Matthew 17
Good News Translation
The Transfiguration(A)
17 Six days later Jesus took with him Peter and the brothers James and John and led them up a high mountain where they were alone. 2 As they looked on, a change came over Jesus: his face was shining like the sun, and his clothes were dazzling white. 3 Then the three disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. 4 So Peter spoke up and said to Jesus, “Lord, how good it is that we are here! If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 (B)While he was talking, a shining cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased—listen to him!”
6 When the disciples heard the voice, they were so terrified that they threw themselves face downward on the ground. 7 Jesus came to them and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don't be afraid!” 8 So they looked up and saw no one there but Jesus.
9 As they came down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Don't tell anyone about this vision you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from death.”
10 (C)Then the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?”
11 (D)“Elijah is indeed coming first,” answered Jesus, “and he will get everything ready. 12 (E)But I tell you that Elijah has already come and people did not recognize him, but treated him just as they pleased. In the same way they will also mistreat the Son of Man.”
13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon(F)
14 When they returned to the crowd, a man came to Jesus, knelt before him, 15 and said, “Sir, have mercy on my son! He is an epileptic and has such terrible attacks that he often falls in the fire or into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
17 Jesus answered, “How unbelieving and wrong you people are! How long must I stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here to me!” 18 Jesus gave a command to the demon, and it went out of the boy, and at that very moment he was healed.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked him, “Why couldn't we drive the demon out?”
20 (G)“It was because you do not have enough faith,” answered Jesus. “I assure you that if you have faith as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this hill, ‘Go from here to there!’ and it will go. You could do anything!” 21 [a]
Jesus Speaks Again about His Death(H)
22 When the disciples all came together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be handed over to those 23 who will kill him; but three days later he will be raised to life.”
The disciples became very sad.
Payment of the Temple Tax
24 (I)When Jesus and his disciples came to Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Does your teacher pay the Temple tax?”
25 “Of course,” Peter answered.
When Peter went into the house, Jesus spoke up first, “Simon, what is your opinion? Who pays duties or taxes to the kings of this world? The citizens of the country or the foreigners?”
26 “The foreigners,” answered Peter.
“Well, then,” replied Jesus, “that means that the citizens don't have to pay. 27 But we don't want to offend these people. So go to the lake and drop in a line. Pull up the first fish you hook, and in its mouth you will find a coin worth enough for my Temple tax and yours. Take it and pay them our taxes.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 17:21 Some manuscripts add verse 21: But only prayer and fasting can drive this kind out; nothing else can (see Mk 9.29).
Matthew 17
English Standard Version
The Transfiguration
17 (A)And after six days Jesus took with him (B)Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was (C)transfigured before them, and (D)his face shone like the sun, and (E)his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for (F)Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, (G)a bright cloud overshadowed them, and (H)a voice from the cloud said, (I)“This is my beloved Son,[a] with whom I am well pleased; (J)listen to him.” 6 When (K)the disciples heard this, (L)they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and (M)touched them, saying, “Rise, and (N)have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 (O)And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, (P)“Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say (Q)that first Elijah must come?” 11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and (R)he will restore all things. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but (S)did to him whatever they pleased. (T)So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” 13 (U)Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon
14 (V)And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has (W)seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and (X)they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and (Y)twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? (Z)How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus (AA)rebuked the demon,[b] and it[c] came out of him, and (AB)the boy was healed instantly.[d] 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, (AC)“Because of your little faith. For (AD)truly, I say to you, (AE)if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, (AF)you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and (AG)nothing will be impossible for you.”[e]
Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection
22 (AH)As they were gathering[f] in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on (AI)the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.
The Temple Tax
24 (AJ)When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of (AK)the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, (AL)“What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or (AM)tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel.[g] Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
Footnotes
- Matthew 17:5 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
- Matthew 17:18 Greek it
- Matthew 17:18 Greek the demon
- Matthew 17:18 Greek from that hour
- Matthew 17:20 Some manuscripts insert verse 21: But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting
- Matthew 17:22 Some manuscripts remained
- Matthew 17:27 Greek stater, a silver coin worth four drachmas or approximately one shekel
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
