Matthew 17

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

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

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

4 Peter 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.”

5 While 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.”

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

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

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

9 As 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.”

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

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

12 but 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.”

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

14 When 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.

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

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

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

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

20 He 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 While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus 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.” They were exceedingly sorry.

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

25 He 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?”

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

27 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. Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”

Around Matthew 17

Book context

MatthewEditorial draft

Matthew opens by presenting Jesus as “the son of David, the son of Abraham” (1:1) and keeps connecting his life to the Hebrew Scriptures. Its teaching centres on the Kingdom of Heaven (4:17), gathers long blocks of Jesus’ teaching such as the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5 to 7), and closes with the commission to make disciples of all nations (28:19). The book does not name its author; early church tradition attributes it to the apostle Matthew. Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897) dates it around AD 60 to 65 and holds that it was the first Gospel written. Many later scholars think Mark came first, so the order of the Gospels is debated.

Why we say this

HisFullGlory editorial · debated · not yet reviewed by a theological reader

From the text itself

Sources

Notes summarise their sources in our own words. Where Christians or scholars disagree, the note says so. Notes are not original-language evidence and do not replace the text.

AI explanation

Matthew 17 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

Six days later Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a high mountain, away from everyone. There he is changed before their eyes: his face shines like the sun, and his clothes turn white as light. Moses and Elijah are there, talking with him.

Peter offers to build three tents. While he is still speaking, a bright cloud covers them, and a voice says that this is the beloved Son, and they are to listen to him. The three fall on their faces, afraid. Jesus touches them: “Get up, and don’t be afraid.” When they look up, only Jesus is there.

Coming down, he tells them to keep quiet until the Son of Man has risen, and says Elijah has already come in John the Baptizer. At the foot of the mountain he heals a boy the disciples could not cure, and speaks of faith like a mustard seed. He says again that he will be killed and raised. In Capernaum he sends Peter to find a coin in a fish's mouth for the temple tax.

Background

Moses and Elijah stand for the law and the prophets, and both met God on a mountain (see Exodus 24 and 1 Kings 19). The tents may recall the Feast of Tabernacles. Tradition names Mount Tabor or Mount Hermon, but the text does not say which mountain. The boy is described as epileptic, and many modern readers ask how ancient accounts relate to medical conditions; the text itself speaks of a demon. Some copies lack verse 21. The temple tax was a yearly payment of half a shekel, based on Exodus 30.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 24 October 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes