The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 17 -

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

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

He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as brilliant as the light.

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

Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you desire, I will make here three shelters-one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, there was a voice 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 face and were very afraid.

Then Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up and do not be afraid.”

Then they looked up but saw no one except Jesus only.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Report this vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

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

Jesus answered and said, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things.

But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but they did not recognize him. Instead, they did whatever they wanted to him. In the same way, the Son of Man will also suffer at their hands.”

Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

The Boy with a Demon

(Mark 9:14–29; Luke 9:37–42)

When they had come to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said,

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

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

Jesus answered and said, “Unbelieving and corrupt generation, how long will I have to stay with you? How long must I bear with you? Bring him here to me.”

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

The Power of Faith

(Luke 17:5–10)

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

Jesus said to them, “Because of your small faith. For I truly say to you, if you have faith even as small as a grain of mustard seed, you can say to 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 of demon does not go out except with prayer and fasting.”

While they stayed in Galilee, Jesus said to his disciples, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of people,

and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up.” The disciples became very upset.

The Temple Tax

When they had come to Capernaum, the men who collected the half-shekel tax came to Peter and said, “Does not your teacher pay the half-shekel tax?”

He said, “Yes.” But when Peter went into the house, Jesus spoke to him first and said, “What do you think, Simon? The kings on earth, from whom do they receive tax or tribute? From their subjects or from foreigners?”

When Peter said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt from paying.

But so that we do not cause the tax collectors to sin, go to the sea, throw in a hook, and draw in the fish that comes up first. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take it and give it to the tax collectors for me and you.”

(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.