The Greek in Mark 9:4 that is translated as “Elijah with Moses” in English is translated in Matumbi as “Moses with Elijah” because Moses lived before Elijah. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
Transfiguration (icon)
Following is a Ukrainian Orthodox icon of the Transfiguration by Ivan Rutkovych (c. 1650 – c. 1708) (for the Church of Christ’s Nativity in Zhovkva, Ukraine, today in the Lviv National Museum).
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration
“In a number of languages, including Yanesha’ of Peru, there is an obligatory morpheme that must be suffixed to the name of any person referred to after his death. An interesting problem arises in the transfiguration account as to whether or not Moses’ name should have the ‘dead’ suffix. The translators have decided to leave the suffix off the name of Moses in the transfiguration story, since his obvious physical presence would be contradictory to the reference to his death. They are using it with the names of the characters of the Old Testament when they are mentioned in the New in other contexts and with the names of characters of the New Testament only if they have reason to believe that the person was dead when the record was written.” (Source: Larson 1998, p. 46)
In Yatzachi Zapotec the translators encountered the same grammatical requirement but decided differently. Otis Leal (in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 164ff. ) explains: “Zapotecs never refer to a person who has died without indicating this fact. Thus the sentence. In Mark 9:4 Moses and Elijah spoke with Christ. Moses was obviously dead and was so designated in the translation. The question arose regarding Elijah. The informant was positive that he also should be referred to as dead since he no longer inhabited this mortal world. Should that be conceded, however, it would seem that Christ would also have to be referred to as dead at any time after the ascension. Thus Paul would be represented as beginning Romans, ‘Paul, a servant of the dead Jesus Christ.’ But because of the resurrection of Jesus, He is always spoken of as alive.”
Mark 9:2 - 13 in Mexican Sign Language
Following is the translation of Mark 9:2-13 into Mexican Sign Language with back-translations into Spanish and English underneath:
© La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios
Retrotraducciones en español (haga clic o pulse aquí)
Seis días después Jesús llamó a que vinieran Pedro, Jacobo y Juan. Jesús subió y los tres discípulos fueron con él a un lugar en las montañas donde no había gente.
Los discípulos vieron con sus propios ojos que la cara y la ropa de Jesús se cambiaron a un blanco brilloso, no blanco como ropa lavada, sino diferente, un blanco muy brilloso que brillaba sobre ellos.
Vieron Elías y Moisés hablando con Jesús. Los tres discípulos se asustaron y se volvieron miedosos.
Pedro quería decir algo pero no sabía cómo. Dijo: “Maestro, está bien, suficiente, nosotros tres tiremos ramas de los árboles y hagamos tres tiendas para uds, ¿qué te parece?”
Vieron una nube bajando y la voz de Dios (dijo): “Este es mi hijo amado, pongan atención a él, Jesús.” Y la nube desapareció.
Los discípulos vieron sólo a Jesús parado. Después Jesús bajó caminando y los tres discípulos bajaron también.
Jesús les advirtió: “Lo que vieron ahorita no lo cuenten a otras personas, guarden silencio, es un secreto.
Cuando vean al Hijo de Hombre resucitado del muerto, pueden contarlo, ahorita todavía no lo cuenten.”
Six days later Jesus called Peter, James and John to come and he walked up and the three disciples went with him to a place in the mountains where there were no people.
The disciples saw with their own eyes that the face and the clothes of Jesus changed to a shining white, not white like clothes that have been washed, but different, a very shining white that shone on them.
They saw Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus. The three disciples were shocked and became afraid.
Peter wanted to say something but did not know how. He said: “Teacher, it is well, sufficient, let us three break branches from the trees and make three tents for you, what do you think?”
They saw a cloud coming down and the voice of God (said): “This is my beloved son, pay attention to him, Jesus.” And the cloud disappeared.
The disciples saw only Jesus standing there. Then Jesus walked down and the three disciples went down as well.
Jesus warned them: “That which you just saw, don’t tell it to other people, keep silent, it is a secret.
“When you see the Son of Man risen from the dead you can tell, but right now don’t tell it yet.”
The three disciples agreed to keep it secret and Jesus walked on down, and the disciples also went down. They said to each other: “What would resurrection mean?” “I don’t understand.” “Me neither.”
As they were walking they thought of something and said: “Jesus, we ask you, why do the teachers of the Law tell us that Elijah will come first and then the Christ?”
Jesus (answered): “This is true, first comes Elijah to prepare things and make them ready for Christ to come.”
