Matthew 16:13-28; Matthew 17:1-20

13 When Yeshua came into the territory around Caesarea Philippi, he asked his talmidim, "Who are people saying the Son of Man is?"

14 They said, "Well, some say Yochanan the Immerser, others Eliyahu, still others Yirmeyahu or one of the prophets."

15 "But you," he said to them, "who do you say I am?"

16 Shim`on Kefa answered, "You are the Mashiach, the Son of the living God."

17 "Shim`on Bar-Yochanan," Yeshua said to him, "how blessed you are! For no human being revealed this to you, no, it was my Father in heaven.

18 I also tell you this: you are Kefa," [which means `Rock,'] "and on this rock I will build my Community, and the gates of Sh'ol will not overcome it.

19 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."

20 Then he warned the talmidim not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

21 From that time on, Yeshua began making it clear to his talmidim that he had to go to Yerushalayim and endure much suffering at the hands of the elders, the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers; and that he had to be put to death; but that on the third day, he had to be raised to life.

22 Kefa took him aside and began rebuk ing him, "Heaven be merciful, Lord! By no means will this happen to you!"

23 But Yeshua turned his back on Kefa, saying, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because your thinking is from a human perspective, not from God's perspective!"

24 Then Yeshua told his talmidim, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him say `No' to himself, take up his execution-stake, and keep following me. For

25 whoever wants to save his own life will destroy it, but whoever destroys his life for my sake will find it.

26 What good will it do someone if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or, what can a person give in exchange for his life?

27 For the Son of Man will come in his Father's glory, with his angels; and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.

28 Yes! I tell you that there are some people standing here who will not experience death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom!"

1 Six days later, Yeshua took Kefa, Ya`akov and his brother Yochanan and led them up a high mountain privately.

2 As they watched, he began to change form -- his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became as white as light.

3 Then they looked and saw Moshe and Eliyahu speaking with him.

4 Kefa said to Yeshua, "It's good that we're here, Lord. I'll put up three shelters if you want -- one for you, one for Moshe and one for Eliyahu."

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them; and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

6 When the talmidim heard this, they were so frightened that they fell face down on the ground.

7 But Yeshua came and touched them. "Get up!" he said, "Don't be afraid."

8 So they opened their eyes, looked up and saw only Yeshua by himself.

9 As they came down the mountain, Yeshua ordered them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

10 The talmidim asked him, "Then why do the Torah-teachers say that Eliyahu must come first?"

11 He answered, "On the one hand, Eliyahu is coming and will restore all things;

12 on the other hand, I tell you that Eliyahu has come already, and people did not recognize him but did whatever they pleased to him. In the same way, the Son of Man too is about to suffer at their hands."

13 Then the talmidim understood that he was talking to them about Yochanan the Immerser.

14 As they came up to the crowd, a man approached Yeshua, kneeled down in front of him,

15 and said, "Sir, have mercy on my son, because he is an epileptic and has such terrible fits that he often falls into the fire or into the water.

16 I brought him to your talmidim, but they couldn't heal him."

17 Yeshua answered, "Perverted people, without any trust! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!"

18 Yeshua rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, so that from that moment he was healed.

19 Then the talmidim went to him privately and said, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" He said to them, "Because you have such little trust! Yes! I tell you that if you

20 have trust as tiny as a mustard seed, you will be able to say to this mountain, `Move from here to there!' and it will move; indeed, nothing will be impossible for you!"