Matthew
Chapter 17
Overview
Matthew 17 opens on a high mountain, where Peter, James, and John see Jesus transformed beside Moses and Elijah, two figures from Israel’s ancient past. A voice from a bright cloud tells them to listen to Jesus. After they come down, Jesus heals a suffering boy whom his disciples could not help, then challenges their small faith. He again warns that he will be killed and raised from the dead. Finally, a question about the Jewish Temple tax ends with a coin in a fish. Jesus is exempt from the tax, yet he pays it to avoid needless offense—showing how freedom can sometimes choose restraint.
1Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and James’s brother John with him. He led them up a high mountain, away from everyone else.
2There, Jesus was transformed in front of them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.
3Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared before them and began talking with Jesus.
4Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make three shelters here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them. A voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I dearly love. I am delighted with him. Listen to him!”
6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown and were terrified.
7Jesus came over, touched them, and said, “Get up. Do not be afraid.”
8When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9As they came down from the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Do not tell anyone what you saw until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
10The disciples asked Jesus, “Why, then, do the teachers of Jewish law say that Elijah must come first?”
11Jesus answered, “Elijah does come, and he will put everything back in order.
12Jesus continued, “But I tell you that Elijah has already come. People did not recognize him and did whatever they wanted to him. In the same way, they will also make the Son of Man suffer.”
13Then the disciples understood that Jesus was talking about John, the man who baptized people.
14When they reached the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him.
15The man said, “Lord, please have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into fire or water.
16The man continued, “I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
17Jesus answered, “You faithless and corrupt generation! How much longer will I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.”
18Jesus sternly commanded the demon, and it came out of the boy. From that moment, the boy was healed.
19Later, the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive the demon out?”
20Jesus told them, “Because your faith is so small. I tell you the truth: if you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
22While the disciples were gathering in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be handed over to other people.
23Jesus continued, “They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” The disciples became deeply sad.
24When they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma Temple tax approached Peter. They asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the two-drachma tax?”
25Peter answered, “Yes.” When Peter entered the house, Jesus spoke before Peter could say anything: “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect duties and taxes—from their own sons or from other people?”
26Peter answered, “From other people.” Jesus told him, “Then the sons are exempt.
27Jesus continued, “But we do not want to offend the collectors. Go to the lake and fish with a hook. Take the first fish you catch and open its mouth. You will find a coin worth four drachmas. Take it and give it to them to pay the tax for both you and me.”