Revelation 14:2

Revelation 14:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
• New International Version (NIV)And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.

Context of Revelation 14:2

1Then I looked, and this is what I saw: the Lamb stood [firmly established] on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had His name and His Father’s name inscribed on their foreheads [signifying God’s own possession]. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of great waters and like the rumbling of mighty thunder; and the voice that I heard [seemed like music and] was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. 3And they sang a new song before the throne [of God] and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased (ransomed, redeemed) from the earth. 4These are the ones who have not been defiled [by relations] with women, for they are celibate. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased and redeemed from among men [of Israel] as the first fruits [sanctified and set apart for special service] for God and the Lamb.

Revelation 14:2 word by word

Καὶ ἤκουσα φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς φωνὴν ὑδάτων πολλῶν καὶ ὡς φωνὴν βροντῆς μεγάλης, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ ἣν ἤκουσα ὡς κιθαρῳδῶν κιθαριζόντων ἐν ταῖς κιθάραις αὐτῶν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• I heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• a voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• of manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• watersὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
• of a greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• thunderβροντήbrontē · thunderG1027
• of harpersκιθαρῳδόςkitharōdos · harpistG2790
• harpingκιθαρίζωkitharizō · to play the harpG2789
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• harpsκιθάραkithara · harpG2788

Cross-references for Revelation 14:2

• Revelation 10:4And when the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them down.”
• Revelation 11:12And the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they ascended into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
• Revelation 19:1After these things I heard something like the great and mighty shout of a vast multitude in heaven, exclaiming, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory (splendor, majesty) and power (dominion, might) belong to our God;
• Revelation 1:15His feet were like burnished [white-hot] bronze, refined in a furnace, and His voice was [powerful] like the sound of many waters.
• Revelation 19:6Then I heard something like the shout of a vast multitude, and like the boom of many pounding waves, and like the roar of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all] reigns.
• Psalms 93:4More than the sounds of many waters, More than the mighty breakers of the sea, The Lord on high is mighty.
• Isaiah 17:13The nations roar on like the roaring of many waters, But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, And be chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind, Or like whirling dust before the storm.
• Ezekiel 43:2And behold, the glory and brilliance of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east; and His voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory.
• Revelation 1:10I was in the Spirit [in special communication with the Holy Spirit and empowered to receive and record the revelation from Jesus Christ] on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,
• Revelation 8:7The first [angel] sounded [his trumpet], and there was [a storm of] hail and fire, mixed with blood, and it was hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
• Revelation 9:1Then the fifth angel sounded [his trumpet], and I saw a star (angelic being) that had fallen from heaven to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit (abyss) was given to him (the star-angel).
• Revelation 10:3and he shouted with a loud voice, like the roaring of a lion [compelling attention and inspiring awe]; and when he had shouted out, the seven peals of thunder spoke with their own voices [uttering their message in distinct words].
• Revelation 11:15Then the seventh angel sounded [his trumpet]; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom (dominion, rule) of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
• Exodus 19:16So it happened on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and flashes of lightning, and a thick cloud was on the mountain, and a very loud blast was sounded on a ram’s horn, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.
• Exodus 20:18Now all the people witnessed the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the smoking mountain; and as they looked, the people were afraid, and they trembled [and moved backward] and stood at a [safe] distance.
• Zechariah 9:14Then the Lord will be seen [hovering] over them [protecting His people], And His arrow will go forth like lightning; And the Lord God will blow the trumpet And will march in the windstorms of the south.

Commentaries on Revelation 14:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The voice of many waters - That is, of multitudes of various nations. The voice of harpers - Though the sounds were many and apparently confused, yet both harmony and melody were preserved.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And I heard a voice from heaven - Showing that the scene is laid in heaven, but that John in the vision was on the earth. As the voice of many waters - As the sound of the ocean, or of a mighty cataract. That is, it was so loud that it could be heard from heaven to earth. No comparison could express this more sublimely than to say that it was like the roar of the ocean. As the voice of a great thunder - As the loud sound of thunder. And I heard the voice…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3This great choir sang a new song that only those redeemed from the earth could learn. These people had died and were already with the Lord. This might explain why John did not include the content of their refrain for readers still facing life's challenges (compare 2 Corinthians 12:4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. from--Greek, "out of." voice of many waters--as is the voice of Himself, such also is the voice of His people. I heard the voice of harpers--A, B, C, and Origen read, "the voice which I heard (was) as of harpers."Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 14:2

• Celibacy
• Chastity
• Harp
• Heaven
• Music
• Praise
• Righteous
• Song
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Bless
• Cloud
• Harp
• Thrust
• Torment
• Ascension
• Chaldea; Chaldeans
• Innocents, Massacre of the
• Print; Printing; Printed
• Revelation of John

Commentaries on Revelation 14

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings