Matthew 17
Open in the reader1After six days He-Who-Is-Saves took with Him Stone, Heel-Grabber, and John the brother of Heel-Grabber, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
2There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
3Suddenly Drawn-Out and My-God-Is-He-Who-Is appeared before them, talking with He-Who-Is-Saves.
4Stone said to He-Who-Is-Saves, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If You wish, I will put up three shelters —one for You, one for Drawn-Out, and one for My-God-Is-He-Who-Is.”
5While Stone was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”
6When the apprentices heard this, they fell facedown in terror.
7Then He-Who-Is-Saves came over and touched them. “Get up,” He said. “Do not be afraid.”
8And when they looked up, they saw no one except He-Who-Is-Saves.
9As they were coming down the mountain, He-Who-Is-Saves commanded them, “Do not tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
10The apprentices asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that My-God-Is-He-Who-Is must come first?”
11He-Who-Is-Saves replied, “My-God-Is-He-Who-Is does indeed come, and he will restore all things.
12But I tell you that My-God-Is-He-Who-Is has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.”
13Then the apprentices understood that He was speaking to them about He-Who-Is-Has-Shown-Favor the Baptist.
14When they came to the crowd, a man came up to He-Who-Is-Saves and knelt before Him.
15“Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.
16I brought him to Your apprentices, but they could not heal him.”
17“O unbelieving and perverse generation!” He-Who-Is-Saves replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.”
18Then He-Who-Is-Saves rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
19Afterward the apprentices came to He-Who-Is-Saves privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
22When they gathered together in The-Circuit, He-Who-Is-Saves told them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.
23They will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised to life.” And the disciples were deeply grieved.
24After they had arrived in Village-of-Nahum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Stone and asked, “Does your Teacher pay the two drachmas?”
25“Yes,” he answered. When Stone entered the house, He-Who-Is-Saves preempted him. “What do you think, Heard?” He asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs and taxes: from their own sons, or from others?”
26“From others,” Stone answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” He-Who-Is-Saves said to him.
27“But so that we may not offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.”