Lectionary Calendar
Friday, August 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

King James Version (1611 Edition)

Matthew 28:3

His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snowe.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Colors;   Friendship;   Jesus, the Christ;   Lightning;   Love;   Thompson Chain Reference - Dead, the;   Face;   Light-Darkness;   Mortality-Immortality;   Resurrection;   Shining Faces;   White;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Garments;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Miracle;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Mary;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Angel;   Appear, Appearance;   Burial;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Angel;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Resurrection of Christ;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - New Testament;   Seraphim;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Colors;   Mary;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Lightning;   Snow;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Angels;   Angels (2);   Dress (2);   Glory;   Israel, Israelite;   Lightning ;   Quotations (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Snow;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Angel;   Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Countenance;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Mary;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Angel;   Bloody Sweat;   Color;   Ramah;   Snow;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for October 15;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.
King James Version
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
English Standard Version
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
New American Standard Bible
And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
New Century Version
He was shining as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
Amplified Bible
The angel's appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were as white as snow.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
Legacy Standard Bible
And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
Berean Standard Bible
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
Contemporary English Version
The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
Complete Jewish Bible
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were as white as snow.
Darby Translation
And his look was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
Easy-to-Read Version
The angel was shining as bright as lightning. His clothes were as white as snow.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And his countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snowe.
George Lamsa Translation
His appearance was like lightning, and his garments white as snow.
Good News Translation
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
Lexham English Bible
Now his appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow.
Literal Translation
And his face was as lightning and his clothing white as snow.
American Standard Version
His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
Bible in Basic English
His form was shining like the light, and his clothing was white as snow:
Hebrew Names Version
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
International Standard Version
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were as white as snow.Daniel 10:6;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
His aspect was like lightning, and his raiment was white as the snow.
Murdock Translation
And his aspect was like the lightning; and his raiment white like snow:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
His countenaunce was lyke lyghtnyng, and his rayment white as snowe.
English Revised Version
His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
World English Bible
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.
Weymouth's New Testament
His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And his lokyng was as leit, and hise clothis as snowe;
Update Bible Version
His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
Webster's Bible Translation
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.
New English Translation
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
New King James Version
His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
New Living Translation
His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.
New Life Bible
His face was bright like lightning. His clothes were white as snow.
New Revised Standard
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now his appearance, was, as lightning, and, his clothing, white as snow;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And his countenance was as lightning and his raiment as snow.
Revised Standard Version
His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
His countenaunce was lyke lyghtnynge and his raymet whyte as snowe.
Young's Literal Translation
and his countenance was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And his countenaunce was as ye lightenynge, and his clothinge whyte as snowe.
Mace New Testament (1729)
his aspect was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.
Simplified Cowboy Version
This angel looked like he was made of livin' lightnin' and his trail gear was as white as snow.

Contextual Overview

1 In the ende of the Sabbath, as it began to dawne towards the first day of the weeke, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for the Angel of the Lord descended from heauen, and came and rolled backe the stone from the doore, and sate vpon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snowe. 4 And for feare of him, the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5 And the Angel answered, and said vnto the women, Feare not ye: for I know that ye seeke Iesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as hee said: Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And goe quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. And behold, hee goeth before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him: loe, I haue told you. 8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre, with feare and great ioy, and did run to bring his disciples word. 9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Iesus met them, saying, All haile. And they came, and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then said Iesus vnto them, Be not afraid: Goe tell my brethren that they goe into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

countenance: Matthew 17:2, Psalms 104:4, Ezekiel 1:4-14, Daniel 10:5, Daniel 10:6, Revelation 1:14-16, Revelation 10:1, Revelation 18:1

his raiment: Mark 9:3, Mark 16:5, Acts 1:10, Revelation 3:4, Revelation 3:5

Reciprocal: Judges 13:6 - countenance was Psalms 97:4 - the earth Song of Solomon 5:15 - his countenance Ezekiel 1:13 - General Luke 24:5 - they John 20:12 - seeth Acts 10:30 - behold Romans 6:4 - by the Revelation 19:14 - clothed

