Matthew 17

1 Now after six days, Joshua took with Him Peter, Jacob, and Johanan his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured in front of them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as light. 3 And look, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with Him.

4 Then Peter responded and said to Joshua, “Master, 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, look, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Look, 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 apprentices heard it they fell on their faces and were very afraid. 7 Then Joshua came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.” 8 Lifting up their eyes, they didn’t see anyone except Joshua only. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Joshua commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Then why do the scholars say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Now Joshua answered and said to them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things. 12 But I say to you that Elijah already came, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man is also about to suffer by them.” 13 Then the apprentices understood that He spoke to them about Johanan the Immerser.

14 When they came to the crowd, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 15 “Master, 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 apprentices, and they could not cure him.”

17 Then Joshua replied, “Faithless and crooked generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Joshua rebuked him, the demon went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.

19 Then the apprentices came to Joshua privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?”

20 So JoshuaHe 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. 21 But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.”

22 Now while they were staying in Galilee, Joshua 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.”

And they were exceedingly sorry. 24 Now when they had come to Kfar Naḥum, those who collected the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the two-drachma temple tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.”

And when he came into the house, Joshua anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Shimon? 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.”

Joshua said to him, “Then the children are exempt. 27 But, so we won’t cause them to stumble, go to the lake, cast in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take that, and give it to them for Me and you.”