American Standard Version
Revelation 5:8
8And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Revelation 5:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
- New International Version (NIV)And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Context of Revelation 5:8
6And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. 7And he came, and he taketh it out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, 10and madest them to be unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon the earth.
Read all of Revelation 5Revelation 5:8 word by word
καὶ ὅτε ἔλαβεν τὸ βιβλίον, τὰ τέσσαρα ζῷα καὶ οἱ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες πρεσβύτεροι ἔπεσαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ ἀρνίου ἔχοντες ἕκαστος κιθάραν καὶ φιάλας χρυσᾶς γεμούσας θυμιαμάτων αἵ εἰσιν αἱ προσευχαὶ τῶν ἁγίων.Read the interlinear
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- takenλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- bookβιβλίονbiblion · scrollG975
- fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
- creaturesζῷονzōon · living thingG2226
- twentyεἴκοσιeikosi · twentyG1501
- eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245
- fellπίπτωpiptō petō · to collapseG4098
- Lambἀρνίονarnion · lambG721
- oneἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
- harpκιθάραkithara · harpG2788
- goldenχρύσεοςchruseos · goldenG5552
- bowlsφιάληphialē · bowlG5357
- fullγέμωgemō · be fullG1073
- incenseθυμίαμαthumiama · incenseG2368
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- prayersπροσευχήproseuchē · prayerG4335
- saintsἅγιοςhagios · holy: saintG40
Cross-references for Revelation 5:8
- Revelation 5:14And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped.
- Revelation 4:4And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones: and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments; and on their heads crowns of gold.
- Revelation 7:10and they cry with a great voice, saying, Salvation unto our God who sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb.
- Revelation 19:4And the four and twenty elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God that sitteth on the throne, saying, Amen; Hallelujah.
- John 5:23that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him.
- Romans 14:10But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.
- Philippians 2:9Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name;
- Hebrews 1:6And when he again bringeth in the firstborn into the world he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
- Revelation 14:2And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and the voice which I heardwasasthe voiceof harpers harping with their harps:
- Revelation 15:2And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God.
- Psalms 33:2Give thanks unto Jehovah with the harp: Sing praises unto him with the psaltery of ten strings.
- Psalms 43:4Then will I go unto the altar of God, Unto God my exceeding joy; And upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God.
- Psalms 81:2Raise a song, and bring hither the timbrel, The pleasant harp with the psaltery.
- Psalms 150:3Praise him with trumpet sound: Praise him with psaltery and harp.
- Revelation 15:7And one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
- Revelation 8:3And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Commentaries on Revelation 5:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The four beasts - fell down before the Lamb - The whole Church of God, and all his children in heaven and earth, acknowledge that Jesus Christ is alone worthy and able to unfold and execute all the mysteries and counsels of God. See on Revelation 5:9; (note). Having every one of them harps - There were harps and vials; and each of the elders and living creatures had one. Odours, which are the prayers of saints - The frankincense and odours offered at the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And when he had taken the book, the four beasts - The acts of adoration here described as rendered by the four living creatures and the elders are, according to the explanation given in Revelation 4:4-7, emblematic of the honor done to the Redeemer by the church, and by the course of providential events in the government of the world. Fell down before the Lamb - The usual posture of profound worship. Usually in such worship there was entire prostration…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 It is matter of joy to all the world, to see that God deals with men in grace and mercy through the Redeemer. He governs the world, not merely as a Creator, but as our Saviour. The harps were instruments of praise; the vials were full of odours, or incense, which signify the prayers of the saints: prayer and praise should always go together. Christ has redeemed his people from the bondage of sin, guilt, and Satan. He has not only purchased…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8fell down before the Lamb: The crucified and risen Christ has the divine authority to start the events of this age. He is fully worthy of worship. The prayers of God's people play a significant role in the judgments and plagues (Revelation 6:9–11; 8:2–5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. had taken--Greek, "took." fell down before the Lamb--who shares worship and the throne with the Father. harps--Two oldest manuscripts, A, B, Syriac and Coptic read, "a harp": a kind of guitar, played with the hand or a quill. vials--"bowls" [Tregelles]; censers. odours--Greek, "incense." prayers of saints--as the angel offers their prayers (Re 8:3) with incense (compare Psa 141:2). This gives not the least sanction to Rome's dogma of our praying to…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 5:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 5
- 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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries