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17
1 Six days later Jesus took Peter, James and his brother John, with him and they went up a high mountain to be by themselves. 2 He was transformed in front of them. His face shone like the sun. His clothes turned white as light. 3 Then suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking together with Jesus.
4 Peter spoke up, saying to Jesus, “Lord, it's really good to be here. If you want I'll make three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my son whom I love, who pleases me. Listen to him.” 6 When they heard this, the disciples fell down on their faces, absolutely terrified. 7 Jesus went over to them and touched them. “Get up,” he told them. “Don't be afraid.” 8 When they looked up they didn't see anybody there except Jesus.
9 As they descended the mountain Jesus gave them strict instructions. “Don't tell anybody what you saw until the Son of man has risen from the dead,” he told them.
10 “So why do the religious teachers say that Elijah has to come first?” his disciples asked.
11 “It's true that Elijah comes to put everything in place,” Jesus replied, 12 “but I tell you that Elijah has already come and yet people didn't recognize who he was. They did whatever they felt like to him. In the same way the Son of man will also suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples realized that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.
14 When they approached the crowd, a man came to Jesus, and kneeled before him. 15 “Lord, please have mercy on my son,” he said. “He loses his mind* Literally, “moonstruck.” This parallels the English term “lunatic” from the Latin “lunaticus.” and suffers such terrible fits that he often falls in the fire or into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples but they couldn't heal him.”
17 “You people† Literally, “generation.” refuse to trust me, and are so corrupt!” Jesus responded. “How long do I have to remain here with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring him here to me!” 18 Jesus confronted the demon and it left the boy, and he was healed straight away.
19 Later the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked him, “Why couldn't we drive it out?”
20 “Because you don't trust enough,” Jesus told them. “I tell you, even if your trust was as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible for you.” 21 ‡ Verse 21 is not in the earliest manuscripts.
22 As they were walking together through Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of man is going to be betrayed and people will have power§ Literally, “betrayed into the hands of men.” over him. 23 They will kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.” The disciples were filled with sadness.
24 When they arrived at Capernaum, those who were in charge of collecting the half-shekel Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Your teacher does pay the half-shekel tax, doesn't he?”
25 “Yes, of course,” Peter replied.
When he returned to where they were staying, Jesus anticipated the issue. “What do you think, Simon?” Jesus asked him. “Do the kings of this world collect their taxes and duties from their own sons or from others?”
26 “From others,” Peter replied. So Jesus told him, “In that case the sons are exempt. 27 But to avoid giving offense to anyone, go to the lake, and throw out a fishing line with a hook. Pull in the first fish you catch, and when you open its mouth there you'll find a stater coin.* Worth one shekel. The Temple tax of the time was half a shekel per person. Take the coin and give it to them for both me and you.”

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*17:15 Literally, “moonstruck.” This parallels the English term “lunatic” from the Latin “lunaticus.”

†17:17 Literally, “generation.”

‡17:21 Verse 21 is not in the earliest manuscripts.

§17:22 Literally, “betrayed into the hands of men.”

*17:27 Worth one shekel. The Temple tax of the time was half a shekel per person.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher