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Gospels · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Matthew 17

Jesus is presented as Messiah and teacher who fulfills Scripture and announces God's kingdom.

New Testament

Matthew 17

1After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.

2He was changed before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.

3Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.

4Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, 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.”

5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

6When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid.

7Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.”

8Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone.

9As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

10His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

11Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things;

12but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them.”

13Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer.

14When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying,

15“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water.

16So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

17Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.”

18Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.

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

20He 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.

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

22While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men,

23and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up.” They were exceedingly sorry.

24When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?”

25He said, “Yes.” When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?”

26Peter said to him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt.

27But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Jesus is presented as Messiah and teacher who fulfills Scripture and announces God's kingdom. Read Matthew 17 within the complete Matthew overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Matthew 17

Matthew 17 contains 27 verses and about 581 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 27 closes: “But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin.…” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, elijah, saying, disciples, peter, here. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Matthew 17

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Matthew 17:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer