Revelation 1:20

Revelation 1:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
• New International Version (NIV)The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

Context of Revelation 1:20

18and the Ever-living One [living in and beyond all time and space]. I died, but see, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of [absolute control and victory over] death and of Hades (the realm of the dead). 19So write the things which you have seen [in the vision], and the things which are [now happening], and the things which will take place after these things. As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels (divine messengers) of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Revelation 1:20 word by word

τὸ μυστήριον τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀστέρων οὓς εἶδες ἐπὶ τῆς δεξιᾶς μου καὶ τὰς ἑπτὰ λυχνίας τὰς χρυσᾶς· οἱ ἑπτὰ ἀστέρες ἄγγελοι τῶν ἑπτὰ ἐκκλησιῶν εἰσιν καὶ αἱ λυχνίαι αἱ ἑπτὰ ἑπτὰ ἐκκλησίαι εἰσίν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The mysteryὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The mysteryμυστήριονmustērion · mysteryG3466
• of theἀστήρastēr · starG792
• sevenἑπτάhepta · sevenG2033
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• thou sawestὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• right handδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• theλυχνίαluchnia · lampstandG3087
• goldenχρύσεοςchruseos · goldenG5552
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• of theἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577

Cross-references for Revelation 1:20

• Matthew 13:11Jesus replied to them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.
• Luke 8:10And He said, “To you [who have been chosen] it has been granted to know and recognize the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that though seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
• Revelation 1:13and in the midst of the lampstands I saw someone like the Son of Man, dressed in a robe reaching to His feet, and with a golden sash wrapped around His chest.
• Revelation 1:12Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw seven golden lampstands;
• Revelation 2:1“To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of the One who holds [firmly] the seven stars [which are the angels or messengers of the seven churches] in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands (the seven churches):
• Revelation 3:1“To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of Him who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds; you have a name (reputation) that you are alive, but [in reality] you are dead.
• Malachi 2:7For the lips of the priest should guard and preserve knowledge [of My law], and the people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
• Zechariah 4:2He said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with its bowl [for oil] on the top of it and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it.
• Matthew 5:15nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
• Philippians 2:15so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out clearly] in the world [of darkness],
• 1 Timothy 3:14I hope to come to you before long, but I am writing these instructions to you

Commentaries on Revelation 1:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20The mystery - That is, the allegorical explanation of the seven stars is the seven angels or ministers of the Churches; and the allegorical meaning of the seven golden lamps is the seven Churches themselves. In the seven stars there may be an allusion to the seals of different offices under potentates, each of which had its own particular seal, which verified all instruments from that office; and as these seals were frequently set in rings which were worn…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The mystery of the seven stars - On the word “mystery,” see notes on Ephesians 1:9. The word means, properly, “what is hidden, obscure, unknown” - until it is disclosed by one having the ability to do it, or by the course of events. When disclosed, it may be as clear, and as capable of comprehension, as any other truth. The meaning here, as applied to the seven stars, is, that they were symbols, and that their meaning as symbols, without a suitable…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-20Verses 12-20 The churches receive their light from Christ and the gospel, and hold it forth to others. They are golden candlesticks; they should be precious and pure; not only the ministers, but the members of the churches; their light should so shine before men, as to engage others to give glory to God. And the apostle saw as though of the Lord Jesus Christ appeared in the midst of the golden candlesticks. He is with his churches always, to the end of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20John must record what he sees because Revelation is an important message for the churches. The angels (or messengers; Greek angelos) of the seven churches could be: the guardian angels of these churches (compare Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:15); the leading officials of the churches (compare Matthew 11:10, where “messenger” is angelos); or a personification of the ethos (spirit or character) of the church. The best understanding is probably a combination of 1…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. in--Greek, "upon My right hand." the mystery ... candlesticks--in apposition to, and explaining, "the things which thou hast seen," governed by "Write." Mystery signifies the hidden truth, veiled under this symbol, and now revealed; its correlative is revelation. Stars symbolize lordship (Nu 24:17; compare Da 12:3, of faithful teachers; Re 8:10; 12:4; Jude 13). angels--not as Alford, from Origen [Homily 13 on Luke, and Homily 20 on Numbers], the…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 1:20

• Angel of the Churches
• Candlestick
• Church
• Minister, Christian
• Seven
• Stars
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Angels of the Seven Churches
• Seven Churches
• Seven Stars
• Alpha
• Angel
• Beginning
• Mystery
• Star
• Stars
• Alliance

Commentaries on Revelation 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings