The first man we encounter with a divine relocation is Enoch.
Genesis 5:24 tells us,
“And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”Hebrews 11:5 clarifies,
“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”
The Greek word used here in Hebrews for “taken” is metatithēmi (μετατίθημι), meaning to transfer, to carry over, or to change place. This is not so much a teleportation from one part of Earth to another—but a divine translation into the presence of God without seeing death.
This sets a precedent: God has power to move a person out of this realm entirely.
Elijah: A Fiery Exit with a Chariot
In 2 Kings 2:11, we see Elijah taken up:
“Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”
Elisha witnessed this, and the sons of the prophets searched the land afterward (2 Kings 2:16–17), suggesting they thought Elijah might have been transported somewhere else on Earth. But he wasn’t. He was taken—up and away. This was no illusion, but a divine rapture.
Again, not teleportation in the terrestrial sense, but an immediate supernatural relocation.
Ezekiel: Transported by the Spirit
The prophet Ezekiel experienced several instances where he was supernaturally moved by the Spirit of God. In Ezekiel 3:12–14, he recounts:
“Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: ‘Blessed is the glory of the Lord from His place!’ I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise. So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.”
Again, in Ezekiel 8:3:
“He stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem…”
These passages indicate that Ezekiel was transported by the Spirit, possibly in visions, to different locations for prophetic purposes.
Jesus Walking Through Walls
The question arises from passages describing Jesus appearing to His disciples after His resurrection. John 20:19 records:
“Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.'”
Similarly, John 20:26 states:
“And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!'”
While the text does not explicitly state that Jesus walked through walls, it does indicate that He appeared among them despite the doors being shut. This suggests that in His resurrected body, Jesus was not bound by physical barriers, demonstrating His glorified state.
Philip: Caught Away by the Spirit
Now we come to the clearest example of true teleportation in Scripture. Acts 8:39–40 says,
“Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.”
The phrase “caught away” is from the Greek word harpazō (ἁρπάζω), which means to seize, snatch away, or pluck. It is the same word used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17,
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…”
Philip was seized by the Spirit and relocated—miraculously and immediately—from the desert road to Azotus, roughly 20 miles away.
This was not symbolic. The text plainly states that the eunuch saw him no more and that Philip was next found at Azotus. This is divine transportation with spatial relocation, and it was Spirit-directed.
Paul: Whether in the Body or Out, God Knows
Paul describes a mysterious experience in 2 Corinthians 12:2–4:
“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven… was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words…”
The same word harpazō is used here—caught up. Paul doesn’t know if it was physical or spiritual, but it was real. He experienced being taken to the heavenly realm. It was immediate and overwhelming. Though not a geographical relocation on Earth, this further affirms God’s power to translate a person into heavenly places in a moment.
John: The Revelation on Patmos
The Apostle John, while exiled on the island of Patmos, was “in the Spirit” and received the Revelation. Revelation 4:1–2 states:
“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.’ Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.”
John was transported spiritually to witness heavenly visions, underscoring God’s ability to transcend human limitations to reveal divine truths.
Jesus: Passing Through the Crowd and Walking on Water
In Luke 4:29–30, when a mob tried to throw Jesus off a cliff, it says,
“Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.”
The crowd had Him at the edge—yet He passed through them untouched. This wasn’t sleight of hand; it was divine authority over the physical realm.
In John 6:19–21, after walking on the sea, Jesus gets into the boat with His disciples,
“and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”
That word immediately in Greek is eutheōs (εὐθέως)—straightaway, at once. The whole boat with everyone aboard was instantly at their destination. This is not ordinary. It reflects His dominion over time and space.
What Does This Reveal About God?
All these examples carry a singular theme: God is not limited by geography, time, or natural law. Psalm 139:7–10 tells us,
“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there… Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”
He who holds the universe in His hand (Isaiah 40:12) can easily relocate His servants. This reveals His omnipotence, His direct involvement in the affairs of men, and His ability to position people for divine purposes.
These translations and transports were never for show. They served His will—whether in preaching the gospel like Philip, removing a prophet from the earth like Elijah, or rescuing Jesus from a premature execution.
My Final Thoughts
The teleportations and translations in Scripture are not just spiritual oddities—they are moments where heaven intersects with Earth in a visible, tangible way. They show a God who is not restrained by our natural understanding. Whether lifting a man to heaven, snatching someone from danger, or speeding up the mission of the gospel, each moment demonstrates His will and power.
In a world where we are so often bound by limitations, let this remind you—your God is not limited. He can take you where you need to be, however He pleases, for His glory. So walk with faith, and know that He still moves His people, maybe not always across land, but always into His perfect plan.