Cross-References

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said vnto them, Be fruitfull, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and haue dominion ouer the fish of the sea, and ouer the foule of the aire, and ouer euery liuing thing that mooueth vpon the earth.
Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah, and his sonnes, and said vnto them, Bee fruitfull and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Genesis 13:16
And I will make thy seede as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbred.
Genesis 24:60
And they blessed Rebekah, and said vnto her, Thou art our sister, bee thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possesse the gate of those which hate them.
Genesis 28:1
And Isaac called Iacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and saide vnto him, Thou shalt not take a wife, of the daughters of Canaan.
Genesis 28:6
When Esau sawe that Isaac had blessed Iacob, and sent him away to Padan-Aram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him, he gaue him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;
Genesis 28:17
And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place? this is none other, but the house of God, and this is the gate of heauen.
Genesis 28:18
And Iacob rose vp earely in the morning, and tooke the stone that hee had put for his pillowes, and set it vp for a pillar, and powred oile vpon the top of it.
Genesis 35:11
And God saide vnto him, I am God Almightie: be fruitfull and multiply: a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and Kings shall come out of thy loynes.
Genesis 41:52
And the name of the second called he Ephraim: for God hath caused mee to be fruitfull in the land of my affliction.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

His countenance was like lightning,.... There was such a lustre and brightness in his face, that it glittered like lightning: such a description is in Daniel 10:6,

and his raiment white as snow: the word "white" is left out in the Vulgate Latin, and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel: the angel appeared clad in white, as a token of the purity and innocence of his nature; and because of the victory and triumph of Christ over death and the grave; and that he might be known and taken by the women for a good angel, it being a commonly received notion of the Jews, that ministering angels were clothed in white b.

"Said R. Ame to R. Levi, show me the Persians; he said to him, they are like to the mighty men of the house of David: show me the Chaberin, (another nation near the Persians,) they are like to destroying angels: show me the Ishmaelites, they are like to devils of the house of Hacsa: show me the disciples of the wise men in Babylon, they are like to the ministering angels.''

Upon which the gloss says,

""to the devils", because they are clothed in black, and are like to devils; to "the ministering angels", לבנים

לבושי, "they are clothed in white", and veiled like the ministering angels; as it is written in Ezekiel 9:2, "and the man was clothed with linen": and it is said c of R. Judah, that he was veiled, and sat in fine linen fringed, and was like to an angel of the Lord of hosts: and elsewhere d it is said, who are the ministering angels? the Rabbins: and why are they called ministering angels? because they are fringed, as the ministering angels, in beautiful garments.''

b T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 72. 1. c T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 25. 2. d T. Bab. Nedarim, fol. 20. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

His countenance - In our language the word “countenance” refers to the “face only;” in the original it refers to his “whole person.” His “general aspect, or the appearance of the angel himself,” was, etc.

Like lightning - Peculiarly bright and shining.

His raiment white as snow - Celestial beings are usually represented as clothed in white, Acts 1:10; Daniel 7:9; Revelation 3:4-5; Revelation 4:4; Revelation 7:13-14. White, among the Jews, was the symbol of “purity or innocence.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 28:3. His countenanceHis appearance, η ιδεα αυτου; or, his face, for so the word is used in some of the best Greek writers. It seems, from Mark 16:5, that this angel had assumed the appearance of a young man.

Like lightning — Coruscations of glory continually flaming from his face. This might produce the confusion mentioned Matthew 28:2.

His raiment white as snow — He was clothed in garments emblematical of the glad tidings which he came to announce. It would have been inconsistent with the message he brought, had the angel appeared in black robes, such as those preposterously wear who call themselves his successors in the ministry of a once suffering, but now risen and highly exalted, Saviour. But the world is as full of nonsense as of sin; and who can correct and bring it to reason and piety?


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile