There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
Parallel translations
- WEB He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.
- KJV And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
- NKJV and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
- NASB And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
- NLT As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.
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
Jesus is transfigured before them, his face shining like the sun and his clothes white as light. It matters because it unveils his divine glory to the disciples.
Overview
Before their eyes Jesus' appearance is transformed, radiant with heavenly glory. This is not light shining upon him but glory shining out from within, revealing his true divine nature. The vision confirms Peter's confession and the glory Jesus had just promised some would see. It assures the disciples that the One soon to suffer is the glorious Son of God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ps 104:2He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,
- Matt 28:3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
- John 1:14The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Luke 9:29And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white.
- Rev 10:1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire.
- Rev 20:11Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
- John 17:24Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
- Mark 9:3His clothes became radiantly white, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them.
- Rev 19:12–13He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows.
- Phil 2:6–7Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
- Acts 26:13–15About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.
- Exod 34:29–35And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant from speaking with the LORD.
- Rev 1:13–17and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest.
- Rom 12:2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 17:2 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.