Mark 9:3

His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

BSB

His clothes became radiantly white, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them.

KJV

And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

ASV

and his garments became glistering, exceeding white, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them.

BBE

And his clothing became shining, very white, as no cleaner on earth would make it.

Original Greek

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καὶ kai and G2532 τὰ ta the G3588 ἱμάτια himatia garments G2440 αὐτοῦ autou of Him G846 ἐγένετο egeneto was G1096 στίλβοντα stilbonta shining G4744 λευκὰ leuka white G3022 λίαν lian exceedingly G3029 ὡς hōs as G5613 χιών chiōn snow G5510 οἷα hoia such as G3634 γναφεὺς gnapheus a launderer G1102 ἐπὶ epi on G1909 τῆς tēs the G3588 γῆς gēs earth G1093 οὐ ou not G3756 δύναται dunatai is able G1410 οὕτως houtōs thus G3779 λευκᾶναι leukanai to whiten G3021

The early church

All 7
(in Matt. tom. xii. 39) Or else, fullers upon earth may by a moral interpretation be considered to be the wise of this world, who are thought to adorn even their foul understandings and doctrines with a false whitening drawn from their own minds. But their skill as fullers cannot produce any thing like a discourse which shows forth the brightness of spiritual conceptions in the unpolished words of Scripture, which by many are despised.
Origen of Alexandria · d. 253Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Or else, white garments are the writings of Evangelists and Apostles, the like to which no interpreter can frame.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) It is not therefore fitting that in the kingdom of God any change of feature should take place, either in the Saviour Himself, or in those who are to be made like unto him, but only an addition of brightness.
Pseudo-Chrysostom · d. 500Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Or else, by the fuller are meant holy preachers and purifiers of the soul, none of whom in this life can so live as not to be stained with some spots of sin; but in the coming resurrection all the saints shall be purged from every stain of sin. Therefore the Lord will make them such as neither they themselves by taking vengeance on their own members, nor any preacher by his example and doctrine, can make.
Remigius of Rheims · d. 533Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(Mor. 32, 6) Because, in the height of the brightness of heaven above, they who shine in righteousness of life, will cling to Him; for by the name of garments, He means the just whom He joins to Himself.
Gregory the Dialogist · d. 604Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–13

Here is a prediction of the near approach Christ's kingdom. A glimpse of that kingdom was given in the transfiguration of Christ. It is good to be away from the world, and alone with Christ: and how good to be with Christ glorified in heaven with all the saints! But when it is well with us, we are apt not to care for others, and in the fulness of our enjoyments, we forget the many wants of our brethren. God owns Jesus, and accepts him as his beloved Son, and is ready to accept us in him. Therefore we must own and accept him as our beloved Saviour, and must give up ourselves to be ruled by him. Christ does not leave the soul, when joys and comforts leave it. Jesus explained to the disciples the prophecy about Elias. This was very suitable to the ill usage of John Baptist.

Read Matthew Henry on Mark 9 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 17:1–2Luke 9:28–29

Cross-references

11

Topics

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Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.