Revelation 8:4

Revelation 8:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
• New International Version (NIV)The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.

Context of Revelation 8:4

2Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3Another angel came and stood at the altar. He had a golden censer, and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints (God’s people) on the golden altar in front of the throne. And the smoke and fragrant aroma of the incense, with the prayers of the saints (God’s people), ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5So the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder and loud rumblings and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. 6Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them [initiating the judgments].

Revelation 8:4 word by word

καὶ ἀνέβη ὁ καπνὸς τῶν θυμιαμάτων ταῖς προσευχαῖς τῶν ἁγίων ἐκ χειρὸς τοῦ ἀγγέλου ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• the smokeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the smokeκαπνόςkapnos · smokeG2586
• of the incenseθυμίαμαthumiama · incenseG2368
• with the prayersπροσευχήproseuchē · prayerG4335
• of the saintsἅγιοςhagios · holy: saintG40
• ascended upἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
• beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• outἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• of the angel’sἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• handχείρcheir · handG5495

Cross-references for Revelation 8:4

• Revelation 8:3Another angel came and stood at the altar. He had a golden censer, and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints (God’s people) on the golden altar in front of the throne.
• Revelation 15:8And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory and radiance and splendor of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
• Exodus 30:1“You shall make an altar upon which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.
• Psalms 141:2Let my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.
• Luke 1:10And all the congregation was praying outside [in the court of the temple] at the hour of the incense offering.

Commentaries on Revelation 8:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The smoke of the incense - with the prayers - Though incense itself be an emblem of the prayers of the saints, Psalm 141:2; yet here they are said to ascend before God, as well as the incense. It is not said that the angel presents these prayers. He presents the incense, and the prayers ascend With it. The ascending of the incense shows that the prayers and offering were accepted.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And the smoke of the incense … - The smoke caused by the burning incense. John, as he saw this, naturally interpreted it of the prayers of the saints. The meaning of the whole symbol, thus explained, is that, at the time referred to, the anxiety of the church in regard to the events which were about to occur would naturally lead to much prayer. It is not necessary to attempt to verify this by any distinct historical facts, for no one can doubt that, in a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4The prayers of God's people ask for God's final justice and judgment (Revelation 6:10–11; see also 5:8; Ezra 9:5–6; Psalm 141:2; Daniel 9:21). The mix of incense and prayers that reaches God's presence shows that God hears them (see Revelation 6:9–11) and is ready to act.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. the smoke ... which came with the prayers ... ascended up--rather, "the smoke of the incense FOR (or 'given TO': 'given' being understood from Re 8:3) the prayers of the saints ascended up, out of the angel's hand, in the presence of Gods" The angel merely burns the incense given him by Christ the High Priest, so that its smoke blends with the ascending prayers of the saints. The saints themselves are priests; and the angels in this priestly…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 8:4

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Incense
• Intercession
• Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena
• Prayer

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Altar
• Incense
• Abimelech
• Ascend
• Baal (1)
• Ethics
• Literature, Sub-Apostolic
• Midian; Midianites

Commentaries on Revelation 8

• 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