Mateus 17

¹ AndChrist in his present company is humble in the gospel, but all the while he is Lord both of heaven and earth.Luke counts eight days, containing in that number the first and last, and Matthew speaks but of the days between them.after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

² And wasChanged into another colour.transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

³ And beholde, there appeared vnto them Moses, and Elias, talking with him.

⁴ Then answered Peter, and saide to Iesus, Master, it is good for vs to be here: if thou wilt, let vs make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

⁵ While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This isThe word «my» distinguishes Christ from other children. For he is God's natural son, we by adoption; therefore he is called the first begotten among the brethren, because although he is by right the only son, yet he is chief among many, in that he is the source and head of the adoption.my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

⁶ And when the disciples heard [it], theyFell down flat on their faces and worshipped him, as in (Mat_2:11).fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

⁷ Then Iesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraide.

⁸ And when they lifted vp their eyes, they sawe no man, saue Iesus onely.

⁹ And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell theWhich they saw, otherwise the word used in this place is usually used in referring to that which is seen in a dream.vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

¹⁰ And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come?

¹¹ And Iesus answered, and saide vnto them, Certeinely Elias must first come, and restore all thinges.

¹² But I say vnto you that Elias is come alreadie, and they knewe him not, but haue done vnto him whatsoeuer they would: likewise shal also the Sonne of man suffer of them.

¹³ Then the disciples perceiued that he spake vnto them of Iohn Baptist.

¹⁴ Men are unworthy of Christ's goodness, yet nonetheless he pays attention to them.And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a [certain] man,As men used to do when making supplication.kneeling down to him, and saying,

¹⁵ Lord, have mercy on my son: for he isThey that at certain times of the moon are troubled with the falling sickness, or any other kind of disease: but in this case, we must so understand it, that besides the natural disease he had a demonic derangement.lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

¹⁶ And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not heale him.

¹⁷ Then Iesus answered, and said, O generation faithlesse, and crooked, how long now shall I be with you! Howe long nowe shall I suffer you! Bring him hither to me.

¹⁸ And Iesus rebuked the deuill, and he went out of him: and the childe was healed at that houre.

¹⁹ Incredulity and distrust hinder and break the direction of God's benefits.Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

²⁰ And Iesus said vnto them, Because of your vnbeliefe: for verely I say vnto you, if ye haue faith as much as is a graine of mustarde seede, ye shall say vnto this mountaine, Remooue hence to yonder place, and it shall remoue: and nothing shalbe vnpossible vnto you.

²¹ The remedy against distrust.Howbeit this kind goeth not out but byTo help us to understand the watchfulness and diligence of earnest prayer, which cannot be without sobriety.prayer and fasting.

²² Our minds must be prepared more and more for the offence of the cross.And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

²³ And they shall kill him, but the thirde day shall he rise againe: and they were very sorie.

²⁴ In that Christ willingly obeys Caesar's edicts, he shows that civil policy is not taken away by the Gospel.And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute [money] came to Peter, and said, DothHe does not deny, but he asks.not your masterShould he not pay?payThey that were from twenty years of age to fifty, paid half a shekel to the Sanctuary, (Exo_30:13). This was an Attic didrachma which the Roman exacted after they had subdued Judea.tribute?

²⁵ He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their ownBy children we must not understand subjects who pay tribute, but natural children.children, or of strangers?

²⁶ Peter sayd vnto him, Of strangers. Then said Iesus vnto him, Then are the children free.

²⁷ Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find aThe word used here is «stater», which is in value four didrachmas; every drachma is about five pence.piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.