What Does The Bible Say About What Jesus Looks Like?

What Did Jesus Look Like?

What Did Jesus Look Like? is a free download.

The Bible’s answer

Because Jesus’ personal appearance is not detailed in the Bible, no one knows what he looked like in his physical appearance. This suggests that the bodily characteristics of Jesus are unimportant. The Bible, on the other hand, does provide us with a basic description of Jesus’ physical appearance. Characteristics: Jesus was a Jew, therefore it is possible that he received common Semitic characteristics from his mother. (See also Hebrews 7:14.) It is doubtful that his physical characteristics were very distinguishing. He was able to travel in stealth from Galilee to Jerusalem on one occasion, and he did it without being discovered. (See also John 7:10, 11) And he did not appear to stand out even among his closest disciples, according to reports. Remember that Judas Iscariot was tasked with identifying Jesus to the armed mob that had surrounded him when he was arrested? —Matthew 26:47-49.
Mark 12:47-49. Because the Bible states that ″long hair is a shame to a man,″ it’s improbable that Jesus had long hair. —1 Corinthians 11:14
Beard: Jesus had a beard on his face. He did so in accordance with Jewish law, which forbade adult males from ″disfiguring the margins of their beards.″ (See also Leviticus 19:27 and Galatians 4:4). In addition, the Bible makes reference to Jesus’ beard in a prophesy of his suffering. [See also Isaiah 50:6.] Body: All indicators point to Jesus being in good physical condition. During his ministry, he covered a great deal of ground. The Bible records that Jesus cleansed the Jewish temple twice, first by toppling the tables of money changers, and secondly by driving out cattle with a whip (Matthew 9: 35). (2:14–15
Luke 19:45–46
John 2:14–15) Volume IV, page 884 of McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia argues that ″the entire evangelical story shows strong and vigorous bodily condition.″ The facial expressions of Jesus: Jesus was a loving and caring person, and his facial expressions undoubtedly reflected this. (Matthew 11:28
Matthew 11:29) People from many walks of life came to him for consolation and assistance. (See also Luke 5:12, 13
7:37, 38.) Even youngsters appeared to be at comfortable in his company. Jesus said in Matthew 19:13-15 and Mark 9:35-37,

Misconceptions about Jesus’ appearance

As a result of the book of Revelation’s comparisons of Jesus’ hair to wool and his feet to ″burnished bronze,″ some believe that Jesus must have been of African heritage.According to the New Jerusalem Bible (Revelation 1: 14, 15).Fact: The book of Revelation is delivered ″in signs,″ as the title suggests.

The Book of Revelation (Revelation 1:1) While the description of Jesus’ hair and feet is written in symbolic language, it is not intended to represent his physical appearance while he was on earth.Instead, it is intended to illustrate the traits of Jesus following his resurrection.When it says that Jesus’ ″head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow,″ the author of Revelation 1: 14 is comparing color rather than texture to describe Jesus’ appearance.This shows the wisdom he has gained as a result of his age.

Revelation 3: 14 (KJV) Neither the texture of Jesus’ hair nor the texture of snow are being compared in this verse; rather, they are being compared in this verse to the texture of wool and snow, respectively.
″Jesus’ feet looked like fine copper when it was blazing in a furnace,″ according to the author.
(15:15) (Revelation 1: 15) In addition, his face was ″as dazzling as the sun when it is shining at its brightest.″ According to Revelation 1:16, This vision, which depicts the resurrected Jesus as the one ″who dwells in unapproachable brightness,″ must be symbolic, because no race possesses skin tone that corresponds to these descriptions.
Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:16.
Misconception: Jesus was a fragile and helpless man.

The truth is that Jesus acted in a masculine manner.
For example, he bravely identified himself to the armed throng that had gathered to apprehend him and take him into custody.
(See John 18:4-8.) Jesus must have also been physically fit in order to have worked as a carpenter with hand tools on the cross.
—Matthew 6:3.
So, why did Jesus want assistance in carrying his torture stake?
And why did he die before the other people who were killed beside him?

(Luke 23:26; John 19:31-33; Acts 2:42) Jesus’ corpse was in a state of significant decomposition just before his execution.
He’d been up all night, in part because of the emotional torment he was experiencing.
(Luke 22:42-44; cf.

Overnight, the Jews abused him, and the next morning, the Romans tormented him until he died from his injuries.According to the Scriptures (Matthew 26:67, 68; John 19:1-3) Such things almost certainly contributed to his death.A common misconception is that Jesus was usually depressed and sad.

The truth is that Jesus accurately represented the characteristics of his heavenly Father, Jehovah, who is referred to in the Bible as ″the cheerful God.″ Among the passages cited are 1 Timothy 1:11 and John 14:9.
In fact, Jesus demonstrated to others how to be content.
(Matthew 5:3-9; Luke 11:28; John 5:19) These findings demonstrate that Jesus’ facial expressions frequently indicated his contentment.

What did Jesus look like?

Answer to the question When it comes to Jesus’ physical appearance during His incarnation, there is no bodily description provided in the Bible.According to Isaiah 53:2b, ″He had no beauty or grandeur to entice us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we might want Him.″ This is the closest approximation we have to a description.All this tells us is that Jesus’ physical appearance was no different than that of any other man — He was unremarkable.

He was prophesying that the coming suffering Servant would come in lowly circumstances and would not wear any of the traditional symbols of monarchy, revealing His actual identity only to those with a keen spiritual discernment and a strong faith.Christ’s look as He would appear while being scourged before His crucifixion is described in more detail by Isaiah in his prophecy.″His appearance was so deformed that it could not be mistaken for that of a man, and his form was so ruined that it could not be mistaken for that of a human″ (Isaiah 52:14).These phrases express the terrible suffering He endured to the point where he no longer resembled a human being, as described above (Matthew 26:67; 27:30; John 19:3).

