2 Chronicles 5:12

5:12 All the Levites who were musicians, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives, wore linen. They played cymbals and stringed instruments as they stood east of the altar. They were accompanied by 120 priests who blew trumpets.

Daniel 7:9

7:9 “While I was watching,

thrones were set up,

and the Ancient of Days ¹  took his seat.

His attire was white like snow;

the hair of his head was like lamb’s ²  wool.

His throne was ablaze with fire

and its wheels were all aflame. ³ 

Matthew 17:2

17:2 And he was transfigured before them. ⁴  His ⁵  face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.

Acts 1:10

1:10 As ⁶  they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly ⁷  two men in white clothing stood near them

Revelation 3:4

3:4 But you have a few individuals ⁸  in Sardis who have not stained ⁹  their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed ¹⁰  in white, because they are worthy.

Revelation 7:14

7:14 So ¹¹  I said to him, “My lord, you know the answer.” ¹²  Then ¹³  he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They ¹⁴  have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!

¹ tn Or “the Ancient One” (NAB, NRSV, NLT), although the traditional expression has been retained in the present translation because it is familiar to many readers. Cf. TEV “One who had been living for ever”; CEV “the Eternal God.”

² tn Traditionally the Aramaic word נְקֵא (nÿqe’) has been rendered “pure,” but here it more likely means “of a lamb.” Cf. the Syriac neqya’ (“a sheep, ewe”). On this word see further, M. Sokoloff, “’amar neqe’, ‘Lamb’s Wool’ (Dan 7:9),” JBL 95 (1976): 277-79.

³ tn Aram “a flaming fire.”

⁴ sn In 1st century Judaism and in the NT, there was the belief that the righteous get new, glorified bodies in order to enter heaven (1 Cor 15:42-49; 2 Cor 5:1-10). This transformation means the righteous will share the glory of God. One recalls the way Moses shared the Lord’s glory after his visit to the mountain in Exod 34. So the disciples saw Jesus transfigured, and they were getting a sneak preview of the great glory that Jesus would have (only his glory is more inherent to him as one who shares in the rule of the kingdom).

⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

⁶ tn Grk “And as.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

⁷ tn Grk “behold.”

⁸ tn Grk “a few names”; here ὄνομα (onoma) is used by figurative extension to mean “person” or “people”; according to L&N 9.19 there is “the possible implication of existence or relevance as individuals.”

⁹ tn Or “soiled” (so NAB, NRSV, NIV); NCV “have kept their clothes unstained”; CEV “have not dirtied your clothes with sin.”

¹⁰ tn The word “dressed” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the previous question.

¹² tn Though the expression “the answer” is not in the Greek text, it is clearly implied. Direct objects in Greek were frequently omitted when clear from the context.

¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

¹⁴ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.