Matthew 16; Matthew 17:1-13; Luke 9:27-36; 2 Peter 1:16-18

1 Then some P'rushim and Tz'dukim came to trap Yeshua by asking him to show them a miraculous sign from Heaven.

2 But his response was, "When it is evening, you say, `Fair weather ahead,' because the sky is red;

3 and in the morning you say, `Storm today!' because the sky is red and overcast. You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can't read the signs of the times!

4 A wicked and adulterous generation is asking for a sign? It will certainly not be given a sign -- except the sign of Yonah!" With that he left them and went off.

5 The talmidim, in crossing to the other side of the lake, had forgotten to bring any bread.

6 So when Yeshua said to them, "Watch out! Guard yourselves against the hametz of the P'rushim and Tz'dukim,"

7 they thought he said it because they hadn't brought bread.

8 But Yeshua, aware of this, said, "Such little trust you have! Why are you talking with each other about not having bread?

9 Don't you understand yet? Don't you remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you filled?

10 Or the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets you filled?

11 How can you possibly think I was talking to you about bread? Guard yourselves from the hametz of the P'rushim and Tz'dukim!"

12 Then they understood -- they were to guard themselves not from yeast for bread but from the teaching of the P'rushim and Tz'dukim.

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.

27 I tell you the truth, there are some people standing here who will not experience death until they see the Kingdom of God."

28 About a week after Yeshua said these things, he took Kefa, Yochanan and Ya`akov with him and went up to the hill country to pray.

29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed; and his clothing became gleaming white.

30 Suddenly there were two men talking with him -- Moshe and Eliyahu!

31 They appeared in glorious splendor and spoke of his exodus, which he was soon to accomplish in Yerushalayim.

32 Kefa and those with him had been sound asleep; but on becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.

33 As the men were leaving Yeshua, Kefa said to him, not knowing what he was saying, "It's good that we're here, Rabbi! Let's put up three shelters -- one for you, one for Moshe and one for Eliyahu."

34 As he spoke, a cloud came and enveloped them. They were frightened as they entered the cloud;

35 and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to him!"

36 When the voice spoke, Yeshua was alone once more. They kept quiet -- at that time they told no one anything of what they had seen.

16 For when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, we did not rely on cunningly contrived myths. On the contrary, we saw his majesty with our own eyes.

17 For we were there when he received honor and glory from God the Father; and the voice came to him from the grandeur of the Sh'khinah, saying, "This is my son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him!"

18 We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.