People were taken aback by His appearance, which caused them to stare at Him in disbelief.
Most of the depictions of Jesus that we have now are probably not accurate representations of him.
Because Jesus was a Jew, it’s likely that He had dark complexion, black eyes, and dark hair to match.
This is a long cry from the European/Caucasian Jesus seen in the majority of contemporary depictions.
One thing is certain: if it were vital for us to know what He looked like in person, Matthew, Peter, and John, who spent three years with Him, would undoubtedly be able to provide us with an accurate description, as would His own brothers, James and Jude, who also spent three years with Him.

Despite this, the writers of the New Testament provide no information on His physical characteristics.
Return to the previous page: Questions regarding Jesus Christ What was Jesus’ physical appearance like?

BIBLE VERSES ABOUT WHAT JESUS LOOKED LIKE

– Sort by Book Order (optional).″And his feet were like pure metal, as if they had been heated in a furnace; and his voice was like the sound of many waves.″ (Revelation 1:15) In fact, Isaiah 53:2 says that he will grow up before him as a fragile plant and as a root emerging from parched ground: he has no shape nor beauty, and when we see him, there will be nothing about him that we would wish to be with him.A figure similar to the Son of Man stands in the midst of the seven candlesticks, clad from head to foot in a robe of gold, and girt around the paps with a golden belt.

(Revelation 1:13-14) (Continue reading.) Daniel 10:5-6 – Then I raised up my eyes and saw, and behold, a certain man clad in linen, whose loins were girded with excellent gold of Uphaz: ″Behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: (Continue reading.) 7:9 – I watched until the thrones were brought down and the Ancient of Days sat, his garment as white as snow and the hair on his head as fine as pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels were as burning fire; I saw until the thrones were brought down and the Ancient of Days sat.Isaiah 52:14 – As many people were taken aback by thee; his face was disfigured more than any man’s, and his shape was marred more than the sons of men: A lawgiver will not be removed from between Judah’s feet, nor the sceptre from between his hands, until Shiloh comes, and it will be unto him that the people will come together.Genesis 49:10-12 (Continue reading.) Ezekiel 40:3 – And he led me to the gate, and behold, there stood a man with the appearance of brass in his hand, holding a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed in his hand; and he stood in the gate, and I recognized him.1 Corinthians 11:14 – The Bible says that a man’s life is measured by how much he gives to others.

What does nature itself not teach you about how a man’s long hair is a source of embarrassment for himself?
Isaiah 53:1-12 – The prophet Isaiah prophesied of the coming of the Messiah.
Who among you has taken our word for it?
Who is it that the arm of the LORD has been revealed to?
(Continue reading.) Topics and verses are produced automatically based on user queries.

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Some scriptural references and categories are courtesy of Open Bible.info, which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license.
Related Bible Dictionary Terms: More information regarding what Jesus looked like may be found in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible.

What Did Jesus Look Like?

In Western cultures, the most popular representation of Jesus Christ has been that of a bearded, fair-skinned man with long, wavy, light brown or blond hair and (often) blue eyes, who has been shown in this manner for millennia.However, the Bible does not describe Jesus’ physical appearance, and all of the evidence we do have shows that he looked significantly different from how he has been shown for so many years.

What Does the Bible Say?

The Bible provides just a few hints as to Christ’s physical characteristics.The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which comprise the first four volumes of the New Testament, contain the majority of what we know about Jesus.According to the Gospels, Jesus was a Jewish man who was born in Bethlehem and reared in the town of Nazareth in Galilee (then Palestine, now northern Israel) around the first century A.D., according to the New Testament.

While the Bible informs us that Jesus was around 30 years old when he began his ministry (Luke 3:23), it tells us almost little about his physical appearance, other than the fact that he didn’t stand out in any particular manner.During Jesus’ imprisonment in the garden of Gethsemane before to his execution (Matthew 26:47-56) Judas Iscariot had to point out Jesus to his troops among the disciples, apparently because they all looked to be the same size as one another.WATCH: JESUS: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Vault According to several academics, the passages from Revelation 1:14-15 provide evidence that Jesus’ complexion was a deeper shade and that his hair was of a shaggy texture.″His hairs were as white as white wool, as white as snow,″ the story claims of his head hairs.

In the light of day, his eyes were like a blaze of fire, and his feet were like burnished bronze, purified as though by fire.″ ″We don’t know what he looked like, but if all of the things that we know about him are true, he was a Palestinian Jewish man living in Galilee in the first century,″ says Robert Cargill, assistant professor of classics and religious studies at the University of Iowa and editor of Biblical Archaeology Review.
″We don’t know what he looked like, but if all of the things that we know about him are true, he was a Palestinian Jewish man living in Galile Thus, his appearance was that of a Palestinian Jewish guy living in the first century AD.
He would have had the appearance of a Jewish Galilean.″ READ MORE: Who Was the Author of the Bible?

How Have Depictions of Jesus Changed Over the Centuries?

Some of the oldest known artistic images of Jesus date back to the mid-third century A.D., more than two centuries after his death, according to archaeological evidence.These are the paintings found in the ancient catacombs of St.Domitilla in Rome, which were uncovered for the first time about four hundred years ago.

The paintings represent Jesus as the Good Shepherd, a youthful, short-haired, beardless man with a lamb wrapped over his shoulders, which was one of the most popular depictions of Jesus at the time of their creation.Another early image of Jesus was discovered on the walls of a damaged chapel in southern Israel in 2018, adding to the growing collection of early portraits.It is the earliest known image of Christ found in Israel, and it depicts him with shorter, curly hair, a depiction that was common to the eastern region of the Byzantine empire, particularly in Egypt and the Syria-Palestine region, but which was later lost to later Byzantine art.It was painted in the sixth century A.D., and it is the earliest known image of Christ found in Israel.

MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT: Is this 1,500-year-old painting a depiction of Jesus’ physical appearance?
During the fourth century A.D., the long-haired, bearded picture of Jesus began to develop, which was significantly influenced by portrayals of Greek and Roman gods, notably the all-powerful Greek deity Zeus.
As a result, Jesus began to appear dressed in a long robe and sitting on an elevated platform, such as the fifth-century mosaic on the altar of the Santa Pudenziana church in Rome, and occasionally with a crown of gold encircling his head.
Joan Taylor, a professor of Christian origins and second temple Judaism at King’s College London, argued in The Irish Times that the goal of these depictions was never to depict Jesus as a human being, but rather to convey theological arguments about who Jesus was as Christ (King, Judge, and divine Son).
″They have progressed through time to become the typical ‘Jesus’ that we know today.″ To be sure, not all depictions of Jesus are consistent with the prevailing picture of him that has been presented in Western art.

