The Transfiguration

9 And Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, there are ^[a]some of those who are standing here who will not taste (experience) death before they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

² Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured (changed in form) before them [and began to shine brightly with divine and regal glory];^{(A) 3} and His clothes became radiant and dazzling, intensely white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. ⁴ Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were having a conversation with Jesus. ⁵ Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Rabbi (Master), it is good for us to be here; let us make three [sacred] tents—one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶ For he did not [really] know what to say because they were terrified [and stunned by the miraculous sight]. ⁷ Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and ^[b]a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him and obey Him!” ⁸ Suddenly they looked around and no longer saw anyone with them, except Jesus alone.

⁹ As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus expressly ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ So they [carefully and faithfully] kept the matter to themselves, ^[c]discussing and questioning [with one another] what it meant to rise from the dead. ¹¹ They asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first [before the Messiah comes]?”^{(B) 12} He answered them, “Elijah does come first and restores and reestablishes all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things [grief and physical distress] and be treated with contempt [utterly despised and rejected]?^{(C) 13} But I say to you that Elijah has in fact come [already], and they ^[d]did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written [in Scripture] of him.”

All Things Possible

¹⁴ When they came [back] to the [other nine] disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and scribes questioning and arguing with them.^{(D) 15} Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Jesus, they were startled and began running up to greet Him. ¹⁶ He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” ¹⁷ One of the crowd replied to Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him unable to speak; ¹⁸ and whenever it seizes him [intending to do harm], it throws him down, and he foams [at the mouth], and grinds his teeth and becomes stiff. I told Your disciples to drive it out, and they could not do it.” ¹⁹ He replied, “O unbelieving (faithless) generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” ²⁰ They brought the boy to Him. When the [demonic] spirit saw Him, immediately it threw the boy into a convulsion, and falling to the ground he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. ²¹ Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he answered, “Since childhood. ²² The demon has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” ²³ Jesus said to him, “[You say to Me,] ‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes and trusts [in Me]!” ²⁴ Immediately the father of the boy cried out [with a desperate, piercing cry], saying, “I do believe; help [me overcome] my unbelief.” ²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering [around them], He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again!” ²⁶ After screaming out and throwing him into a terrible convulsion, it came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse [so still and pale] that many [of the spectators] said, “He is dead!” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he stood up. ²⁸ When He had gone indoors, His disciples began asking Him privately, “Why were we unable to drive it out?” ²⁹ He replied to them, “This kind [of unclean spirit] cannot come out by anything but prayer [to the Father].”