Matthew 17:2

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He was transfigured in front of them, and his face shone like the sun; his clothes became as white as the light.

King James Version (1611)
And was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the Sunne, and his raiment was white as the light.

King James Version
And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

English Standard Version
And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

New American Standard Bible
And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

New Century Version
While they watched, Jesus' appearance was changed; his face became bright like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

Amplified Bible
And His appearance changed dramatically in their presence; and His face shone [with heavenly glory, clear and bright] like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And was trasfigured before them: and his face did shine as the Sunne, and his clothes were as white as the light.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

Legacy Standard Bible
And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

Berean Standard Bible
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

Contemporary English Version
There in front of the disciples, Jesus was completely changed. His face was shining like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

Complete Jewish Bible
As they watched, he began to change form — his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became as white as light.

Darby Translation
And he was transfigured before them. And his face shone as the sun, and his garments became white as the light;

Easy-to-Read Version
While these followers watched him, Jesus was changed. His face became bright like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

George Lamsa Translation
And Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes turned white like light.

Good News Translation
As they looked on, a change came over Jesus: his face was shining like the sun, and his clothes were dazzling white.

Lexham English Bible
And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became bright as the light.

Literal Translation
And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothing became white as the light.

American Standard Version
and he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.

Bible in Basic English
And he was changed in form before them; and his face was shining like the sun, and his clothing became white as light.

Hebrew Names Version
He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.

International Standard Version
His appearance was changed in front of them, his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.

Etheridge Translation
And Jeshu was changed before them; and his countenance shone like the sun, and his vestments were resplendent as the light.

Murdock Translation
And Jesus was changed before them: and his face shone like the sun; and his vestments became white like the light.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And was transfigured before them, and his face did shyne as the sunne, and his clothes were as whyte as the lyght.

English Revised Version
and he was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.

World English Bible
He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as the light.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And was transfigured before them, and his face shone as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Weymouth's New Testament
There in their presence His form underwent a change; His face shone like the sun, and His raiment became as white as the light.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and was turned in to an othir licnesse bifor hem. And his face schone as the sunne; and hise clothis weren maad white as snowe.

Update Bible Version
and he was transfigured before them; and his face shone as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.

Webster's Bible Translation
And [he] was transfigured before them: and his face shone as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

New English Translation
And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

New King James Version
and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

New Living Translation
As the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.

New Life Bible
He was changed in looks before them. His face was as bright as the sun. His clothes looked as white as light.

New Revised Standard
And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and was transformed before them, - and his face shone as the sun, and, his garments, became white as the light.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow.

Revised Standard Version
And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and was transfygured before them: and his face did shyne as the sunne and his clothes were as whyte as the light.

Young's Literal Translation
and he was transfigured before them, and his face shone as the sun, and his garments did become white as the light,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and was transfigured before the: & his face shone as ye Sonne, and his clothes were as white as the light.

Mace New Testament (1729)
and was transfigured before them; his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Simplified Cowboy Version
It was on this mountain that Jesus was changed completely. His face shone brighter than the noonday sun and his clothes turned bright white.

Contextual Overview

¹Six days later, three of them saw that glory. Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light. Then they realized that Moses and Elijah were also there in deep conversation with him. ⁴ Peter broke in, "Master, this is a great moment! What would you think if I built three memorials here on the mountain—one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah?" ⁵ While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: "This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him." ⁶When the disciples heard it, they fell flat on their faces, scared to death. But Jesus came over and touched them. "Don't be afraid." When they opened their eyes and looked around all they saw was Jesus, only Jesus. ⁹ Coming down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy. "Don't breathe a word of what you've seen. After the Son of Man is raised from the dead, you are free to talk." ¹⁰ The disciples, meanwhile, were asking questions. "Why do the religion scholars say that Elijah has to come first?" ¹¹Jesus answered, "Elijah does come and get everything ready. I'm telling you, Elijah has already come but they didn't know him when they saw him. They treated him like dirt, the same way they are about to treat the Son of Man." That's when the disciples realized that all along he had been talking about John the Baptizer.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

transfigured: Luke 9:29, Romans 12:2, Philippians 2:6, Philippians 2:7,*Gr.