In reality, he has been represented as a member of many different civilizations across the world, at least in terms of visual representation.
Cultures tend to represent major religious leaders as having the appearance of the prevailing racial identity, as Cargill elucidates.
MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT: The Bible asserts that Jesus was a real person.
Is there any further evidence?

What Is the Shroud of Turin?

One of the most well-known of the many probable relics associated with Jesus that have appeared throughout the years is the Shroud of Turin, which was discovered in 1354 and has since become a worldwide sensation.According to believers, Jesus was wrapped in the piece of linen after he was crucified and that the shroud has a distinct image of his face.Many scholars, however, believe the shroud to be a forgery, and the Vatican even refers to it as a ″icon″ rather than a relic in its own documents.

″The Shroud of Turin has been refuted on a couple of occasions as a medieval fake,″ says Cargill.″The Shroud of Turin has been debunked as a medieval forgery.″ In the words of the author, ″It’s part of a larger phenomenon that has existed since Jesus himself, of attempting to acquire and, if they can’t be acquired, to produce objects that were part of Jesus’ body, life, and ministry—for the purposes of either legitimizing his existence and the claims made about him, or, in some cases, harnessing his miraculous powers.READ MORE: According to a forensic study, the Shroud of Turin does not represent Jesus’ burial cloth.

What Research and Science Can Tell Us About Jesus

An international team of forensic anthropologists and computer programmers led by retired medical artist Richard Neave collaborated on the creation of a new image of Jesus in 2001, using an Israeli skull from the first century A.D., computer modeling, and their knowledge of what Jewish people looked like at the time.However, while no one asserts that this image is an exact reconstruction of what Jesus himself actually looked like, scholars believe that this image—roughly five feet tall and featuring darker skin tones and eyes as well as shorter, curlier hair—is more accurate than many artistic depictions of the son of God.The author of What Did Jesus Look Like?

(2018) analyzed archaeological evidence, historical writings, and ancient Egyptian funerary art to reach the conclusion that Jesus, like the majority of people in Judea and Egypt at the time, had brown eyes, dark brown to black hair, and olive-brown skin tone.The typical man’s height at the period was around 5-feet-5-inches (166 cm), so he may have stood about that height.In spite of the fact that Cargill believes that these more contemporary depictions of Jesus—which include darker, maybe curlier hair, deeper skin tone, and dark eyes—are likely to be closer to the truth, he emphasizes that we will never be able to know precisely what Jesus looked like.″Can you imagine what Jewish Galileans looked like 2,000 years ago?″ he wonders.

″That’s the question,″ says the author.
″It’s likely that they didn’t have blue eyes or blond hair.″

What did Jesus look like?

There is no physical description of Jesus’ appearance in the Bible, at least not from the perspective of those who witnessed Him on earth.Some traits, based on the texts of the New Testament, may be recognized, though.Jesus was unmistakably a Jewish man of the first century.

His height was estimated to be a little over five feet, and he had Middle Eastern skin tones, black hair, and a full beard, according to recognized traditions from the time period.According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was likewise circumcised as a baby, as was customary in Jewish practice at the time (Luke 2).There is nothing more in Luke 2:52 than a reference to natural physical and social growth.The dress of Jesus was mentioned by the Gospel authors.

When He was put on trial in Matthew 27, He was stripped of his typical Jewish outer garment, which is referred to as a robe in English translations.
This garment was transformed into ″dazzling white″ at Jesus’ Transfiguration, and it was given away by lot (in a game of chance) during His crucifixion.
In addition, Jesus appeared to be wearing a form of customary Jewish undergarment, as evidenced by His washing the feet of His followers in the book of John 13.
John the Baptist also made reference to Jesus’ sandals, which was a reference to the style of shoes He wore (Luke 3:16).
The fact that the disciples in the New Testament did not draw attention to His physical attributes suggests that Jesus did not have any physical qualities that stood out to His companions at the time.

He was most likely of normal height and weight, and he lacked the physique of a bodybuilder.
When people talk about Jesus’ appearance, they often refer to Isaiah 53:2.
The verse serves as a prophecy of the suffering servant, which is a reference to Jesus himself.
″For he sprang up before him like a young plant, and like a root emerging from parched earth; he had no shape or grandeur that we should see him, and no beauty that we might want him,″ it says.
According to this passage, Jesus was not well-known for his physical appearance, which is consistent with the stories of His life in the New Testament that make no reference of His physical appearance.
In Revelation 1:14-15, we are given a description of Jesus’ appearance to the writer as He appeared to him in His dream.

It says, in part, ″His locks were white, like white wool, like snow, and he had a white beard.
His eyes were like a blaze of fire, his feet were like polished bronze that had been purified in a furnace, and his voice was like the thunder of many seas combined together.″ The risen Jesus is described in this text as having a white or even luminous head and hair, as well as eyes that are as bright as fire.
His bronze feet and resonant voice complete the vision of a magnificent, strong Jesus who has defeated death and the tomb, as shown in the Gospels.

While our modern civilization is interested in finding out what Jesus looked like, the Bible pays little attention to His physical traits and instead concentrates on His spiritual teachings, according to the Bible.People who desire to follow Jesus are therefore pushed to concentrate on living out His teachings rather than on guessing about His physical appearance.Truths that are related: What was it like to be Jesus in historical times?

Who was Jesus as a human being?
Was Jesus a Jew or a non-Jew?
Was Jesus of Nazareth a black man?
What was the language that Jesus spoke?
Is it possible that Jesus had brothers and sisters (siblings)?
Return to the page: The Truth About Jesus Christ.

What Did Jesus Look Like?

Many people have pondered, ″What did Jesus look like?″ after reading the Bible or hearing someone speak about Jesus.Given that Jesus lived more than 2,000 years ago, we don’t have any photographs or even sketches of what he looked like.We may, however, draw some broad conclusions about Jesus’ physical appearance based on his society and archeological evidence, which we will discuss below.