“But Elijah has already come and the people were against him and Elijah suffered exactly as is written in the scroll.
“In the same way the Son of Man will suffer and be rejected by the people.”
Source: La Biblia en LSM / La Palabra de Dios
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Mark 9:2-8 in Russian Sign Language
Following is the translation of Mark 9:2-8 into Russian Sign Language with a back-translation underneath:
Source: Russian Bible Society / Российское Библейское Общество
Six days had passed. Jesus took three disciples with Him – Peter, James, John — and they went up a high mountain. There on the mountain, no one was there, just the four of them. And then Jesus’ appearance began to change. His clothes became shiny. His clothes became white as snow. There is no such white color on earth. And no one can wash clothes like that. Then Moses and Elijah appeared. Both of them talked with Jesus.
The disciples were amazed. Peter turned to Jesus:
— Teacher! It is so good here! Let’s make three tents: one for you, Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah.
Suddenly a cloud came down from the sky. It covered them. God’s voice came out of the cloud, “Jesus is my beloved son! Listen to him!”
The disciples were amazed. They began to look and suddenly saw Jesus standing alone. Moses and Elijah had disappeared.
Original Russian back-translation (click or tap here):
Прошли шесть дней. Иисус взял с собой троих учеников — Петра, Иаков, Иоанна — и они взошли на высокую гору. Там на горе, никого не было, только они вчетвером. И тут облик Иисуса начал изменяться. Его одежды заблестели. Его одежда стала белой как снег. На земле такого белого цвета нет. И никто не может так выстирать одежды. После этого явился Моисей и Илия. Оба они беседовали с Иисусом.
Ученики были поражены. Петр обратился к Иисусу:
— Учитель! Здесь так хорошо! Давай сделаем три шалаша: один — для тебя, Иисус, один — для Моисея и один — для Илии.
Вдруг с неба спустилось облако. Оно покрыло их. Из облака раздался голос Бога: «Иисус — он мой любимый сын! Слушайте его!»
Ученики были поражены. Они стали смотреть и вдруг увидели, что Иисус стоит один. Моисей и Илия исчезли.
Back-translation by Luka Manevich
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Mark 9:9-13 in Russian Sign Language >>
complete verse (Mark 9:4)
Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 9:4:
- Uma: “The disciples saw, there were two prophets of long ago talking with Yesus. Those prophets were Elia and Musa.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “So-then there appeared/came-out to them Nabi Eliyas and Musa and they spoke with Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then they saw Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “Then Elias and Moses appeared conversing-with Jesus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tagbanwa: “Suddenly/unexpectedly those three disciples saw Moises and Elias talking with Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The Transfiguration
Following is a 1973 painting of the JESUS MAFA project, a response to New Testament readings from the Lectionary by a Christian community in Cameroon, Africa. Each of the readings was selected and adapted to dramatic interpretation by the community members. Photographs of their interpretations were made, and these were then transcribed to paintings:
In this theatrical representation of Jesus’ transfiguration, Jesus is robed in a dazzling white garment, as the story in the gospels describes. He appears to be greeting Moses and Elijah like old friends as they are surrounded by a cloud that makes the whole scene feel ethereal. Peter, James, and John look on with flabbergasted and fearful expressions, bewildered at what they should do. This painting invites the viewer to imagine what it would be like to have seen such amazing things. Undoubtedly, it would inspire one to follow and obey Jesus, just as God commands in the story: “This is my son, the beloved. Listen to him!”
From Art in the Christian Tradition , a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. Image retrieved March 23, 2026. Original source: librairie-emmanuel.fr.
Elijah
The name that is transliterated as “Elijah” in English means “God-LORD,” “strength of the LORD,” “my God is YHWH.” “the LORD God.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
In Spanish Sign Language it is translated as “whirlwind” (according to 2 Kings 2:11) (Source: John Elwode in The Bible Translator 2008, p. 78ff. )
“Elijah” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España
Click or tap here to see how other sign languages are translating “Elijah”
In American Sign Language it is translated with a depiction of being taken up to heaven with a chariot of fire. (Source: ASL Sign Language Directory )
“Elijah” in American Sign Language (source )
Likewise in Estonian Sign Language, but with a different sign (source: Liina Paales in Folklore 47, 2011, p. 43ff.)
“Elijah” in Estonian Sign Language (source )
In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “fire” (referring to 1 Kings 18:38). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)
“Elijah” in Finnish Sign Language (source )
For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .
Following is a Russian Orthodox icon of Elijah from the late 13h century.
Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Elijah .
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