Matthew 17 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The Transfiguration 17:1–8

vv. 1–3 — the ascent and the metamorphosis

And after six days Jesus takes along Peter and James and John his brother,independent — historic present; the six days recall Exod 24:16 — Sinai before the cloud

and brings them up to a high mountain by themselves.independent — historic present — the mountain of theophany; κατ' ἰδίαν, apart from the crowds

And he was transfigured before them,independent — μετεμορφώθη — divine passive: God transfigures him

and his face shone like the sun,independent — only Matthew notes the face — Moses' shining face (Exod 34:29) outshone

and his garments became white as the light.independent — the whiteness of heavenly beings (28:3; Dan 7:9)

And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah,independent — ὤφθη — the verb of revelatory appearances; the Law and the Prophets as witnesses

conversing with him.participial — concurrent — the two who met God on a mountain now talk with Jesus

vv. 4–5 — Peter's offer interrupted: the cloud and the voice

And Peter, responding, said to Jesus:independent — the Septuagintal ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν frame — Peter 'answers' what no one asked

'Lord, it is good for us to be here;content — Κύριε where Mark has Ῥαββί — Matthew's higher address

if you wish,conditional — protasis leaning forward on ποιήσω — Peter defers, only Matthew adds the condition

I will make here three tents,content — the offer to enshrine the moment — σκηναί evoking the Feast of Booths

one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.'phrase modifier — verbless apposition — the fatal leveling: three equal booths

While he was still speaking,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on ἐπεσκίασεν; heaven interrupts the offer

behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them,independent — the Shekinah cloud — ἐπισκιάζω of Exod 40:35; φωτεινή only in Matthew

and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying:independent — verbless presentative — the bat qol; the speech-frame for the divine address

'This is my beloved Son,content — the baptismal declaration repeated verbatim (3:17) — Ps 2:7 with Gen 22:2 overtones

in whom I am well pleased;relative — Isa 42:1 — the Servant fused with the Son

listen to him.'content — Deut 18:15 — the prophet like Moses; the Father's one command, correcting the three booths

vv. 6–8 — terror, the touch, Jesus alone

And the disciples, hearing it,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἔπεσαν; the voice, not the vision, fells them

fell on their facesindependent — prostration before theophany (Ezek 1:28; Dan 8:17) — only Matthew narrates it

and were greatly afraid.independent — ingressive aorist — the numinous dread

And Jesus came to themindependent — προσέρχομαι — elsewhere others approach Jesus; here he approaches them

and, touching them, said:independent — the healing touch turned to reassurance — internal circumstantial participle

'Rise, and do not be afraid.'content — μὴ φοβεῖσθε — the classic theophany-reassurance; ἐγέρθητε, the resurrection verb

And lifting up their eyes,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶδον; they rise from the ground

they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.independent — the scene's abiding word — Moses and Elijah gone; the one to be heard remains

The coming of Elijah and John the Baptist 17:9–13

vv. 9–10 — the command of silence and the scribal puzzle

And as they were coming down from the mountain,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on ἐνετείλατο; the descent from glory

Jesus commanded them, saying:independent — ἐντέλλομαι — the strict charge; pleonastic λέγων carries the speech

'Tell no one the visioncontent — prohibitive subjunctive with fronted μηδενί; ὅραμα — only Matthew names it a vision

until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.'conditional — temporal ἕως οὗ — the secret given a terminus: unintelligible before Easter

And the disciples asked him, saying:independent — the vision of Elijah provokes the scribal objection

'Why then do the scribes saycontent — οὖν — the inference: if the end is near, where is the forerunner?

that Elijah must come first?'content — the scribal doctrine from Mal 4:5–6 — δεῖ, the eschatological necessity

vv. 11–13 — Elijah has already come: John the Baptist

And he answered and said:independent — the ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν frame — Jesus concedes the doctrine before reversing it

'Elijah indeed comescontent — μέν conceding the scribes' premise — futuristic present

and will restore all things;content — ἀποκαθιστάνω — Mal 4:6 LXX, the restoration of hearts

but I say to youcontent — the adversative δέ — Jesus' authoritative counter-reading

that Elijah has already come,content — ἤδη — the expectation is fulfilled, unrecognized

and they did not recognize himcontent — ἐπιγινώσκω — they failed to identify the forerunner in the Baptist

but did to himcontent — the Baptist's fate at Herod's court (14:3–12)

whatever they wished;relative — headless ὅσα-relative — arbitrary power, as against Elijah under Jezebel

so also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.'content — οὕτως καί — the forerunner's fate prefigures the Son's; μέλλει, the appointed future