According to Joan Taylor, a professor of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at the University of London, she conducted study on the look of Jesus for the book What Did Jesus Look Like?She believes that Jesus had a physical appearance similar to that of the majority of people in the Middle East throughout the First Century.Ancient Jewish people resembled Egyptians in terms of physical appearance during the period of their origin.The majority of first-century Jewish men, according to archeological data, stood around 5’5″ tall and had brown eyes.

Another school of thought holds that Jesus was 5′ 1″ tall and weighed 110 pounds.

Jesus Likely Had Black Hair and a Beard.

″And do not swear by your head, for you will not be able to make even one hair white or black,″ Jesus instructed his disciples (Matthew 5:36).Jesus most likely wore a beard and short curly hair with long sideburns or ″payot,″ as the Greeks called them.″You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard,″ the injunction of Leviticus 19:27 said.

″You shall not mar the margins of your beard.″ In modern times, Orthodox Jewish men continue to have a lengthy beard on the sides of their heads.Jews and Romans were both thought to have shorter hairstyles, which was considered the standard.″Does not the very nature of things tell you that if a man has long hair, it is a source of embarrassment for him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is a source of pride for her?″ Paul says to early Christians in Corinth.″She is provided a covering since she has long hair″ (1 Corinthians 11:14-15).

Jesus Was neither Tall nor Remarkably Good Looking.

They would have made a comment if Jesus’ arrival had been noteworthy in any manner, according to the gospels’ writers.For example, in the Gospel of Luke, a tax collector named Zacchaeus is described as being of average height.″Jesus was on his way to him, and Zacchaeus was interested in seeing what he was like.

Zacchaeus, on the other hand, was a small man who couldn’t see above the crowd.As a result, he went ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree,″ says the author.(Luke 19:3-4, Christian Standard Version) If Jesus had been taller than the average person in the throng, Zacchaeus would have been able to see him clearly over the rest of the people.In the Old Testament, the future King Saul is described as being attractive and standing at a respectable height.

″Kish had a son named Saul, who was better-looking and more than a head taller than everyone else in all of Israel,″ according to the story.
The Bible says (1 Samuel 9:2, CEV).
As recorded in 1 Samuel 17:4, Goliath was depicted as a giant who stood six cubits and a span tall, which corresponds to more than nine feet tall in modern terms.

Jesus Was Not Beautiful and Wasn’t Considered Majestic.

In their personal narrative of Jesus’ life and work, the disciples drew on prophetic passages from Isaiah 53, which they included in their writing.
This chapter of Isaiah, according to many Christians, is a description of Jesus’ coming to earth as the Messiah and the suffering He would face.
″Because he sprang up before him like a young plant, and like a root emerging from parched earth; he has neither shape nor grandeur that we should admire, nor beauty that we should love him,″ he said.

He was hated and rejected by mankind; he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with sadness; and like one from whom folks hide their faces, he was despised, and we did not see him as someone to be respected…Nevertheless, he was pierced for our trespasses and crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and it is by his wounds that we are healed.(Isaiah 53:2–3, Isaiah 53:5) The Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on Isaiah 53:1-3 draws a connection between this prophetic scripture and Christ’s lack of beauty and appearance, as well as his suffering and mission.As the author says, ″Nowhere else in the entire Old Testament is it so obviously and completely promised that Christ should suffer and ultimately enter into his glory, as in this chapter…According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah’s lowly status and public appearance did not comport with their conceptions of him…The splendour that one may have expected to see in his presence was completely lacking.″ Jesus used the prophet Isaiah 53 to describe himself.

In his explanation, he stated that ″it is written of the Son of Man that he should endure many things and be regarded with disdain.″ He added that (Mark 9:12) According to Matthew 8:17, Jesus cured those who were demon-possessed as well as all those who were sick in order to ″fulfill what had been foretold by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our ailments and bore our diseases.’ ″ ″He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we may die to sin and live to righteousness,″ Peter wrote.
″You have been healed by His stripes″ (1 Peter 2:24).

Why Aren’t There Pictures of Jesus from His Lifetime?

Jesus’ ministry and message had a profound impact on the entire globe.
People were martyred and died as a result of their faith in him, but we have no physical evidence of what he seemed to be like.
Throughout the First Century, carvings, sculptures, and mosaics representing military commanders like Caesar as well as ordinary people have been discovered.

Why didn’t early Christians erect portraits or sculptures in Christ’s honor?What was the reason for this?Having been raised as Jews, Jesus and the earliest followers observed the Law and relied on Old Testament principles to guide them in every aspect of their life, including marriage.When God gave his people the Ten Commandments, He specifically instructed them not to create graven images.God’s people were not allowed to worship any other gods.In the aftermath of delivering the people of Israel from Egypt’s captivity, God did not want them to slip back into the habit of worshiping idols of men, such as Pharaoh, or idols of animals, as they had done previously.

A carved figure or any likeness of anything in the heavens above, or anything in the earth beneath, or anything that is in the sea under the ground shall not be made for yourself″ (Exodus 20:4).
As a result of this passage, God cautioned his people not to worship or bow down to idols, for the Lord was a ″jealous God,″ punishing those who hated him by visiting his ″iniquity on the offspring to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me″ (Exodus 20:5).
A critical instruction with far-reaching implications was issued.
Just before the Israelites were ready to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land, God reinforced his previous order that they should not create an idol or image in the shape of a man.
″So that you do not become corrupt and create for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed in the shape of a man or a woman, or in the shape of any animal on the earth, or in the shape of any bird that flies in the air, or in the shape of any creature that moves along the ground, or in the shape of any fish in the waters beneath″ (Deuteronomy 4:15-18).

Why Do We Have Pictures of Jesus If Early Christians Didn’t Create Images?

The images of Christ in stained glass, icons or statues in the sanctuary, or pictures of Jesus in your Children’s Bible may have been a part of your childhood experience.
These are examples of the artist’s imaginative abilities.
One of the earliest known depictions of Jesus goes back to 235 years after his death and resurrection.

