The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 17 -

(Mark 9:1–13; Luke 9:28–36; 2 Peter 1:16–21)

And after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart:

And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow.

And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him.

And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.

And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much afraid.

And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them, Arise, and fear not.

And they lifting up their eyes saw no one but only Jesus.

And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead.

And his disciples asked him, saying: Why then do the scribes say that Elias must come first?

But he answering, said to them: Elias indeed shall come, and restore all things.

But I say to you, that Elias is already come, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they had a mind. So also the Son of man shall suffer from them.

Then the disciples understood, that he had spoken to them of John the Baptist.

The Boy with a Demon

(Mark 9:14–29; Luke 9:37–42)

And when he was come to the multitude, there came to him a man falling down on his knees before him, saying: Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic, and suffereth much: for he falleth often into the fire, and often into the water.

And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

Then Jesus answered and said: O unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

And Jesus rebuked him, and the devil went out of him, and the child was cured from that hour.

Then came the disciples to Jesus secretly, and said: Why could not we cast him out?

The Power of Faith

(Luke 17:5–10)

Jesus said to them: Because of your unbelief. For, amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.

But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting.

The Second Prediction of the Passion

(Mark 9:30–32; Luke 9:43–45)

And when they abode together in Galilee, Jesus said to them: The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise again. And they were troubled exceedingly.

And when they were come to Capharnaum, they that received the didrachmas, came to Peter and said to him: Doth not your master pay the didrachmas?

The Temple Tax

He said: Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying: What is thy opinion, Simon? The kings of the earth, of whom do they receive tribute or custom? of their own children, or of strangers?

And he said: Of strangers. Jesus said to him: Then the children are free.

But that we may not scandalize them, go to the sea, and cast in a hook: and that fish which shall first come up, take: and when thou hast opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater: take that, and give it to them for me and thee.

(Mark 9:1–13; Luke 9:28–36; 2 Peter 1:16–21)

After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.

He was changed

(a)

before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.

Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.

Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid.

Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.”

Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things;

but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them.”

Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer.

The Boy with a Demon

(Mark 9:14–29; Luke 9:37–42)

When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying,

“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water.

So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.”

Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.

The Power of Faith

(Luke 17:5–10)

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?”

He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

The Second Prediction of the Passion

(Mark 9:30–32; Luke 9:43–45)

But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.” (b)

While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men,

and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up.” They were exceedingly sorry.

The Temple Tax

When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins(c) came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?”

He said, “Yes.” When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?”

Peter said to him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt.

But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. (d) Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”

Footnotes

(a)17:2 or, transfigured

(b)17:21 NU omits verse 21.

(c)17:24 A didrachma is a Greek silver coin worth 2 drachmas, about as much as 2 Roman denarii, or about 2 days’ wages. It was commonly used to pay the half-shekel temple tax, because 2 drachmas were worth one half shekel of silver. A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.

(d)17:27 A stater is a silver coin equivalent to four Attic or two Alexandrian drachmas, or a Jewish shekel: just exactly enough to cover the half-shekel temple tax for two people. A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, usually in the form of a silver coin.