Then the disciples understoodindependent — Matthew's τότε — and, distinctively, the disciples do understand (contrast Mark 9:13)

that he had spoken to them about John the Baptist.content — the narrator's key — Elijah redivivus is John (cf. 11:14)

The epileptic boy and faith like a mustard seed 17:14–20

vv. 14–16 — the father's plea: the disciples' failure

And when they had come to the crowd,participial — genitive absolute (subject implied) — forward-leaning on προσῆλθεν; down from the mount into the crowd's need

a man came up to him,independent — the suppliant approaches — Matthew abbreviates Mark's crowd scene

kneeling before himparticipial — γονυπετέω — the posture of entreaty

and saying:participial — coordinate participle carrying the plea across the verse-seam

'Lord, have mercy on my son,content — the Kyrie eleison of the Gospel suppliants (15:22; 20:30–31)

for he is moonstruckcause — σεληνιάζομαι — literally 'moonstruck': epilepsy attributed to the moon (cf. 4:24)

and suffers terribly;cause — coordinate ground — the affliction named twice

for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.cause — γάρ specifying the suffering — the seizures' mortal danger, iterative presents

And I brought him to your disciples,content — the plea continues — the father had tried the nine left below

and they could not heal him.'content — the failure that drives the pericope — despite the authority given in 10:1

vv. 17–18 — the faithless generation and the instant cure

And Jesus answered and said:independent — the ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν frame — the reply aimed past the father at the generation

'O faithless and perverse generation,content — verbless vocative lament — Deut 32:5, Moses' song over the crooked generation

how long will I be with you?content — the weary rhetorical question — the sojourn of the heavenly one

How long will I bear with you?content — parallel doublet — ἀνέχομαι, the language of forbearance

Bring him here to me.'content — the lament pivots to command — where the disciples failed, he acts

And Jesus rebuked it,independent — ἐπιτιμάω — the word of command that silences demons (8:26; Mark 1:25)

and the demon came out of him,independent — Matthew names the demon only here — the 'moonstruck' illness unmasked

and the boy was healed from that hour.independent — Matthew's healing formula (8:13; 9:22; 15:28) — instantaneous and complete

vv. 19–20 — 'why could we not?': little faith and the mustard seed

Then the disciples, coming to Jesus privately, said:independent — Matthew's τότε with attendant-circumstance participle; κατ' ἰδίαν — failure discussed in private

'Why could we not cast it out?'content — emphatic ἡμεῖς — we, who had done it before (10:8)

And he says to them:independent — historic present λέγει — the pronouncement marked vivid

'Because of your little faith;content — verbless answer — ὀλιγοπιστία, Matthew's signature diagnosis, where Mark 9:29 answers 'prayer'

for truly I say to you,content — the ἀμήν-formula grounding the diagnosis

if you have faith like a mustard seed,conditional — protasis leaning forward on ἐρεῖτε — the proverbially smallest seed (13:32) suffices

you will say to this mountain,content — τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ — the mountain of the transfiguration still in view

'Move from here to there,'content — speech inside speech — the hypothetical command to the mountain

and it will move;content — the promised result — mountain-moving faith (cf. 21:21; 1 Cor 13:2)

and nothing will be impossible for you.'content — the closing absolute (cf. Gen 18:14 LXX); the traditional v. 21 ('this kind goes out only by prayer and fasting') follows here in the Byzantine text but is absent from the critical text — a harmonization to Mark 9:29

The second passion prediction 17:22–23

vv. 22–23 — delivered, killed, raised — and the disciples grieve

And as they were gathering together in Galilee,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on εἶπεν; συστρέφομαι, the band regrouping

Jesus said to them:independent — the second formal passion prediction (after 16:21)

'The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men,content — μέλλει παραδίδοσθαι — the appointed handing-over; the wordplay υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου / ἄνθρωποι

and they will kill him,content — the blunt future — no details yet, only the fact

and on the third day he will be raised.'content — ἐγερθήσεται — divine passive, Matthew's 'raised' against Mark's 'rise'

And they were greatly grieved.independent — σφόδρα — grief, not incomprehension: Matthew's disciples understand (contrast Mark 9:32)