This painting of Jesus healing the paralytic was discovered on a wall in Syria’s Dura-Europos church, which is one of the world’s oldest Christian churches and is considered to be the oldest in the world.Another ancient picture of Jesus, this one depicting him as a beardless young man in the role of a shepherd, was discovered in the Roman Catacombs.It wasn’t until the fourth century C.E.that painters began showing Jesus with a beard.The Bible was taught to Christians via the use of art in the early church.It was through the use of paintings and sculptures that believers of all ages who were illiterate were able to recall stories about Jesus.

Art was an important aspect of Roman civilization, and it was later absorbed into early Christian culture.
As a result of the widespread presence of art and sculpture in ancient Roman, Greek, and Syrian culture, art and sculpture played an important role in the church’s representational practices.
Ancient artwork, paintings, and even modern images are representations of an artist’s imagination as well as the culture in which they were created.
One look at Rembrandt’s paintings of Christ from the 17th century CE reveals a very different perspective on Christ’s appearance from earlier medieval illuminated manuscripts from the 10th century CE.
We can easily see how the artist’s point of view and culture influenced the clothing, hair color, and even hairstyle that Jesus wore in this painting.

What Does All This Mean for Us Today?

Knowing that no images or sculptures of Jesus were created during his lifetime serves as a reminder to us that God looks at the heart and not the external appearance of a person.
Once, when God enlisted the prophet Samuel to pick the king of Israel, God gave him extremely precise instructions to avoid Saul, who had the appearance of a king but did not have a desire to serve the Lord.
In response, the Lord instructed Samuel to disregard his outward appearance or the height of his stature because he had been rejected by Me.’″ Because the Lord views things differently than men do: men gaze at the external appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.″ (1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Samuel 16:8) It is critical that we learn from this and refrain from judging ourselves or others based on our external looks.

Similarly to what Jesus instructed his followers, ″Do not judge by appearances, but judge with sound judgment″ (John 7:24).They were Jesus’ followers who traveled with him throughout his time of ministry, and each of them went on to write books about him.Considering that none of the texts written by Jesus’ disciples contain any description of his looks, it is astonishing that they do not.The authors of the New Testament made it a point to keep our attention on Jesus’ teaching and his heart.Whenever we feel unattractive or unattractive, or when people detest or criticize us because of our appearance, we must remember that Jesus himself was unattractive and unattractive; he wasn’t regarded good-looking or handsome; and people laughed at him and even spat on him (Matthew 26:67).People frequently make snap judgments based on their outer appearance.

This is not the behavior that Christians should exhibit.
Our value is not determined by how we appear, how popular or handsome we are, or how much money we make.
According to James 3:9, our worth is founded on God’s love for us, because he created each and every human being in His image.
Idol worship, idolatry BibleStudyTools.com, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible) (Concise).
BiblicalArchaeology.org cites Isaiah 53 as a source.
″Can you tell me what Jesus looked like?″ CNN.com, ″A New Face of Jesus emerges from the realms of science and computers.″ Jeordan Legon’s work from 2002.

LiveScience.com, ″Can You Tell Me What Jesus Really Looked Like?″ ″A new study redraws the image of the holy.″ Owen Jarus, according to the website Oldest.org ″The Seven Oldest Jesus Paintings in the World,″ according to the article.TimesOfIsrael.com, ″During a forensic pilgrimage, a researcher inquires, ‘What did Jesus look like?’″ the article states.Rich Tenorio’s work from 2018.

The author of Embracing Change: Learning to Trust God through Biblical Women, as well as two books about Hezekiah, Penny Noyes, M.Ed., is well-known in the Christian community.Penny may be found on her blog and on Instagram, where she goes by the handle @pennynoyes.Photo credit (from top to bottom, left to right): Wikimedia Commons/Rembrandt; Unsplash/Paul Zoetem Eijer; Wikimedia Commons/Chateau des Moines; Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown Carl Bloch and Dieric Bouts are two of the most well-known composers in the world.Bethany Pyle is responsible for the design.

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What did Jesus look like when he was crucified? What does Jesus look like when he is resurrected?

Jesus’ lineage

According to the stories in the New Testament, Jesus was reported to have slipped away into the throng on multiple occasions and was unable to be discovered (Luke 4:30).
Also in Matthew 1:1-17, we learn about Jesus’ pedigree, which begins with Adam and Abraham and ends with his parents, Joseph and Mary.
What is the significance of this?

There wasn’t much that distinguished him from the other Jews who were living in Israel at the time, and as a result, he didn’t stand out much from the rest of the throng.Another detail that gives insight on what Jesus looked like was his occupation.His career was a good indicator of his physical appearance.Carpenters worked long hours without the benefit of modern power tools, which means that Jesus was likely to have had a robust frame and strong rough hands while he was on earth.Find out where Jesus was born by browsing the site.

Was Jesus Beautiful?

In Isaiah 53, the prophet foretold that Jesus would have no exterior traits or attractiveness that would allure people to Him or entice them to Him.
As an additional point of clarification, Isaiah says that Jesus will sprout up like a plant out of dry ground, without any type of kingly grandeur.
The bottom line is that Jesus seemed to be a normal guy with no distinctive qualities.

There was no reason for the people to follow Jesus just because he appeared to be a rock star or a model on the outside.He was followed instead because of the words, lessons, and theology he preached.Jesus’ teachings were different from those of the religious authorities of the day; rather, He spoke with authority (Matthew 7:28-29).

What Did Jesus Look Like on the Cross?

In Isaiah 53, the prophet foretold that Jesus would have no exterior traits or attractiveness that would allure people to Him or pull them to Himself.
A further prophecy from the prophet Isaiah is that Jesus would sprout up like a plant from dry ground, without any indication of royal authority or grandeur.
Jesus, in summary, had no distinctive qualities and appeared to be an ordinary guy.

Because Jesus resembled a rock star or model, the masses that followed Him did not do so out of admiration for him.Instead, people clung to Him because of His words, teachings, and teaching doctrine.He taught in a way that was different from what the religious leaders were saying at the time (Matthew 7:28-29).

