Luke 9:36 kjv

And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

Luke 9:36 nkjv

When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

Luke 9:36 niv

When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

Luke 9:36 esv

And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

Luke 9:36 nlt

When the voice finished, Jesus was there alone. They didn't tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

Luke 9 verses

Luke 9 36 Meaning

Luke 9:36 describes the immediate aftermath of the Transfiguration. Following the powerful declaration from heaven, the divine voice ceased, and Moses and Elijah departed, leaving Jesus alone with Peter, James, and John. The verse emphasizes the abrupt end to the spectacular vision, focusing solely on Jesus' singular presence. Crucially, it highlights the disciples' subsequent silence about what they had witnessed. They kept the event a secret, telling no one in the ensuing period, likely in obedience to an implicit or explicit instruction, aligning with Jesus' practice of the Messianic Secret, withholding full revelation of His identity until the proper time. This moment underscores Jesus' unique preeminence, with the Law and Prophets now yielding to Him, and signifies the profound impact and sacredness of the experience.

Luke 9 36 Context

Luke chapter 9 marks a pivotal turning point in Jesus' ministry. It begins with the commissioning of the Twelve, moves through the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Peter's pivotal confession of Jesus as the Christ, and Jesus' first explicit prediction of His suffering and death, accompanied by His teaching on discipleship and taking up one's cross. Immediately preceding Luke 9:36 is the extraordinary event of the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-35). Jesus takes three key disciples—Peter, James, and John—up a mountain, where His appearance is gloriously altered, and Moses and Elijah appear conversing with Him about His "departure" (exodus) in Jerusalem. A cloud descends, and a voice from heaven declares, "This is My beloved Son; hear Him!" Verse 36 directly follows this divine affirmation, marking the conclusion of the visible and audible elements of the theophany.

Historically and culturally, the Jewish people eagerly awaited the Messiah. However, their expectations were often tied to a conquering king who would liberate them politically from Roman rule. The Transfiguration, revealing Jesus' divine Sonship and speaking of His "departure" (alluding to His sacrificial death), was a crucial revelation that redefined the Messiah's role away from common perceptions. The Messianic Secret—Jesus' frequent command to keep His identity or miracles hidden—served several purposes: to prevent misunderstanding and premature political uprising, to avoid an unqualified public acceptance based solely on sensational displays rather than spiritual conviction, and to allow the disciples time to mature in their understanding of Jesus' true mission as a suffering Servant who would ultimately die and rise again, thereby completing His saving work before it was fully proclaimed.

Luke 9 36 Word analysis

• And when the voice was past (Καὶ ἐν τῷ γενέσθαι τὴν φωνὴν - Kai en tō genesthai tēn phōnēn):

  • And (Καὶ - Kai): Connects this event directly to the preceding divine declaration.
  • when the voice was past (ἐν τῷ γενέσθαι τὴν φωνὴν - en tō genesthai tēn phōnēn): This phrase denotes completion. The Greek genesthai (from ginomai) means "to become, to happen, to occur." Here, it signifies the cessation or the "coming to an end" of the heavenly voice. Its completion marks a transition from divine utterance to the ensuing silence and a return to the natural state after a supernatural interruption. The dramatic declaration from the Father is finished, underscoring its finality and impact.

• Jesus was found alone (εὑρέθη Ἰησοῦς μόνος - heurethē Iēsous monos):

  • Jesus (Ἰησοῦς - Iēsous): The central figure, whose identity and authority are paramount.
  • was found (εὑρέθη - heurethē): Passive voice, suggesting a discovery. After the departure of Moses and Elijah and the cessation of the divine voice, only Jesus remained.
  • alone (μόνος - monos): This is a key word. It signifies Jesus' unique preeminence. Moses represents the Law, and Elijah the Prophets. Their departure signifies that the Law and the Prophets point to and ultimately yield to Christ. He is the ultimate fulfillment and authority, the One who stands superior and solitary as God's final revelation. The immediate solitude highlights His incomparable status following the Father's emphatic declaration to "hear Him."

