17:1  AND SIX days after this, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

17:2  And His appearance underwent a change in their presence; and His face shone clear and bright like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light.

17:3  And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, who kept talking with Him.

17:4  Then Peter began to speak and said to Jesus, Lord, it is good {and} delightful that we are here; if You approve, I will put up three booths here--one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah.

17:5  While he was still speaking, behold, a shining cloud [composed of light] overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is My Son, My Beloved, with Whom I am [and have always been] delighted. Listen to Him!

17:6  When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were seized with alarm {and} struck with fear.

17:7  But Jesus came and touched them and said, Get up, and do not be afraid.

17:8  And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

17:9  And as they were going down the mountain, Jesus cautioned {and} commanded them, Do not mention to anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.

17:10  The disciples asked Him, Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?

17:11  He replied, Elijah does come and will get everything restored {and} ready.

17:12  But I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know {or} recognize him, but did to him as they liked. So also the Son of Man is going to be treated {and} suffer at their hands.

17:13  Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them about John the Baptist.

17:14  And when they approached the multitude, a man came up to Him, kneeling before Him and saying,

17:15  Lord, do pity {and} have mercy on my son, for he has epilepsy (is moonstruck) and he suffers terribly; for frequently he falls into the fire and many times into the water.

17:16  And I brought him to Your disciples, and they were not able to cure him.

17:17  And Jesus answered, O you unbelieving (warped, wayward, rebellious) and thoroughly perverse generation! How long am I to remain with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to Me.

17:18  And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly.

17:19  Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked privately, Why could we not drive it out?

17:20  He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.

17:21  {But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.}

17:22  When they were going about here and there in Galilee, Jesus said to them, The Son of Man is going to be turned over into the hands of men.

17:23  And they will kill Him, and He will be raised [to life] again on the third day. And they were deeply {and} exceedingly grieved {and} distressed.

17:24  When they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the half shekel [the temple tax] went up to Peter and said, Does not your Teacher pay the half shekel?

17:25  He answered, Yes. And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him [about it] first, saying, What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly rulers collect duties {or} tribute--from their own sons or from others not of their own family?

17:26  And when Peter said, From other people not of their own family, Jesus said to him, Then the sons are exempt.

17:27  However, in order not to give offense {and} cause them to stumble [that is, to cause them to judge unfavorably and unjustly] go down to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find there a shekel. Take it and give it to them to pay the temple tax for Me and for yourself.