What Does Jesus Look Like in Heaven?

Following his ascension to heaven in a glorified body, Jesus is described in detail in the book of Revelation.
In two primary locations, Revelation 1 and 19, John had a vision of Jesus and records what he sees.
The following description is taken from the vision.

Jesus seems to be the ″Son of Man,″ who is dressed in a garment that extends all the way down to His feet with a golden belt around His breast (Revelation 1:13).In the book of Revelation, his head and hair are white as snow, and his eyes are like flames of fire (Rev 1:14).(Rev 1:14; 2:18; 19:12).As seen by John in Revelation 1:16, Jesus is holding seven stars in His right hand, and His feet appear to be highly polished brass from a furnace (Rev 1:15, 2:18).Jesus’ face is similarly radiant in its splendor, much like the sun (Rev 1:16).Revelation 19 also offers an image of Jesus returning to earth, adorned with many crowns and riding on a white horse with a name inscribed on it that no one could read before (Rev 19:11-12).

This is confirmed in the vision, which also states that Jesus would govern with a rod of iron, with the titles ″King of Kings″ and ″Lord of Lords″ inscribed on His robe and thigh (Rev 19:16).
According to the Book of Revelation, the voice of Jesus sounds like a trumpet, and the sound of many rivers is heard (Rev 1:10,15; 19:6).

Jesus in Daniel’s Visions

It’s fascinating to observe that Daniel identifies Jesus as having attributes that are practically identical to those of Jesus. According to Daniel 10:5-6, Jesus is described in the following way: Daniel 10:5 describes him as being dressed in linen.
Daniel 10:5 describes a pure golden belt around the waist.
Daniel 10:6 describes the body as like Beryl.
Daniel 10:6 describes the face as being like flashes of lightning, and the eyes as being like fiery torches.
Dani 10:6 describes his arms and feet as though they were polished bronze, and his voice as if it were made by a multitude (Daniel 10:6).

Is it wrong to have pictures of Jesus?

Answer to the question It was in Exodus 20:2 that God introduced humans to His Law by stating who He is and warning them that they would have no other gods but Him.
This was followed by a warning that they would have no other gods but Him in all of their affairs.
As a result, he promptly followed up by outlawing the creation of any image of anything ″in heaven above, on earth beneath, or in the seas beneath″ (Exodus 20:4) for the purpose of worshipping or bowing down to it.

The most remarkable aspect of the history of the Jewish people is that they disregarded this commandment more than any other in the entire history of the world.Throughout history, people have created and worshiped idols that symbolize gods.This began with Moses’ building of the golden calf, which occurred at the same time that God was writing out the Ten Commandments for Moses (Exodus 32).Aside from diverting the Israelites’ attention away from the actual and living God, idol worship encouraged all sorts of immorality, including temple prostitution, orgies, and even the sacrifice of infants in the name of God.Of all, just because someone has a picture of Jesus hanging in their house or church does not suggest that they are engaging in idolatry.Occasionally, a painting of Jesus or a crucifix may be mistaken for a religious object of devotion, in which case the worshiper is to blame.

However, there is nothing in the New Testament that would directly prohibit a Christian from keeping a picture of Jesus in his or her possession.
A picture like this might serve as a reminder to pray, to refocus on the Lord, or to follow in Christ’s footsteps, among other things.
The Lord, however, cannot be reduced to a two-dimensional image, and no prayer or devotion should be offered to a two-dimensional representation of the Lord.
A picture will never be a comprehensive representation of God or correctly depict His splendor, and it should never be used as a substitute for developing our understanding of God and deepening our understanding of Him.
In addition to this, it is important to remember that even the most beautiful picture of Jesus Christ is nothing more than one artist’s interpretation of what the Lord appeared to be like.
As things are, we have no idea what Jesus looked like.

The apostles Matthew, Peter, and John, as well as Jesus’ own brothers James and Jude, all provided us with precise descriptions of Jesus’ personal appearance if the specifics of His physical appearance were vital for us to know.Despite this, the writers of the New Testament provide no information regarding Jesus’ physical characteristics.It is up to us to use our imaginations.

We surely don’t require a picture to convey the character of our Lord and Savior’s personality.We simply need to take a glance at His creation, as we are told in Psalm 19:1–2: “Take a look at what the Lord has made.” ″The heavens announce the glory of God, and the sky proclaim the work of his hands,″ says the poet.They spew out discourse day after day, and night after night, they demonstrate their intelligence.″ In addition, our very presence as the redeemed of the Lord, purified and made righteous by His blood shed on the cross, should keep Him constantly in our thoughts and intentions.The Bible, which is the actual Word of God, is also packed with non-physical depictions of Christ that catch our imaginations and excite our hearts, as well as physical portrayals of Christ.

The Bible describes Him as: the light of the world (John 1:5), the bread of life (John 6:32–33), the living water that quenches the thirst of our souls (John 4:14), the high priest who intercedes for us with the Father (Hebrews 2:17), the good shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11–14), the spotless Lamb of God (Revelation 13:8), the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12 (Colossians 1:15).
Any piece of paper that hangs on the wall is less lovely in our eyes than a Savior like Him.
Amy Carmichael, a missionary from India, narrates the story of Preena, a little Indian girl who converted to Christianity and resided in Miss Carmichael’s orphanage.

Rather of showing the girls pictures of Jesus, Miss Carmichael prayed for the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to each of them, saying, ″For who but the Divine can show the Divine?″ Preena received a parcel in the mail from a foreign country one day.She enthusiastically opened it and pulled out a picture of Jesus from the inside.Preena had naively inquired as to who it was, and when she was informed that it was Jesus, she fell into tears on the spot.″Can you tell us what’s wrong?″ they inquired.″Can you tell me why you’re crying?″ ″I believed He was far more lovely than that,″ adds Preena, in response to her mother’s criticism (page 151).

Return to the previous page: Questions regarding Jesus Christ Is it bad to put images of Jesus on your walls?

