Luke 9:29
New International Version
As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.

New Living Translation
And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

English Standard Version
And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white.

Berean Standard Bible
And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white.

Berean Literal Bible
And it came to pass in His praying, the appearance of His face was altered, and His clothing became dazzling white.

King James Bible
And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

New King James Version
As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.

New American Standard Bible
And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.

NASB 1995
And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.

NASB 1977
And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.

Legacy Standard Bible
And it happened that while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.

Amplified Bible
As He was praying, the appearance of His face became different [actually transformed], and His clothing became white and flashing with the brilliance of lightning.

Christian Standard Bible
As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became dazzling white.

American Standard Version
And as he was praying, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became white and dazzling.

Contemporary English Version
While he was praying, his face changed, and his clothes became shining white.

English Revised Version
And as he was praying, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became white and dazzling.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
While Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

Good News Translation
While he was praying, his face changed its appearance, and his clothes became dazzling white.

International Standard Version
While he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes turned dazzling white.

Majority Standard Bible
And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white.

NET Bible
As he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became very bright, a brilliant white.

New Heart English Bible
As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling.

Webster's Bible Translation
And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistening.

Weymouth New Testament
And while He was praying the appearance of His face underwent a change, and His clothing became white and radiant.

World English Bible
As he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and it came to pass, in His praying, the appearance of His face became altered, and His clothing became flashing white.

Berean Literal Bible
And it came to pass in His praying, the appearance of His face was altered, and His clothing became dazzling white.

Young's Literal Translation
and it came to pass, in his praying, the appearance of his face became altered, and his garment white -- sparkling.

Smith's Literal Translation
And it was in his praying, the look of his face was another, and his clothing white, shooting forth lightning.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And whilst he prayed, the shape of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became white and glittering.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And while he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his vestment became white and shining.

New American Bible
While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.

New Revised Standard Version
And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And while he prayed, the appearance of his face was changed, and his clothes became white and dazzling.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And as he prayed, the appearance of his face was transfigured and his garments became white and they were shining.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And as he prayed, the appearance of his face was changed, and his raiment became white and glittering.

Godbey New Testament
And it came to pass while He was praying, the appearance of His countenance was changed, and His raiment shining white.

Haweis New Testament
And it came to pass, as he was at prayer, that the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment white and refulgent.

Mace New Testament
as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was quite chang'd, and his raiment was of a splendid white:

Weymouth New Testament
And while He was praying the appearance of His face underwent a change, and His clothing became white and radiant.

Worrell New Testament
And it came to pass, as He was praying, that the appearance of His countenance was altered, and His raiment became white and dazzling.

Worsley New Testament
And as He was praying the form of his countenance was altered, and his raiment white and glistering:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Transfiguration
28About eight days after Jesus had said these things, He took with Him Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray. 29And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white. 30Suddenly two men, Moses and Elijah, began talking with Jesus.…

Cross References
Matthew 17:2
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

Mark 9:2-3
After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. / His clothes became radiantly white, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them.

Exodus 34:29-35
And 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. / Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses, and behold, his face was radiant. And they were afraid to approach him. / But Moses called out to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke to them. ...

2 Corinthians 3:7-18
Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory, / will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? / For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness! ...

Daniel 10:6
His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.

Revelation 1:14-16
The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire. / His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters. / He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.

Matthew 28:3
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

Acts 6:15
All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

2 Peter 1:16-18
For we did not follow cleverly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. / For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” / And we ourselves heard this voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

Exodus 24:15-18
When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, / and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered it, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. / And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites. ...

Isaiah 60:1
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

Psalm 104:2
He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,

Malachi 4:2
“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.

John 1:14
The 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.

Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.


Treasury of Scripture

And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

Exodus 34:29-35
And 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…

Isaiah 33:17
Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.

Isaiah 53:2
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Jump to Previous
Altered Appearance Bright Change Changed Clothes Clothing Countenance Dazzling Different Face Fashion Flash Garment Gleaming Glistening Glistering Lightning Prayed Prayer Praying Radiant Raiment Sparkling Underwent White
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Altered Appearance Bright Change Changed Clothes Clothing Countenance Dazzling Different Face Fashion Flash Garment Gleaming Glistening Glistering Lightning Prayed Prayer Praying Radiant Raiment Sparkling Underwent White
Luke 9
1. Jesus sends his apostles to work miracles, and to preach.
7. Herod desires to see Jesus.
10. The apostles return.
12. Jesus feeds five thousand;
18. inquires what opinion the world had of him; foretells his passion;
23. proposes to all the pattern of his patience.
28. The transfiguration.
37. He heals the lunatic;
43. again forewarns his disciples of his passion;
46. commends humility;
51. bids them to show mildness toward all, without desire of revenge.
57. Many would follow him, but upon conditions.














