. Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light. Then they realized that Moses and Elijah were also there in deep conversation with him.
4Peter broke in, “Master, this is a great moment! What would you think if I built three memorials here on the mountain—one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah?”
5While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: “This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him.”
6-8When the disciples heard it, they fell flat on their faces, scared to death. But Jesus came over and touched them. “Don’t be afraid.” When they opened their eyes and looked around all they saw was Jesus, only Jesus.
9Coming down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy. “Don’t breathe a word of what you’ve seen. After the Son of Man is raised from the dead, you are free to talk.”
10The disciples, meanwhile, were asking questions. “Why do the religion scholars say that Elijah has to come first?”
11-13Jesus answered, “Elijah does come and get everything ready. I’m telling you, Elijah has already come but they didn’t know him when they saw him. They treated him like dirt, the same way they are about to treat the Son of Man.” That’s when the disciples realized that all along he had been talking about John the Baptizer.
With a Mere Kernel of Faith
14-16At the bottom of the mountain, they were met by a crowd of waiting people. As they approached, a man came out of the crowd and fell to his knees begging, “Master, have mercy on my son. He goes out of his mind and suffers terribly, falling into seizures. Frequently he is pitched into the fire, other times into the river. I brought him to your disciples, but they could do nothing for him.”
17-18Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here.” He ordered the afflicting demon out—and it was out, gone. From that moment on the boy was well.
19When the disciples had Jesus off to themselves, they asked, “Why couldn’t we throw it out?”
20“Because you’re not yet taking God seriously,” said Jesus. “The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.”
22-23As they were regrouping in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed to some people who want nothing to do with God. They will murder him—and three days later he will be raised alive.” The disciples felt scared to death.
* * *
24When they arrived at Capernaum, the tax men came to Peter and asked, “Does your teacher pay taxes?”
25Peter said, “Of course.”
But as soon as they were in the house, Jesus confronted him. “Simon, what do you think? When a king levies taxes, who pays—his children or his subjects?”
26-27He answered, “His subjects.”
Jesus said, “Then the children get off free, right? But so we don’t upset them needlessly, go down to the lake, cast a hook, and pull in the first fish that bites. Open its mouth and you’ll find a coin. Take it and give it to the tax men. It will be enough for both of us.”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.