And he was transfigured before them: the phrase before them means “in their presence” (New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). Good News Translation inverts the order of the Greek text and avoids the traditional was transfigured: “As they looked on, a change came over Jesus.” Elsewhere in the New Testament the verb “transfigured” occurs only in the Marcan parallel (9.2), and in Romans 12.2 (“transformed”) and 2 Corinthians 3.18 (“changed”). The basic meaning is “undergo a change in form.” In the transfiguration accounts it refers to a change that is outwardly visible; in the other two passages the change is internal and cannot be seen by the physical eye. Some English translations provide a dynamic equivalent: “his whole appearance was changed” (Phillips) and “his appearance underwent a change” (An American Translation). Another expression is “the way he looked to them changed.” Some have found it natural to say “And as they were watching, they saw him change.”

His face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light explains the nature of the change that came over Jesus. In the Gospel of Mark the nature of the change is not explained; there “he was transfigured” is simply followed by the additional statement “and his clothes became shining white—whiter than anyone in the world could wash them” (9.3, Good News Bible). Luke does explain the change, though in different terms from that of Matthew: “his face changed its appearance, and his clothes became dazzling white” (9.29, Good News Bible). A comparison of the three accounts reveals that in Matthew the transformed Jesus is more nearly described in terms which identify him with God, who covers himself with light (Psa 104.2).

His face shone like the sun can also be expressed as “his face shone as brightly as the sun.” Similarly, his garments became white as light means his clothes were shining brightly, so that “his garments shone (or, shone white) like light” can be used. But translators may find that a fairly literal rendering of the text is natural too. Garments refers to “clothes” (Good News Translation) or “clothing.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .