The Father Glorifies His Son
On the mountain his face shines and his Father's voice from the cloud says to listen to him. At the bottom a father's tormented boy is waiting and the disciples have failed. Jesus heals him, names their small faith, and again says he will be handed over.
17 1Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain alone. 2He was transfigured before them: his face shone like the sun, his clothes turned white as light. 3Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. 4Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it's good we're here. If you want, I'll build three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son; I delight in him. Listen to him."
6When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
7But Jesus came and touched them, "Rise, and do not be afraid."
8When they looked up, they saw only Jesus.
9Descending the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead."
10The disciples asked him, "Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
11He answered, "Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. 12But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they didn't recognize him, but treated him as they pleased. So too the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands."
13Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Tormented Boy
14And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him, kneeling before him, 15and saying, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and suffers terribly, often falling into fire, often into water. 16And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him."
17Jesus answered, "Unfaithful, twisted generation! How long must I remain with you, how long put up with you? Bring him here to me."
18And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.
19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"
20He said to them, "Because your faith is small. Truly I tell you: with faith like a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." a a v20 The earliest manuscripts do not have a verse 21 here; later copies add: "But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
22While gathering in Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is about to be handed over to men, 23they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised." They were deeply grieved.
The Temple Tax
24Arriving in Capernaum, the temple tax collectors approached Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"
25He said, "Yes." When he entered the house, Jesus spoke first: "What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes—from their own sons, or from others?" b b 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.
26And when Peter said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free."
27"But so we don't offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you'll find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you."