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Question of the Week

Answering the question It was in Exodus 20:2 that God introduced humans to His Law by stating who He is and warned them that they would have no other gods but Him.
This was followed by a warning that they would have no other gods but Him in their lives.
As a result, he promptly followed up by outlawing the creation of any image of anything ″in heaven above, on earth beneath, or in the seas beneath″ (Exodus 20:4) for the purpose of worshiping or bowing down to it.

When it comes to the history of the Jewish people, it is intriguing to note that they have disregarded this commandment more than any other throughout their history.Throughout history, people have created and worshiped idols that symbolize gods.This began with Moses’ building of the golden calf, which occurred at the same time that God was writing out the Ten Commandments for him (Exodus 32).Aside from diverting the Israelites’ attention away from the actual and living God, idol worship encouraged all sorts of immorality, including temple prostitution, orgies, and even child sacrifice.The mere presence of a painting of Jesus in a house or church does not automatically suggest that individuals are engaging in idolatry.It is conceivable for a portrait of Jesus or a crucifix to be mistaken for an object of devotion, in which case the worshiper is held responsible.

However, there is nothing in the New Testament that would directly prohibit a Christian from displaying a portrait of Jesus in his home or office.
In this case, the picture might serve as a prompt for prayer, for refocusing on the Lord, or for walking in the ways of Jesus.
The Lord, however, cannot be reduced to a two-dimensional image, and no prayer or devotion should be offered to a two-dimensional representation of the Divine.
A picture will never be a perfect representation of God or correctly depict His splendor, and it should never be used as a substitute for developing our understanding of God and deepening our understanding of Him in our daily lives.
In addition to this, it is important to remember that even the most beautiful picture of Jesus Christ is nothing more than one artist’s interpretation of what the Lord seemed to be like.
In the current state of affairs, we have no idea what Jesus looked like.

Was Jesus white?

Answer to the question Much of Western art depicts Jesus as having white complexion and light hair, which is a common depiction of him.
Is this a true representation of Jesus’ appearance?
If this is not the case, why is He depicted in such a negative light so frequently?

First and foremost, it is critical to remember that the Bible does not provide a bodily depiction of Jesus.The Bible makes no mention of Jesus’ height, weight, skin tone, hair color, or eye color, nor does it mention his physical characteristics.Such things aren’t significant when it comes to knowing Jesus as a person.When it comes to defining what Jesus looked like, the Bible only provides a non-detailed picture of what he didn’t look like in Isaiah 53:2, which says, ″He had no form or grandeur that we should stare at him, and no beauty that we might want him″ (ESV).In essence, Isaiah 53:2 is stating that Jesus seemed to be an average person.In Revelation 1:14–15, the depiction of the glorified Jesus as having white hair and bronze complexion should not be taken literally unless you also believe that Jesus has seven stars in his right hand, a sword in His mouth, and a face that shines as brightly as the sun as well (Revelation 1:16).

According to the Bible, Jesus was a Jew, often known as a Hebrew or an Israelite, who lived during the time of the Old Testament.
Jesus was born in the Middle East and descended from Semitic ancestors.
As a result, he would have had light- to medium-brown complexion, brown eyes, and dark-brown to black hair, all of which are quite plausible.
Despite the fact that certain Middle Easterners have skin that is similar to that of Europeans on occasion, such skin tones are uncommon in that region of the world.
Was Jesus of Nazareth a white man?
The explanation is that he was most likely not of European descent.

So, if Jesus was most likely not white, why is He shown in such a stereotypically white manner?When you look at artists’ depictions of Jesus from all over the world, you will see that they frequently portray Jesus in a manner that is comparable to how people appear in that specific culture’s society.Europeans portray Jesus as a member of the European Union.

Africans portray Jesus as a member of the African diaspora.Asians depict Jesus in a way that makes Him appear to be of Asian descent.It is more common for individuals to see Jesus as looking somewhat like them, or at the very least as looking like someone they are familiar with.Is it wrong to act in this manner?

This is not always the case.
As long as we do not allow our favorite picture of Jesus to become an idol, there is nothing in the Bible that prohibits us from picturing Jesus in a certain manner.
Jesus is the Savior of ″all peoples″ and ″all countries″ (Matthew 28:19; Galatians 3:8).

People of any race, color, ethnicity, and nationality can find forgiveness of sin and peace with God in the crucified and resurrected Christ, regardless of their skin tone, race, ethnicity, or national origin.The love of Jesus knows no bounds in terms of race or ethnicity.Because there is no physical description of Jesus, people naturally assume that the Son of Man is similar to themselves in appearance.As a result, we should refrain from being dogmatic about our favorite picture of Jesus.Given that there is no bodily portrayal of God in the Bible, we should exercise caution and avoid being too presumptuous about the matter.

It doesn’t really matter what Jesus looked like in the end.When it comes to being the Saviour of the world, His outward appearance has absolutely nothing to do with it (John 3:16).Please also have a look at our post ″Was Jesus a black man?″ Return to the previous page: Questions regarding Jesus Christ Was Jesus of Nazareth a white man?

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Was Jesus black?

Answer to the question It is the position of some organizations, mainly associated with some kind of the ″Black Hebrew″ movement, that Jesus was black or African in both skin color and appearance.
While this runs directly against to the fact that the Bible declares Jesus to be Jewish, which means He most likely had light to dark brown complexion, the discussion/argument ultimately misses the point entirely.
Is it truly important that we know the hue of Jesus’ skin—whether He was black, yellow, brown, or white—in order to understand His character?

Despite the fact that this may be a contentious matter for some, the truth is that we simply do not know what hue Jesus’ skin was.Because Jesus was of Jewish descent, there are numerous references to Him being Jewish throughout Scripture.However, the Bible gives little information about his physical appearance, if any.In the Bible, it is the prophet Isaiah who provides the most accurate depiction of Jesus’ physical appearance: The young man grew up in front of him like a sensitive sprout, and like a root emerging from dry earth.He possessed no beauty nor majesty to entice us to him, nor was there anything in his aspect that we should want him″ (Isaiah 53:2).If the hue of Jesus’ skin and the tone of his face were significant, God would have made it known to us.

