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And Elijah and Moses appeared before them, talking with Jesus.
Mark 9:4 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus.
  • KJV And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
  • NKJV And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.
  • NASB And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.
  • NLT Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Elijah and Moses appear, talking with Jesus. The Law and the Prophets bear witness to him.

Overview

Moses represents the Law and Elijah the Prophets, and their presence shows that all of Scripture points to and finds fulfillment in Jesus. Luke adds that they spoke of his coming 'departure' (his death) in Jerusalem, linking this glory to the cross. Their appearance confirms that Jesus stands at the center of God's redemptive plan.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 13

  • Luke 9:30–31Suddenly two men, Moses and Elijah, began talking with Jesus.
  • Acts 3:21–24Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.
  • Matt 17:3–4Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Jesus.
  • John 5:39You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me,
  • Luke 24:44Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
  • Luke 24:27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.
  • Matt 11:13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
  • Luke 9:19They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that a prophet of old has arisen.”
  • 2 Kgs 2:11–12As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.
  • John 5:45–47Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope.
  • 1 Pet 1:10–12Concerning this salvation, the prophets who foretold the grace to come to you searched and investigated carefully,
  • Deut 34:5–6So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, as the LORD had said.
  • Rev 19:10So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Mark videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Mark 9:4YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MarkMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'

How Mark 9:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.