Matthew
Six days after saying this, Jesus took with him Peter, James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
Before their eyes his appearance changed; his face shone like the sun, and his clothes
became as bright as light.
Right then Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
talking with Jesus.
Peter spoke up and said to Jesus, “lord, it is so good for us to be here. If you like, I will make three shelters — one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud came over
them and a voice came from the cloud: “This is My Son whom I love,
who pleases Me. Listen to him!”
On hearing this, the disciples were absolutely terrified and fell face down.
Jesus went over to them and touched them.
“Get up, and do not be afraid,” he said.
When they looked up, they saw
nobody there except Jesus by himself.
As they descended the mountain Jesus gave them strict instructions: “Do not tell anybody about the vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
The disciples asked, “So why then do the religious teachers say that Elijah has to come first?”
Jesus answered, “It is right to
expect Elijah to come and restore everything,
and I tell you that Elijah already came and people did not recognize him. They mistreated him in whatever way they wanted. In the same way the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.”
Then the disciples realized that Jesus was speaking to them
about John the Baptist.
When they came towards the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt
before him.
He pleaded, “lord, please have mercy on my son. He is demonically
influenced and suffers terribly because he often falls into the fire and into
water.
I brought him to your disciples but they could not heal him.”
Jesus responded, “You faithless and perverted society! How long do I have to remain with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring him here to me.”
Jesus commanded the demon and it left the boy, and he was healed right
away.
Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why could
we not cast it out?”
He said to them, “It is because you have so little faith. I am telling you the truth: if you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Go from here to over there,’ and it will do it, and nothing will be impossible for you.
[But this kind does not go out
except by prayer and fasting.”]
When they were together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into human hands.
They will kill him, but on
the third day he will be raised.” And they were terribly sad.
When they got to Capernaum, those who were in charge of collecting the half-shekel temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Does your teacher not
pay the half-shekel tax?”
He replied, “Yes.” When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke first. “What do you think, Simon?” Jesus asked him. “The kings of this world, who do they collect their taxes or customs from? From their sons or from strangers?”
When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus
replied, “In that case the sons are exempt.
But to avoid causing offense to
anyone, go to the lake and throw out a line with a hook. Pull in the first fish
you catch, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel coin. Take it
and give it to them for both me and you.”
Matthew