Luke 9:30
New International Version
Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.

New Living Translation
Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus.

English Standard Version
And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah,

Berean Standard Bible
Suddenly two men, Moses and Elijah, began talking with Jesus.

Berean Literal Bible
And behold, two men began talking with Him, who were Moses and Elijah.

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

New King James Version
And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,

New American Standard Bible
And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,

NASB 1995
And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,

NASB 1977
And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,

Legacy Standard Bible
And behold, two men were talking with Him, and they were Moses and Elijah,

Amplified Bible
And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,

Christian Standard Bible
Suddenly, two men were talking with him—Moses and Elijah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Suddenly, two men were talking with Him—Moses and Elijah.

American Standard Version
And behold, there talked with him two men, who were Moses and Elijah;

Contemporary English Version
Suddenly Moses and Elijah were there speaking with him.

English Revised Version
And behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Suddenly, both Moses and Elijah were talking with him.

Good News Translation
Suddenly two men were there talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah,

International Standard Version
Suddenly, two men were talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah.

Majority Standard Bible
Suddenly two men, Moses and Elijah, began talking with Jesus.

NET Bible
Then two men, Moses and Elijah, began talking with him.

New Heart English Bible
And look, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah,

Webster's Bible Translation
And behold, there talked with him two men, who were Moses and Elijah.

Weymouth New Testament
And suddenly there were two men conversing with Him, who were Moses and Elijah.

World English Bible
Behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And behold, two men were speaking together with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,

Berean Literal Bible
And behold, two men began talking with Him, who were Moses and Elijah.

Young's Literal Translation
And lo, two men were speaking together with him, who were Moses and Elijah,

Smith's Literal Translation
And, behold, two men were speaking with him, which were Moses and Elias:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And behold two men were talking with him. And they were Moses and Elias,

Catholic Public Domain Version
And behold, two men were talking with him. And these were Moses and Elijah, appearing in majesty.

New American Bible
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,

New Revised Standard Version
Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And behold, two men were speaking with him, who were Moses and Elijah;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And behold, two men were speaking with him, who are Moses and Elijah,
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And behold, two men conversed with him, who were Moses and Elijah;

Godbey New Testament
And behold two men were talking with Him, who were Moses and Elijah:

Haweis New Testament
And, lo! two men conversed with him, who were Moses and Elias:

Mace New Testament
two persons of a glorious form were seen talking with him; they were Moses, and Elias,

Weymouth New Testament
And suddenly there were two men conversing with Him, who were Moses and Elijah.

Worrell New Testament
And, behold, two men were talking with Him, who, indeed, were Moses and Elijah;

Worsley New Testament
and behold two men talked with Him, which were Moses and Elias;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Transfiguration
29And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white. 30 Suddenly two men, Moses and Elijah, began talking with Jesus. 31They appeared in glory and spoke about His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.…

Cross References
Matthew 17:3
Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Jesus.

Mark 9:4
And Elijah and Moses appeared before them, talking with Jesus.

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. ...

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. ...

Deuteronomy 18:15-19
The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him. / This is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God or see this great fire anymore, so that we will not die!” / Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well. ...

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.

Malachi 4:4-5
“Remember the law of My servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances I commanded him for all Israel at Horeb. / Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.

Hebrews 3:1-6
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. / He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. / For Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. ...

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.

John 5:45-47
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope. / If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. / But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

Acts 3:22-23
For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you. / Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.’

Romans 9:4-5
the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. / Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.

1 Kings 19:11-13
Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. / After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. / When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

2 Corinthians 3:7-11
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! ...

Revelation 11:3-6
And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” / These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. / If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone who wants to harm them must be killed. ...


Treasury of Scripture

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

which.

Luke 24:27,44
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself…

Matthew 17:3,4
And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him…

Mark 9:4-6
And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus…

Elias.

Luke 9:19
They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

Luke 1:17
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

James 5:17,18
Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months…

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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.














Suddenly
The word "suddenly" indicates an unexpected and immediate occurrence. In the Greek, the term used is "ἰδού" (idou), which is often translated as "behold" or "lo." This word serves to draw the reader's attention to a significant event. The sudden appearance of Moses and Elijah underscores the divine nature of the Transfiguration, emphasizing that this is a moment of great importance and revelation. It reminds us that God's interventions in history often come unexpectedly, calling us to be vigilant and ready for His divine actions.

Two men
The phrase "two men" refers to Moses and Elijah, two of the most significant figures in the Old Testament. Their presence is symbolic, representing the Law and the Prophets, respectively. Moses, as the lawgiver, and Elijah, as the prophet, together encapsulate the entirety of the Old Testament witness to God's covenant and promises. Their appearance with Jesus signifies the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets in Him, affirming His messianic identity and mission.

Moses and Elijah
Moses and Elijah are central figures in Jewish history and theology. Moses, who led the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Law on Mount Sinai, represents the foundation of the Jewish faith. Elijah, a powerful prophet known for his miracles and confrontation with idolatry, represents the prophetic tradition. Their presence at the Transfiguration highlights Jesus as the culmination of both the Law and the Prophets. Historically, both figures had mysterious departures from this world—Moses was buried by God in an unknown location, and Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Their appearance here suggests continuity and fulfillment of God's redemptive plan through Jesus.

Began talking
The act of "began talking" indicates a conversation of significance. The Greek word "συνελάλουν" (synelaloun) implies a dialogue or discussion. This conversation between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah is not recorded in detail, but it is understood to concern Jesus' impending "departure" (Luke 9:31), which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. This dialogue signifies the heavenly endorsement of Jesus' mission and the divine plan of salvation, which was foretold by the Law and the Prophets.

With Jesus
The phrase "with Jesus" places Christ at the center of this divine encounter. Jesus is the focal point of the conversation, underscoring His preeminence and authority. The presence of Moses and Elijah with Jesus affirms His role as the Messiah who fulfills the Old Testament prophecies and covenants. This moment on the Mount of Transfiguration reveals Jesus' divine glory and His unique position as the mediator between God and humanity. It serves as a powerful testament to His identity as the Son of God, who bridges the old covenant with the new.

Verse 30. - And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias; literally, there were talking. Evidently these two glorified beings had been conversing with Jesus some time before the three apostles, heavy with sleep, had noticed their presence; wearied and tired, slumber had overtaken them; we are not told how long they slept. The glorious light which environed them and the murmur of voices probably roused them, and in after-days they recounted what, after they were awake, they saw, and something of what they heard.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Suddenly
ἰδοὺ (idou)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2400: See! Lo! Behold! Look! Second person singular imperative middle voice of eido; used as imperative lo!

two
δύο (dyo)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1417: Two. A primary numeral; 'two'.

men,
ἄνδρες (andres)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; a man.

Moses
Μωϋσῆς (Mōusēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3475: Or Moses, or Mouses of Hebrew origin; Moseus, Moses, or Mouses, the Hebrew lawgiver.

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

Elijah,
Ἠλίας (Ēlias)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2243: Elijah, the prophet. Of Hebrew origin; Helias, an Israelite.

began talking with
συνελάλουν (synelaloun)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4814: To talk with, discuss. From sun and laleo; to talk together, i.e. Converse.

[Jesus].
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 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.


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NT Gospels: Luke 9:30 Behold two men were talking with him (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 9:29
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