The Transfiguration

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials[a]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.

Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.

As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man[b] had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by “rising from the dead.”

11 Then they asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?[c]

12 Jesus responded, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the Scriptures predicted.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 9:5 Greek three tabernacles.
  2. 9:9 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  3. 9:11 Greek that Elijah must come first?

The Transfiguration

And after six days, Jesus took along Peter and James and John, and led them to a high mountain by themselves alone. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothing became radiant—extremely white, like no cloth refiner on earth can make so white.[a] And Elijah appeared to them together with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and[b] said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! And let us make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (For he did not know what he should answer, because they were terrified.) And a cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!” And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus alone.

And as[c] they were coming down from the mountain, he ordered them that they should tell no one the things that they had seen, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 And they kept the matter to themselves, discussing what this rising from the dead meant.[d] 11 And they asked him, saying, “Why do[e] the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah indeed does come first and[f] restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that indeed Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written about him.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 9:3 Literally “make white like this”
  2. Mark 9:5 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  3. Mark 9:9 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“were coming down”)
  4. Mark 9:10 Literally “is”
  5. Mark 9:11 Literally “what is it that”
  6. Mark 9:12 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“does come”) has been translated as a finite verb