9:8a
Suddenly: There are two interpretations as to which verb the word Suddenly is connected:
(1) The word Suddenly is connected with the verb saw. They looked around, then they suddenly saw that Elijah and Moses were already gone. (This interpretation is made clear in Matthew. The disciples were at first afraid to look up. When Jesus touched them and they looked around, they suddenly noticed that Elijah and Moses were no longer there.)
For example, the New Jerusalem Bible says:
Then suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, King James Version, God’s Word, English Standard Version)
(2) The word Suddenly is connected with the verb looked around. As soon as the disciples heard the voice, they suddenly looked around. For example, the New Century Version says:
Suddenly Peter, James, and John looked around
(Good News Bible, Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).
they: The pronoun they refers to the three disciples. For example, the New Century Version says:
Peter, James, and John
looked around: The verb looked around means “looked in several different directions.” Although the disciples expected to see Moses and Elijah, they only saw Jesus. Use a natural expression for that meaning.
9:8b
they saw no one with them except Jesus: The words saw no one…except Jesus indicates that Elijah and Moses were gone and the disciples saw only Jesus.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them (New Living Translation)
-or-
they saw only Jesus (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
but they saw only Jesus there alone with them (New Century Version)
Paragraph 9:9–13
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