Free Bible lesson for kids · Ministry in Galilee

The Transfiguration

Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain. His face shone like the sun, Moses and Elias appeared, and a voice from a bright cloud said, “Hear ye him.”

Teach this lesson: film, sheets and guide Print the coloring page

Bible passage: Matthew 17:1–13 · Mark 9:2–13 · Luke 9:28–36
Big idea: Jesus is God’s glorious Son, so we listen to Him.
Memory verse: While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Matthew 17:5 (KJV)
Ages: Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
Time: About 45 minutes
Included, free: Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game

The story

Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain (Matthew 17:1). There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as the light (Matthew 17:2). Moses and Elias (Elijah) appeared and talked with Jesus about His coming death at Jerusalem (Luke 9:30–31). Peter offered to make three tents, one each for Jesus, Moses and Elias (Matthew 17:4).

Then a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5). The disciples fell on their faces, very afraid. Jesus touched them and said, “Arise, and be not afraid” (Matthew 17:6–7). When they looked up, they saw no one but Jesus (Matthew 17:8). He told them to tell no one until He had risen from the dead (Matthew 17:9).

Read it in the Bible: Matthew 17:1–13 (KJV)

¹And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, ²And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. ³And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. ⁴Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. ⁵While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. ⁶And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. ⁷And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. ⁸And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. ⁹And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. ¹⁰And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? ¹¹And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. ¹²But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. ¹³Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Read it in the Bible: Mark 9:2–13 (KJV)

²And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. ³And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. ⁴And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. ⁶For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. ⁷And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. ⁸And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. ⁹And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. ¹⁰And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. ¹¹And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? ¹²And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. ¹³But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

Read it in the Bible: Luke 9:28–36 (KJV)

²⁸And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. ²⁹And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. ³⁰And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: ³¹Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. ³²But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. ³³And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. ³⁴While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. ³⁵And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. ³⁶And 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.

Questions to ask

Which three disciples went up the mountain?
Peter, James and John.
Who appeared with Jesus?
Moses and Elias (Elijah).
What did the voice say to do?
“Hear ye him.”

What this story teaches

Jesus is God’s beloved Son, full of glory (Matthew 17:2, 5).
God the Father tells us to listen to Jesus (Matthew 17:5).
Jesus knew He would suffer, die and rise again (Matthew 17:9, 12).
Jesus comforts us when we are afraid (Matthew 17:7).

Jesus Is God’s Beloved Son

Peter really saw Jesus’ glory on the mountain. He later wrote that he was an eyewitness of the majesty of God’s beloved Son.

2 Peter 1:16–17

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 min	Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help us listen to Jesus.
10 min	The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next.
10 min	Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “Jesus is God’s glorious Son, so we listen to Him.” What does that mean for us?
5 min	Memory verse. Say Matthew 17:5 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone.
10 min	Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions).
5 min	Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week.

Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.

Game time

For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes

Up the Mountain

You need: Cushions or mats piled as a mountain, a flashlight at the top, a cloth for a cloud

Kids climb the obstacle “mountain” one at a time, like Peter, James and John.
At the top, they shine the flashlight on their face and say, “This is my beloved Son: hear ye him.”
Then they climb back down and tag the next climber.

On the mountain Jesus’ face shone like the sun, and God said, “Hear ye him.”

For youth group · activity · indoors · about 20 minutes

Mountaintop Moment

You need: Glow sticks, a dark room, worship music

Turn off the lights and crack the glow sticks. Spend a few minutes in worship and quiet.
Share: when have you felt closest to God?
Then talk about going back “down the mountain”: how to live it out on Monday.

Peter wanted to stay on the mountain, but God said, “Hear ye him.” Following Jesus goes with us into every day.

Pray

Ask God to help us listen to Jesus.