1Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John, James’s brother, up on a high mountain by themselves.
2He was transformed in front of them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.
3Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.
4Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it’s good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them. A voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6When the disciples heard this, they fell face down on the ground, terrified.
7Then Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”
8When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus alone.
9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
10His disciples asked him, “Why then do the religious scholars say that Elijah must come first?”
11Jesus answered, “Elijah does come first and will restore all things.
12But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and people did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted. In the same way, the Son of Man will also suffer at their hands.”
13Then the disciples understood that Jesus was talking to them about John the Baptizer.
14When Jesus and his disciples returned to the crowd, a man came up to him, knelt down, and said,
15"Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire and often into the water.
16I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."
17Jesus answered, "You unbelieving and corrupt generation! How much longer must I stay with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me."
18Jesus commanded the demon to leave, and it came out of the boy. From that moment on, the boy was healed.
19Later, the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, "Why couldn't we force the demon out?"
20He told them, "Because your faith is too small. I promise you, if you have faith as tiny as a mustard seed, you can tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
21However, this kind of demon only comes out through prayer and fasting."
22While they were traveling through Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is about to be handed over to men,
23and they will kill him. But on the third day, he will be raised to life." The disciples were very sad.
24When they arrived in Capernaum, the temple tax collectors came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the two-drachma temple tax?"
25Peter said, "Yes, he does." When Peter went into the house, Jesus spoke to him before he could say anything. "What do you think, Simon? Where do the kings of the world collect taxes or tolls? From their own children or from others?"
26Peter answered, "From others." Jesus said to him, "Then the children are exempt.
27But so that we don't upset them, go to the lake, throw out your fishing line, and open the mouth of the first fish you catch. You will find a four-drachma coin there. Take it and give it to them for both of us."