Matthew

Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John with him, and led them up a tall mountain where they were alone.

Jesus’ appearance changed before them: his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as snow.

Then suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.

Peter spoke up and said to Jesus:

“Master, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Peter was still speaking when a bright cloud covered them with its shadow, and a voice from the cloud said:

“This is my Son, the Beloved, my Chosen One. Listen to him.”

Hearing the voice, the disciples fell to the ground full of fear.

But Jesus came, touched them, and said:

“Stand up, do not be afraid!”

When they looked up, they saw no one else except Jesus.

And as they came down the mountain, Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.

The disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus answered, “So it is: first comes Elijah; and he will restore all things.

But I tell you, Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him; and they treated him as they pleased. And they will also make the Son of Man suffer.”

Then the disciples understood that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.

When they reached the crowd, a man approached Jesus, knelt before him and said”

Sir, have mercy on my son, who is epileptic and suffers greatly. He has often fallen into the fire and sometimes into the water.

I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.

Jesus replied:

“O you people, faithless and misguided! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.”

And Jesus commanded the evil spirit to leave the boy, and the boy was instantly healed.

Later, the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked:

“Why couldn’t we drive out the spirit?”

Jesus said to them:

“Because you have little faith. I tell you: if only you had faith as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would obey you. Nothing would be impossible for you.”

[[But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.]]”

While Jesus was in Galilee with the Twelve, he said to them:

“The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men

and they will kill him. But he will rise on the third day.”

The Twelve were deeply grieved.

When they returned to Capernaum, the temple tax collectors approached Peter and asked him:

“Does your master pay the temple tax?”

He answered:

“Yes.”

Peter then entered the house, and immediately Jesus asked him:

“What do you think, Simon? Who pays taxes or tribute to the kings of the earth: their sons or strangers and aliens?”

Peter replied:

“Strangers and aliens.”

And Jesus told him:

“The sons, then, are tax-free.

But, to avoid offending these people, go to the sea, throw in a hook, and open the mouth of the first fish you catch. You will find a coin inside. Take the coin and give it to them—do it for both you and me.”