And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was 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.
- BSB There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as 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 104:2Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
- Matt 28:3His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
- John 1:14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
- Luke 9:29And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
- Rev 10:1And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
- Rev 20:11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
- John 17:24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
- Mark 9:3And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
- Rev 19:12–13His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
- Phil 2:6–7Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
- Acts 26:13–15At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
- Exod 34:29–35And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
- Rev 1:13–17And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
- Rom 12:2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, 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.