The Transfiguration

1After six daysa Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.b 2He was transformedc in front of them, and His face shone like the sun. Even His clothes became as white as the light.d 3Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

4Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it’s good for us to be here! If You want, I will makee three •tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”f

5While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud coveredg them, and a voice from the cloud said:

This is My beloved Son.

I take delight in Him.

Listen to Him!h

6When the disciplesi heard it, they fell facedown and were terrified.

7Then Jesus came up, touched them, and said, “Get up; don’t be afraid.”j 8When they looked up they saw no one except Himk — Jesus alone. 9As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them,l “Don’t tell anyone about the vision until the •Son of Man is raisedm from the dead.”

10So the disciples questioned Him, “Why then do the •scribes say that Elijah must come first? ”n

11“Elijah is comingo and will restore everything,” He replied.p, q 12“But I tell you: Elijah has already come, and they didn’t recognize him. On the contrary, they did whatever they pleased to him. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”r,s 13Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them about John the Baptist.

The Power of Faith over a Demon

14When they reached the crowd,t a man approached and knelt down before Him. 15“Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son, because he has seizuresu and suffers severely. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16I brought him to Your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”v

17Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and rebelliousw generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.”x 18Then Jesus rebuked the demon,y and itz came out of him,aa and from that momentab the boy was healed.

19Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out? ”

20“Because of your little faith,” Heac told them. “For •I assure you: If you have faith the size ofad a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.ae Nothing will be impossible for you.af 21However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.”ag

The Second Prediction of His Death

22Asah they were meetingai in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23They will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.” And they were deeply distressed.

Paying the Temple Tax

24When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the double-drachma taxaj approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your Teacher pay the double-drachma tax? ”ak

25“Yes,” he said.

When he went into the house, Jesus spoke to him first,al “What do you think, Simon? Who do earthly kings collect tariffs or taxes from? From their sons or from strangers? ”am,an

26“From strangers,” he said.ao

“Then the sons are free,” Jesus told him. 27“But, so we won’t •offend them, go to the sea, cast in a fishhook, and take the first fish that you catch. When you open its mouth you’ll find a coin.ap Take it and give it to them for Me and you.”aq