The Father Glorifies His Son
17 1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as the light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make three shelters here—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."
6 When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, "Rise, and do not be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw only Jesus.
9 As they came down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead."
10 The disciples asked him, "Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
11 He answered, "Elijah does come, and he will restore all things." 12 "But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will suffer at their hands." 13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Tormented Boy
14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him, kneeling before him, 15 and saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and suffers terribly. Often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him."
17 Jesus answered, "You faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me." 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"
20 He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." 21 a a v21 This verse is not in the earliest manuscripts; later copies add: “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised." And they were greatly distressed.
The Temple Tax
24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?" b b v24 The temple tax was a half-shekel paid yearly by every Jewish man to support the temple in Jerusalem. 25 He said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect tolls or taxes? From their own sons, or from others?" c c v25 Jesus' question points to a deeper truth: as the Son in his Father's house, he owes no tax there — the temple is his Father's, and he is the Son.
26 And when Peter said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free."
27 "However, so that we do not give them offense, go to the sea and cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. When you open its mouth you will find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and for yourself."