Transfiguration

Ben Harris | Feb 18, 2024

Scripture: Matthew 17:14-26

The Power of Jesus over a Demon

14 When they reached the crowd,(A) a man approached and knelt down before him. 15 “Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son, because he has seizures[a] and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”(B)

17 Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.”(C) 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon,[b] and it[c] came out of him,(D) and from that moment[d] the boy was healed.

19 Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20 “Because of your little faith,” he[e] told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of [f] a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.(E) Nothing will be impossible for you.”[g](F)

The Second Prediction of His Death

22 As(G) they were gathering together[h] in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up.” And they were deeply distressed.

Paying the Temple Tax

24 When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” (H)

25 “Yes,” he said.

When he went into the house, Jesus spoke to him first,[i] “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tariffs or taxes? From their sons or from strangers?”[j](I)

26 “From strangers,” he said.[k]

“Then the sons are free,” Jesus told him.

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Footnotes

  1. 17:15 Lit he is moonstruck; thought to be a form of epilepsy
  2. 17:18 Lit rebuked him, or it
  3. 17:18 Lit the demon
  4. 17:18 Lit hour
  5. 17:20 Other mss read your unbelief, Jesus
  6. 17:20 Lit faith like
  7. 17:20 Some mss include v. 21: “However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.”
  8. 17:22 Other mss read were staying
  9. 17:25 Lit Jesus anticipated him by saying
  10. 17:25 Or foreigners
  11. 17:26 Other mss read Peter said to him

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