Other translations
New Catholic Bible
The only light their eyes perceived came from a terrifying, spontaneous blaze. And, when no longer seen, in their fright they regarded the darkness as preferable to that sight.
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Nothing was shining through to them except a dreadful, self-kindled fire, and in terror they deemed the things that they saw to be worse than that unseen appearance.
Good News Translation®
There was only a dreadful fire, lit by no human hand, that shone on them, and in their terror they believed that the real world was even worse than the things they imagined.
Wycliffe Bible
Soothly sudden fire full of dread appeared to them; and they were smitten with the dread of that face, that was not seen, and guessed those things to be worse, that were seen. [Forsooth there appeared to them sudden fire, full of dread; and smitten with the dread of that face, that was not seen, they esteemed or estimated worse to be, that were seen.]
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Nothing was shining through to them except a dreadful, self-kindled fire, and in terror they deemed the things which they saw to be worse than that unseen appearance.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Nothing was shining through to them except a dreadful, self-kindled fire, and in terror they deemed the things that they saw to be worse than that unseen appearance.
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Nothing was shining through to them except a dreadful, self-kindled fire, and in terror they deemed the things that they saw to be worse than that unseen appearance.
Common English Bible © 2011
Only once did anything shine through: it was a frightening fire that seemed to have a life of its own. But then, when they lost sight of that light, they were even more afraid than they had been before they had seen it! They began to realize that what they had seen was even worse than what they had thought.
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
But only intermittent, fearful fires flashed through upon them; And in their terror they thought beholding these was worse than the times when that sight was no longer to be seen.
Revised Standard Version
Nothing was shining through to them except a dreadful, self-kindled fire, and in terror they deemed the things which they saw to be worse than that unseen appearance.
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
Nothing was shining through to them except a dreadful, self-kindled fire, and in terror they deemed the things that they saw to be worse than that unseen appearance.