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And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.
Matthew 17:3 · English Standard Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him.
  • KJV And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
  • BSB Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Jesus.
  • NKJV And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
  • NASB And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
  • NLT Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.

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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

Moses and Elijah appear, talking with Jesus. It matters because the Law and the Prophets bear witness to Christ.

Overview

Moses, who gave the Law, and Elijah, the great prophet, appear with Jesus in glory. Their presence shows that the whole Old Testament points to and is fulfilled in him. Luke notes they spoke of his coming 'departure' at Jerusalem—his death (Luke 9:31). The scene confirms that Christ is the goal and fulfillment of all Scripture.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 20

  • Luke 24:44He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.”
  • Mal 4:5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.
  • 1 Kgs 18:36–40At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet came near, and said, “Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
  • Deut 34:10Since then, there has not arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom Yahweh knew face to face,
  • Mark 9:4Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus.
  • Luke 16:16The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the Good News of God’s Kingdom is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
  • Luke 24:27Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
  • Luke 1:17He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
  • 2 Cor 3:7–11But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing away:
  • Deut 34:5–6So Moses the servant of Yahweh died there in the land of Moab, according to Yahweh’s word.
  • Deut 18:18I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.
  • Luke 9:30–31Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah,
  • 1 Kgs 17:1Elijah the Tishbite, who was one of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”
  • Matt 17:10–13His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
  • Luke 9:33As they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not knowing what he said.
  • 2 Kgs 2:11–14As they continued on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
  • Matt 11:13–14For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
  • John 5:45–47“Don’t think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope.
  • Heb 3:1–6Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus;
  • John 1:17For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

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

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 17:3YouTube · 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 MatthewMatthew 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

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 17:3 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.