And as He was praying
Prayer is a central theme in the life of Jesus, often depicted in the Gospels as a source of strength and communion with the Father. This moment occurs during the Transfiguration, a pivotal event where Jesus reveals His divine glory to Peter, James, and John. The act of praying signifies Jesus' dependence on the Father and sets an example for believers to seek God in prayer, especially before significant events. This aligns with other instances where Jesus prays before major decisions or revelations, such as before choosing the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12).

the appearance of His face changed
This transformation signifies the divine nature of Jesus, echoing the Old Testament accounts of Moses, whose face shone after speaking with God (Exodus 34:29-35). However, unlike Moses, whose radiance was a reflection, Jesus' change emanates from His inherent divinity. This moment foreshadows the glorified state of Christ post-resurrection and serves as a testament to His identity as the Son of God. It also prefigures the transformation believers will undergo in the presence of God (2 Corinthians 3:18).

and His clothes became radiantly white
The description of Jesus' clothes becoming radiantly white symbolizes purity, holiness, and divine glory. In biblical symbolism, white garments often represent righteousness and the heavenly realm (Revelation 3:5, 7:9). This transformation is a visual representation of Jesus' divine nature and His role as the spotless Lamb of God. The radiance of His clothing contrasts with the earthly and fallen state of humanity, highlighting the separation between the divine and the mundane. This imagery also connects to the prophetic vision in Daniel 7:9, where the Ancient of Days is described with clothing as white as snow, further affirming Jesus' divine authority and kingship.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is depicted in a moment of divine transformation, highlighting His divine nature and glory.

2. The Transfiguration
This event occurs on a mountain, traditionally identified as Mount Tabor, where Jesus is transfigured before His disciples, revealing His divine glory.

3. Peter, James, and John
These three disciples are present with Jesus during the Transfiguration, serving as witnesses to this miraculous event.

4. Moses and Elijah
Although not mentioned in this specific verse, they appear in the broader context of the Transfiguration, representing the Law and the Prophets, respectively.

5. The Mountain
The setting of the Transfiguration, symbolizing a place of divine revelation and encounter with God.
Teaching Points
The Power of Prayer
Jesus' transformation occurs while He is praying, underscoring the importance of prayer in experiencing God's presence and power.

Revelation of Divine Glory
The Transfiguration reveals Jesus' divine nature, encouraging believers to recognize and worship Him as the Son of God.

Witness to the Truth
The presence of Peter, James, and John as witnesses emphasizes the importance of sharing and testifying to the truth of Christ's glory.

Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets
The appearance of Moses and Elijah signifies that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises and prophecies.

Transformation in Christ
Just as Jesus was transformed, believers are called to be transformed into His likeness through the renewing of their minds.(29) And as he prayed.--We again note, as characteristic of St. Luke, the stress laid upon our Lord's prayers here, as before in Luke 3:21; Luke 5:16; Luke 6:12.

The fashion of his countenance was altered.--It is, perhaps, noticeable that the Evangelist who had the most classical culture avoids the use of the classical word "transfigured" or "metamorphosed," employed by the others. For him that word might have seemed too suggestive of the "metamorphoses" which the great work of Ovid had connected with the legends of Greek mythology.

Verse 29. - And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, etc. The marvellous change evidently passed over Jesus while he was in prayer, probably because of his intense prayer. Real, close communion with God ever imparts to the countenance of the one who has thus entered into communion with the High and Holy One, a new and strange beauty. Very many have noticed at times this peculiar and lovely change pass over the faces of God's true saints as they prayed - faces perhaps old and withered, grey with years and wrinkled with care. A yet higher degree of transfiguration through communion with God is recorded in the case of Moses, whose face, after he had been with his God-Friend on the mount, shone with so bright a glory that mortal eye could not bear to gaze on it until the radiance began to fade away. A similar change is recorded to have taken place in the case of Stephen when he pleaded his Divine Master's cause in the Sanhedrin hall at Jerusalem with such rapt eloquence that to the by-standers his face then, we read, "was as the face of an angel." Stephen told his audience later on, in the course of that earnest and impassioned pleading, that to him the very heavens were opened, and that his eyes were positively gazing on the beatific vision. Yet a step higher still was this transfiguration of our Lord. St. Luke tells us simply that, "as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered." St. Matthew tells us how it was altered when he writes that "his countenance shone as the sun." And his raiment was white and glistering; literally, lightening forth, as if from some inward source of glorious light. The earthly robes were so beautified by contact with this Divine light that human language is exhausted by the evangelists to find terms and metaphors to picture them. St. Matthew compares these garments of the Blessed One to light; St. Mark, to the snow; St. Luke, to the flashing lightning.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

as
ἐγένετο (egeneto)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

He
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

was praying,
προσεύχεσθαι (proseuchesthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 4336: To pray, pray for, offer prayer. From pros and euchomai; to pray to God, i.e. Supplicate, worship.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

appearance
εἶδος (eidos)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1491: Visible form, shape, appearance, outward show, kind, species, class. From eido; a view, i.e. Form.

of
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

face
προσώπου (prosōpou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4383: From pros and ops; the front, i.e. The countenance, aspect, appearance, surface; by implication, presence, person.

changed,
ἕτερον (heteron)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2087: (a) of two: another, a second, (b) other, different, (c) one's neighbor. Of uncertain affinity; other or different.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

clothes
ἱματισμὸς (himatismos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2441: A collective word: raiment, clothing. From himatizo; clothing.

became radiantly
ἐξαστράπτων (exastraptōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1823: To flash forth like lightning, gleam, be radiant. From ek and astrapto; to lighten forth, i.e. to be radiant.

white.
λευκὸς (leukos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3022: White, bright, brilliant. From luke; white.


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NT Gospels: Luke 9:29 As he was praying the appearance (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 9:28
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