The Word Am I

The Gospel According to St. Matthew

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- Chapter 17 -

(Mark 9:1–13; Luke 9:28–36; 2 Peter 1:16–21)
1
After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
2
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
3
Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Jesus.
4
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You wish, I will put up three shelters (a)—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5
While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.(b) Listen to Him!”
6
When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown in terror.
7
Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Do not be afraid.”
8
And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
10
The disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
11
Jesus replied, “Elijah does indeed come, and he will restore all things.
12
But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.”
13
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)
14
When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt before Him.
15
“Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.
16
I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
17
“O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.”
18
Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.

The Power of Faith

(Luke 17:5–10)
19
Afterward the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20
“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”(c)
22
When they gathered together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.
23
They will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised to life.” And the disciples were deeply grieved.

The Temple Tax

24
After they had arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax (d) came to Peter and asked, “Does your Teacher pay the two drachmas?”
25
“Yes,” he answered. When Peter entered the house, Jesus preempted him. “What do you think, Simon?” He asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs and taxes: from their own sons, or from others?”
26
“From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus declared.
27
“But so that we may not offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin.(e) Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.”

Footnotes

(a)17:4 Or three tabernacles
(b)17:5 Cited in 2 Peter 1:17
(c)17:20 BYZ and TR include 21 But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting; see Mark 9:29.
(d)17:24 Greek the didrachma; twice in this verse
(e)17:27 Greek a stater; that is, a silver coin worth approximately one shekel
(Mark 9:1–13; Luke 9:28–36; 2 Peter 1:16–21)
1
After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.
2
He was changed (a) before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.
3
Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.
4
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.”
5
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.”
6
When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid.
7
Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.”
8
Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.
9
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.”
10
His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
11
Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things;
12
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.”
13
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)
14
When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying,
15
“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.
16
So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”
17
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.”
18
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)
19
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?”
20
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)
21
But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.” (b)
22
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,
23
and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up.” They were exceedingly sorry.

The Temple Tax

24
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?”
25
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?”
26
Peter said to him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt.
27
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.
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