Christian Standard Bible
Revelation 1:20
20The mystery of the seven stars 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.
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 Living One. I was dead, but look — I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars 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.
Read all of Revelation 1Revelation 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 13:11He answered, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.
- Luke 8:10So he said, “The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given for you to know, but to the rest it is in parables, so that Looking they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
- Revelation 1:13and among the lampstands was one like the Son of Man, dressed in a robe and with a golden sash wrapped around his chest.
- Revelation 1:12Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
- Revelation 2:1“Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus: Thus says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
- Revelation 3:1“Write to the angel of the church in Sardis: Thus says the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.
- Malachi 2:7For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should desire instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Armies.
- Zechariah 4:2He asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top. The lampstand also has seven lamps at the top with seven spouts for each of the lamps.
- Matthew 5:15No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.
- Philippians 2:15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world,
- 1 Timothy 3:14I write these things to you, hoping to come to you soon.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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