• And they kept it close (καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐσίγησαν - kai autoi esigēsan):

  • And they (καὶ αὐτοὶ - kai autoi): The disciples, Peter, James, and John, are the subjects of this action.
  • kept it close (ἐσίγησαν - esigēsan): From the verb sigao (σιγάω), meaning "to be silent, to keep silent." This word indicates a deliberate, resolute act of withholding information, implying that they chose not to speak or were commanded not to speak about it. It points to their obedience and the sacred nature of the vision which demanded secrecy for a period.

• and told no man (καὶ οὐδενὶ ἀπήγγειλαν - kai oudeni apēngeilan):

  • told (ἀπήγγειλαν - apēngeilan): From apaggellō, meaning "to report, to announce, to tell." It confirms the lack of verbal dissemination.
  • no man (οὐδενὶ - oudeni): Absolute negation, emphasizing the complete silence maintained by the disciples. They did not disclose the event to anyone.

• in those days (ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις - en ekeinais tais hēmerais):

  • in those days (ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις - en ekeinais tais hēmerais): A specific temporal marker. This implies the secrecy was not indefinite but had a boundary. The parallel accounts in Matt 17:9 and Mark 9:9 specify that the secrecy was to be maintained "until the Son of Man had risen from the dead," providing the eschatological context for this silence. It allowed for the full purpose of Jesus' death and resurrection to unfold before His divine glory was widely proclaimed.

• any of those things which they had seen (οὐδενῶν ὧν ἑωράκεσαν - oudenōn hōn heōrakesas):

  • any of those things (οὐδενῶν ὧν - oudenōn hōn): Again, an emphatic negation covering the entire scope of the vision.
  • which they had seen (ἑωράκεσαν - heōrakesas): From horaō, "to see, to perceive." This confirms the visual nature of the extraordinary experience, including Jesus' transfiguration, the presence of Moses and Elijah, and the divine cloud. Their silence extended to all aspects of what they personally observed.

Luke 9 36 Bonus section

• The Three Witnesses: The presence of Peter, James, and John as the sole witnesses to the Transfiguration is significant. They are often privy to key moments in Jesus' ministry (e.g., healing of Jairus' daughter, Gethsemane). This small, select group reinforces the sacred and profound nature of the event, and perhaps also reflects a deliberate pedagogical approach by Jesus to teach key individuals first.
• Preparation for Resurrection Testimony: While silent "in those days," the Transfiguration experience fortified the disciples for future testimony. Once Jesus had risen, they would possess compelling, divinely-sanctioned evidence of His unique divine Sonship and authority, a crucial foundation for their proclamation of the Gospel. Their personal conviction would be unshakeable because of such undeniable experiences (2 Pet 1:16-18).
• Beyond Human Comprehension: The silence can also be interpreted as the disciples being utterly overwhelmed, truly beyond words, by the magnitude of the revelation. This highlights the inherent limit of human language and understanding in the face of direct divine encounter. They needed time to process what they saw before they could articulate it accurately.

Luke 9 36 Commentary

Luke 9:36 succinctly closes the Transfiguration narrative, revealing a profound theological and practical transition. The immediate shift from heavenly voice and esteemed figures of the past (Moses and Elijah) to "Jesus... alone" is highly symbolic. It signifies Jesus' ultimate supremacy over the Old Covenant—the Law and the Prophets find their climax and fulfillment in Him. No longer are Moses and Elijah required, for God has now spoken finally and definitively through His Son (Heb 1:1-2).

The subsequent silence of the disciples is not just a historical detail but a theological imperative rooted in the "Messianic Secret." Their inability to fully comprehend the implications of the Transfiguration or Jesus' impending suffering meant that premature disclosure could have led to a disastrous misinterpretation of Jesus' mission as a political king rather than a suffering servant. The secret was to be guarded "in those days"—until His death and resurrection—because only the Risen Christ, crucified and victorious, could be properly proclaimed and understood. The silence also points to the sacredness and ungraspable nature of the revelation itself; some truths are too profound to be widely proclaimed until God's opportune time. The disciples' obedience in keeping silent also highlights their growing, albeit imperfect, trust in Jesus' guidance, even when they didn't fully grasp the meaning of what they had witnessed (Lk 18:34). It was a moment to internalize the profound revelation before outward proclamation.