his face: Matthew 28:3, Exodus 34:29-35, John 1:14, John 17:24, Acts 26:13-15, Revelation 1:13-17, Revelation 10:1, Revelation 19:12, Revelation 19:13, Revelation 20:11

raiment: Psalms 104:2, Mark 9:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 24:10 - in his clearness Psalms 18:12 - At the Psalms 45:2 - fairer Ecclesiastes 8:1 - a man's Song of Solomon 5:15 - his countenance Song of Solomon 6:10 - clear Isaiah 33:17 - eyes Daniel 7:9 - whose Daniel 10:6 - his face Habakkuk 3:4 - brightness Mark 9:2 - transfigured John 20:12 - in Acts 1:10 - two Acts 6:15 - saw Acts 22:6 - about Philippians 2:8 - in Philippians 3:21 - that Revelation 1:17 - I fell Revelation 19:8 - white

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
I'll make you a great nation and bless you. I'll make you famous; you'll be a blessing. I'll bless those who bless you; those who curse you I'll curse. All the families of the Earth will be blessed through you."

Genesis 17:17
Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, "Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?"

Genesis 17:18
Recovering, Abraham said to God, "Oh, keep Ishmael alive and well before you!"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And was transfigured before them,.... Peter, James, and John, before whom he was metamorphosed, or changed into another form; for not the substance of his body was changed, nor even the shape of it altered, only it received a more glorious form; that whereas before he appeared in the form of a servant, and looked mean and despicable, now he appeared in the form and majesty of God; or there was a divine glory; which from his deity showed itself in a visible manner through his flesh:

and his face did shine as the sun it had still the same appearance of an human face, but had such a dazzling glory upon it, as equalled the sun shining in its full strength:

and his raiment was white as the light: he did not put off his clothes, nor were the nature and substance, and fashion of them changed; but such rays of glory darted through his flesh, and through his clothes, as made them as bright and shining, as the light of the sun at noon day. Mark says, they became "exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them". The Vulgate Latin reads, "as snow", here; and so do the Ethiopic version, and Munster's Hebrew Gospel. Snow has a peculiar whiteness in it, and is therefore made use of, to express the glittering brightness of Christ's raiment; and the fuller is mentioned, who by the Jews a is called כובס, and means one that whitens wool, or raiment, and such an one is here designed: not that any fuller makes garments of another colour white; for though this may be done, it is not the work of fullers, but dyers: but fullers, whatever colour garments are of, if sullied and spotted, can restore them to their native colour; and if white, can bring them to their former whiteness: now Christ's garments were as white, yea, whiter, than any such men could possibly make garments, that were white at first: what colour Christ's garments were of before, is not certain; now they appeared white, to the greatest degree of whiteness. Dr. Hammond b has a conjecture, that in the phrase "on earth", reference is had to the earth fullers make use of in cleaning, and which is called "fullers' earth"; and that the words are to be rendered, "as no fuller, by or with earth can white them"; but if this will not bear, the sense is, that there is no fuller, nor ever was, or ever will be upon earth, that can make raiment so white as Christ's was.

a Maimon. in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 10. sect. 10, b In Mark ix. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And was transfigured before them - The word “transfigure” means to change the appearance or form. It does not denote the change of the substance of a thing, but simply of its appearance. It puts on a new aspect. What this change was we are expressly told.

1. His face shone as the sun; that is, with a special brightness. A similar appearance is described respecting Moses when he came down from the mount, Exodus 34:29-30. See also Hebrews 1:3, where Christ is called the brightness of the glory of God: in the original, the splendor or shining, like the brightness of the sun.

2. The second change was that of his garments. They were white as the light. Mark says, “exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth could white them.” The word “fuller” means, commonly, one who dresses cloth or fulls it, so as to make it more thick and strong. Here it means one who bleaches cloth or makes it white; one who cleanses garments when by wearing they become soiled. Among the Greeks that was a distinct trade. Luke says, “white and glistering,” that is, resplendent, shining, or a very bright white. There is no evidence here that what is commonly said of him is true, that his body was so changed as to show what his glorified body is. His body, so far as the sacred writers inform us, underwent no change. All this splendor and glory was a change in appearance only. The Scriptures should be taken just as they are, without any attempt to affix a meaning to them which the sacred writers did not intend.

Raiment - Clothing. John may refer to this transfiguration in John 1:14, as Peter does in 2 Peter 1:16-17.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 17:2. Was transfigured — That fulness of the Godhead, which dwelt bodily in Christ, now shone forth through the human nature, and manifested to his disciples not only that Divinity which Peter had before confessed, Matthew 16:16, but also the glorious resurrection body, in which they should exist in the presence of God to eternity.

White as the light. — But the Cod. Bezae, some of the ancient versions, and several of the fathers, read ως χιων, as snow; and this is the reading in Mark 9:3.