Luke 9 · Verse 29

Luke 9:29

And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
Luke 9:29, King James Version

Luke 9:29 in other translations

BSBAnd as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white.
WEBAs he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became white and dazzling.
ASVAnd as he was praying, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became white and dazzling.
YLTand it came to pass, in his praying, the appearance of his face became altered, and his garment white--sparkling.
DARBYAnd as he prayed the fashion of his countenance became different and his raiment white and effulgent.
BBEAnd while he was in prayer, his face was changed and his clothing became white and shining.
WebsterAnd as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistening.

What does Luke 9:29 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
29. as he prayed, the fashion, &c.--Before He cried He was answered, and while He was yet speaking He was heard. Blessed interruption to prayer this! Thanks to God, transfiguring manifestations are not quite strangers here. Ofttimes in the deepest depths, out of groanings which cannot be uttered, God's dear children are suddenly transported to a kind of heaven upon earth, and their soul is made as the chariots of Amminadab. Their prayers fetch down such light, strength, holy gladness, as make their face to shine, putting a kind of celestial radiance upon it (2Co 3:18, with Ex 34:29-35). raiment white, &c.--Matthew says, "His face did shine as the sun" (Mt 17:2), and Mark says (Mr 9:3), "His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them" (Mr 9:3). The light, then, it would seem, shone not upon Him from without, but out of Him from within; He was all irradiated, was in one blaze of celestial glory. What a contrast to that "visage more marred than men, and His form than the sons of men!" (Is 52:14).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 29. The fashion. The appearance. Glistering. Shining like lightning--of a bright, dazzling whiteness. As Mark says, "more white than any fuller could make it."

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 9:28-36

Christ's transfiguration was a specimen of that glory in which he will come to judge the world; and was an encouragement to his disciples to suffer for him. Prayer is a transfiguring, transforming duty, which makes the face to shine. Our Lord Jesus, even in his transfiguration, was willing to speak concerning his death and sufferings. In our greatest glories on earth, let us remember that in this world we have no…

Read the full comment on Luke 9:28-36 →

Luke 9:29 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ἐγένετοegenetoit came to passG1096
ἐνenduringG1722
τῷtō<the>G3588
προσεύχεσθαιproseuchesthaiprayingG4336
αὐτὸνautonby HimG846
τὸtotheG3588
εἶδοςeidosappearanceG1491
τοῦtouof theG3588
προσώπουprosōpoufaceG4383
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
ἕτερον,heteron[was] altered,G2087
καὶkaiandG2532
ὁhotheG3588
ἱματισμὸςhimatismosclothingG2441
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
λευκὸςleukoswhiteG3022
ἐξαστράπτων.exastraptōnbecame dazzling.G1823

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 9:29

  • Mark 9:2-3

    And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

  • Matthew 17:2

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

  • 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. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai. …

  • 2 Peter 1:16-18

    For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

  • Isaiah 33:17

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

  • Revelation 20:11

    And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

  • Philippians 3:7-8

    But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

  • 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.

  • Revelation 1:13-16

    And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

  • John 1:14

    And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

  • Acts 6:15

    And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

  • Mark 16:12

    After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ex 34:29-35; Isa 33:17; 53:2; Mt 17:2; Mr 9:2,3; Joh 1:14; Ac 6:15
Php 3:7,8; 2Pe 1:16-18; Re 1:13-16; 20:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 9:28

    And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

  • Luke 9:29

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

  • Luke 9:30

    And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:

Read all of Luke 9

Luke 9:29 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y entre tanto que oraba, la apariencia de su rostro se hizo otra, y su vestido blanco y resplandeciente.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et comme il priait, l’apparence de son visage devint tout autre, et son vêtement devint blanc et resplendissant comme un éclair;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und indem er betete, wurde die Gestalt seines Angesichts anders und sein Gewand weiß, strahlend.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et facta est, dum oraret, species vultus ejus altera: et vestitus ejus albus et refulgens.