Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
Matthew 17
The Transfiguration
After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves. He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And look—Moses and Elijah appeared to them, speaking with Jesus. 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.” While he was still speaking, look—a bright cloud overshadowed them, and look—a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown and were extremely afraid. Jesus came, touched them, and said, “Get up. Do not be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
Elijah and the Son of Man
As they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” The disciples asked him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He answered, “Elijah does come and will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they wanted. In the same way the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist.
A Boy Is Healed
When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus, knelt before him, and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” Jesus answered, “Faithless and twisted generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why could we not cast it out?” He told them, “Because of your little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Jesus Again Foretells His Death
As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is about to be handed over into human hands, and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they were deeply grieved.
The Temple Tax
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?” He said, “Yes.” When Peter entered the house, Jesus spoke first: “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes—from their own children or from others?” Peter answered, “From others.” Jesus said to him, “Then the children are free. But so that we do not cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. When you open its mouth, you will find a stater. Take it and give it to them for me and for you.”