As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as 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.
- 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.
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 covers himself with light as with a garment. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
- Matt 28:3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
- John 1:14The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Luke 9:29As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling.
- Rev 10:1I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
- Rev 20:11I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.
- John 17:24Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
- Mark 9:3His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
- Rev 19:12–13His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself.
- Phil 2:6–7who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,
- Acts 26:13–15at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.
- Exod 34:29–35When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mountain, Moses didn’t know that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him.
- Rev 1:13–17And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.
- Rom 12:2Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.