The temple tax and the coin in the fish's mouth 17:24–27

vv. 24–25a — the collectors' question and Peter's yes

And when they had come to Capernaum,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on προσῆλθον; home base, where the tax is collected

the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peterindependent — τὰ δίδραχμα — the annual half-shekel temple tax (Exod 30:13); only Matthew tells this story

and said:independent — the question put to Peter, not to Jesus

'Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?'content — οὐ expecting yes — a probing question, perhaps an insinuation

He says:independent — historic present, asyndetic — Peter answers for Jesus unasked

'Yes.'content — the one-word verbless answer — committing his teacher before consulting him

vv. 25b–26 — the kings of the earth: the sons are free

And when he had come into the house,participial — accusative participle agreeing with αὐτόν — forward-leaning on προέφθασεν

Jesus anticipated him, saying:independent — προφθάνω, a NT hapax — Jesus speaks first, knowing the exchange unseen

'What do you think, Simon?content — the dialectical opener (18:12; 21:28) — and 'Simon,' the pre-confession name

From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or tax?content — the analogy from royal practice — τέλη (customs) and κῆνσος (poll tax)

From their own sons or from strangers?'phrase modifier — verbless alternative question — the argument's hinge: sons versus outsiders

And when he said,participial — genitive absolute (subject implied) — forward-leaning on ἔφη; Peter's answer rides inside it

'From strangers,'content — the obvious answer — verbless echo of the alternative

Jesus said to him:independent — ἔφη — the pronouncement drawn from Peter's own premise

'Then the sons are free.content — ἄρα γε — the emphatic inference: the Son (and his own) owe the Father's house nothing

v. 27 — the stater in the fish's mouth

But so that we may not give them offense,purpose — preposed purpose — leans on βάλε; freedom waived for others' sake (σκανδαλίζω, ch. 18's keyword); note the 'we'

go to the sea,participial — preposed attendant-circumstance participle — leans on βάλε

cast a hook,content — ἄγκιστρον — a hook, not the fisherman's nets: a single appointed fish

and take the first fish that comes up;content — the attributive ἀναβάντα πρῶτον — providence in the first bite

and opening its mouth,participial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εὑρήσεις

you will find a stater;content — στατήρ = four drachmas — exactly two men's temple tax

take thatparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on δός

and give it to them for me and you.'content — ἀντὶ ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ — 'me and you,' not 'us': the Son pays as free; the miracle itself is never narrated

Analysis. Matthew 17 keeps the narrative grammar of Mark 9 but tightens it: the mainline runs flush-left in coordinate purple clauses opening with καί, δέ, and τότε, and the historic presents are flagged as they land — παραλαμβάνει and ἀναφέρει carrying the three up the mountain (v. 1), λέγει introducing both the mustard-seed answer (v. 20) and Peter's Ναί (v. 25). Against that column the chapter's hinges indent: preposed genitive absolutes and circumstantial participles lean forward, anchorless, on the verb below (ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος cutting Peter off mid-offer, καταβαινόντων αὐτῶν, Καὶ ἐλθόντων, Συστρεφομένων, Ἐλθόντων εἰς Καφαρναούμ, the accusative ἐλθόντα of v. 25, and εἰπόντος δέ carrying Peter's whole answer inside itself), and every word of speech hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying — the Father's declaration under λέγουσα (Ps 2:7 with Isa 42:1, plus the ἀκούετε αὐτοῦ of Deut 18:15), the Elijah dialogue under its εἶπεν-frames, the father's plea under λέγων with its ὅτι-grounds stepping down to the γάρ of fire and water. Protases inside speech lean forward one step above their apodoses: εἰ θέλεις over ποιήσω (v. 4), and ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως over ἐρεῖτε, with the command to the mountain (Μετάβα ἔνθεν ἐκεῖ) hanging one deeper as speech inside speech (v. 20). Cruxes taken or flagged: Matthew's answer to the disciples' failure is διὰ τὴν ὀλιγοπιστίαν ὑμῶν — his signature 'little faith,' where Mark 9:29 has prayer — and the traditional v. 21 ('this kind goes out only by prayer and fasting'), a harmonization to Mark, is absent from the critical text, so the chapter runs 1–20, 22–27 with the gap named in the tag; σεληνιάζεται (v. 15) is glossed literally 'moonstruck' (epilepsy attributed to the moon); and in the temple-tax scene the layout gives the argument its shape — the double question of v. 25 with its verbless alternative (ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων) hanging beneath λαμβάνουσιν, Peter's answer inside the genitive absolute, the Ἄρα-γε inference, and the preposed purpose ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλίσωμεν αὐτούς leaning forward on βάλε — freedom asserted, then waived for the sake of others.