Moreover, to assume that Jesus is of a certain race or color is to make assumptions based on information that is not included within the Bible.
As a result, it is at best pointless guesswork (1 Timothy 1:4; Titus 3:9).
The idea is that, in the grand scheme of salvation, it doesn’t matter what hue of skin Jesus had when he died (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14).
So, what exactly should we be concerned about when it comes to Jesus and his teachings?
In his letter to the Ephesians, Peter writes, ″His divine power has given us all we want for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness″ (2 Peter 1:3).
To put it another way, Christ has called us to a life of glory and moral perfection, both on this planet and in the next life.

We are to live pure and holy lives for the sake of the Lord’s honor.There is no ambiguity in the meaning of this passage: it is His splendor and goodness that draw men to Him in search of life and holiness.Nothing about His appearance or the color of His skin has anything to do with how He feels about himself.

God, according to Peter (Acts 10:34–35), ″does not show partiality, but accepts persons from every nation who fear him and do what is right.″ When Jesus tells us to go into all the world and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:18–20), He is implying that there are no cultural or racial borders, and that we are all one in Christ Jesus, as he says in the verses that follow.The apostle Paul expresses this sentiment in his epistle to the churches in Galatia: ″There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, because you are all one in Christ Jesus″ (Galatians 3:28).The hue of our Savior’s skin has absolutely no influence on how we share the gospel with others.Furthermore, the color of our neighbor’s skin should have no influence on our ability to communicate the gospel message to him (Romans 1:16).

According to 1 Corinthians 9:19–23, the apostles of the first-century church adapted to the cultures of their host nations, but they never did so at the expense of their loyalty to the commandment of Christ.
Paul may have altered his technique of teaching everytime he traveled to a new culture or foreign area, but he never changed the message he was trying to convey.
He continued to teach the same things he had always preached, regardless of the skin color of those who listened to him.

It was important to them that they heard the good news of Jesus Christ.The fact is that the message of the gospel of Christ was effective then, and it continues to be effective now!Whatever color they are, whether they are black, white, yellow, or brown, the gospel nevertheless penetrates into the hearts of people who seek to know God.Our eternal fate is not determined by the color of Jesus’ skin, or the color of our neighbor’s skin, among other factors.In contrast to this is the fact that ″salvation can only be found in one person, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved″ (Acts 4:12).

Please also have a look at our post ″Was Jesus a white man?″ Return to the previous page: Questions regarding Jesus Christ Was Jesus of Nazareth a black man?

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Question of the Week

Did Jesus have long hair?

Answer to the question Many depictions of Jesus in art depict a Caucasian guy with blue eyes and long, light-brown hair, which is typical of the time period.
It is critical to recognize that this popular depiction of Jesus is most likely not accurate in terms of his physical appearance.
Because Jesus was of Jewish descent, His skin tone was likely to be light to dark brown, his eyes brown, and his hair dark brown to black.

Jesus would have seemed to be a normal Middle Easterner in appearance.Because the Bible does not include a bodily depiction of Jesus, there should be no preconceived notions regarding His appearance.And, at the end of the day, we must acknowledge that it doesn’t matter what He looked like.If it really mattered, the Bible would include a physical description of the characters.In light of the fact that the colors of His complexion, eyes, and hair in artistic representations are likely to be wrong, what about the length of His hair?Is it also incorrect that Jesus has long hair in this depiction?

Since the Bible makes no mention of the length of His hair, it is difficult to be dogmatic in this regard once again.
However, since Jesus seemed to be a normal Middle Eastern guy in the first century A.D., it is possible that the length of His hair shown in artistic representations is wrong as well.
Many of the artistic representations of Jesus have Him with hair that appears to be a little bit feminine.
Even though there were no particular Jewish rules in place, Jewish males were customarily required to have significantly shorter hair than Jewish women.
As well as this, there is Paul’s observation in 1 Corinthians 11:14, ″Does not nature itself show you that a man who wears long hair degrades himself?″ The length of Jesus’ hair would have been determined by what was considered culturally suitable for a male at the time.
Jesus’ hair would have seemed to be of a manly style.

Now, the specifics of what it entails are up for discussion.Is it possible that His hair was shoulder length?Possibly.

Could we imagine Jesus with a buzz cut, or at the very least extremely short hair?Most likely not.The important thing to remember is that it would have been manly in appearance.According to 1 Corinthians 11:3–15, Paul seems to be making a similar point.

The hairstyle of a man should be manly.
The hairstyle of a lady should be feminine.
This signifies something different in different cultures, yet the idea is the same no matter where you go in the world.

So, did Jesus have a beard or a lengthy beard?The answer is dependent on your definition of ″long.″ Is it possible that it was longer than the average length of hair for males today?Yes.Would it have been so long that it had a feminine appearance?No.

However, just like with the colors of His complexion, eyes, and hair, the length of His hair is ultimately inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.It makes no difference to Him being the Savior of the world (John 1:29) and the only way to enter the kingdom of heave

What Did Jesus Look Like?

The Bible’s answer

Misconceptions about Jesus’ appearance

What did Jesus look like?

BIBLE VERSES ABOUT WHAT JESUS LOOKED LIKE

What Did Jesus Look Like?

What Does the Bible Say?

How Have Depictions of Jesus Changed Over the Centuries?

What Is the Shroud of Turin?

What Research and Science Can Tell Us About Jesus

What did Jesus look like?

What Did Jesus Look Like?

Jesus Likely Had Black Hair and a Beard.

Jesus Was neither Tall nor Remarkably Good Looking.

Jesus Was Not Beautiful and Wasn’t Considered Majestic.

Why Aren’t There Pictures of Jesus from His Lifetime?

Why Do We Have Pictures of Jesus If Early Christians Didn’t Create Images?

What Does All This Mean for Us Today?

Browse article contents

Jesus’ lineage

Was Jesus Beautiful?

What Did Jesus Look Like on the Cross?

What Does Jesus Look Like in Heaven?

Jesus in Daniel’s Visions

Is it wrong to have pictures of Jesus?

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Question of the Week

Was Jesus white?

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Question of the Week

Was Jesus black?

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Did Jesus have long hair?

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