EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Revelation 1:16
16He held seven stars in his right hand. A sword with two sharp edges came out of his mouth. His face was like the sun when it shines very brightly.
Revelation 1:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
- New International Version (NIV)In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
- English Standard Version (ESV)In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
Context of Revelation 1:16
14His head and his hair were white like sheep's hair. They were very white, like snow. His eyes were like fires that were burning brightly. 15His feet shone like a metal that shines brightly in a very hot fire. When he spoke, his voice was very loud. It was like the sound of water that pours along a river very quickly. He held seven stars in his right hand. A sword with two sharp edges came out of his mouth. His face was like the sun when it shines very brightly. 17When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead person. Then he put his right hand on me, and he said to me, ‘Do not be afraid! I am the one who is the first and also the last. 18I am the one who always lives. I died once. But look! Now I am alive and I will be alive for ever. I have authority over death and over Hades, the place for dead people.
Read all of Revelation 1Revelation 1:16 word by word
καὶ ἔχων ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ ἀστέρας ἑπτὰ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ῥομφαία δίστομος ὀξεῖα ἐκπορευομένη καὶ ἡ ὄψις αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος φαίνει ἐν τῇ δυνάμει αὐτοῦ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- right handδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
- sevenἑπτάhepta · sevenG2033
- starsἀστήρastēr · starG792
- outἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- ofὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- ofστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
- wentἐκπορεύωekporeuomai · to departG1607
- aῥομφαίαrhomphaia · swordG4501
- sharpὀξύςoxus · sharp/swiftG3691
- twoedgedδίστομοςdistomos · double-edgedG1366
- countenanceὄψιςopsis · faceG3799
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- the sunἥλιοςhēlios · sunG2246
- shinethφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
- strengthδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
- ·χείρcheir · handG5495
Cross-references for Revelation 1:16
- Revelation 1:20You saw seven stars that I held in my right hand. You saw seven lights in their gold lampstands. Now I will tell you what they mean. The seven stars show what the angels of the seven churches are like. The seven lights in their lampstands show what the seven churches themselves are like.’
- Revelation 2:1‘Now write this to the angel of the church at Ephesus: “This is the message to you from the one who holds the seven stars. He holds them carefully in his right hand. He walks among the seven gold lampstands.
- Revelation 3:1‘Write this to the angel of the church at Sardis: “This is the message to you from the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know everything that you do. I know that people praise you. They think that you are alive. But that is not true, because really you are dead in your spirits.
- Revelation 12:1A very wonderful thing then appeared in the sky. I saw a woman who was wearing the sun like her clothes. The moon was under her feet. A crown of 12 stars was on her head.
- Job 38:7At the dawn of that day, the stars sang together. They sang for joy with all the angels.
- Daniel 8:10Its power became so great that it reached up into heaven. It attacked heaven's army and the stars in the sky. It threw some of them down to the ground and it stamped on them.
- Daniel 12:3People who are wise will shine like the bright sky. Those who help many people to do what is right will also shine brightly for ever. They will shine like the stars in the sky at night.
- Revelation 2:12‘Write this to the angel of the church at Pergamum: “This is the message to you from the one who has the sharp sword with two edges.
- Revelation 19:15A sharp sword was coming out of his mouth. He will use this sword to attack the people of all the nations of the world. Then he will rule them with strong authority. He will punish them like someone who stamps on grapes in a winepress. That will show God's great anger against them. He is the Almighty God.
- Isaiah 11:4But he will judge poor people with true justice. He will decide to do what is right for all the helpless people. He will have authority everywhere in the land. The words that he speaks will bring death to wicked people.
- Isaiah 49:2The message that he gave me to speak was like a sharp sword. He kept me safe in his hand. He made me like a sharp arrow that he keeps safe and ready to use.
- Ephesians 6:17Remember that God has saved you from your sins. That will be like a strong hat that keeps your head safe. Also, use God's message to help you. That will be like a sword that God's Spirit puts in your hand.
- Hebrews 4:12So be careful! God's message to us is alive and powerful. It is like a sword that has two sharp edges. Even more than a sword, God's message goes very deep into us. It cuts between our soul and our spirit. It is like a sharp knife that can cut deep into our body between our bones. God's message shows what we are really thinking. It shows what we really want.
- Revelation 10:1Then I saw another powerful angel. He was coming down from heaven. He had a cloud all round him, like his clothes. There was a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun and his legs shone like fire.
- Isaiah 24:23The moon will hide its face in shame. The bright light of the sun will become dark. Yes, the Lord Almighty will become king on Mount Zion. He will rule with great power in Jerusalem. The leaders of the people will see his great glory.
- Isaiah 60:19You will no longer need the sun to give you light in the day again. You will not need the moon to shine at night. Instead, the Lord will be the light that shines on you for ever. Yes, your God will be the light that brings you honour.
Commentaries on Revelation 1:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16In his right hand seven stars - The stars are afterwards interpreted as representing the seven angels, messengers, or bishops of the seven Churches. Their being in the right hand of Christ shows that they are under his special care and most powerful protection. See below. Out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword - This is no doubt intended to point out the judgments about to be pronounced by Christ against the rebellious Jews and persecuting Romans…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16And he had in his right hand seven stars - Emblematic of the angels of the seven churches. How he held them is not said. It may be that they seemed to rest on his open palm; or it may be that he seemed to hold them as if they were arranged in a certain order, and with some sort of attachment, so that they could be grasped. It is not improbable that, as in the case of the seven lamp-bearers (see the notes at Revelation 1:13), they were so arranged as to…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. 16The seven stars symbolize the complete church. The church is safe in the right hand of the Son of Man, which means it is under his care, acceptance, and blessing. The sharp sword coming from his mouth represents his powerful message and judgment (see Revelation 19:15; Genesis 3:24; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). Jesus announces both grace and judgment, but here the focus is on his role in carrying out judgment (see Revelation 2:12, 16; 19:15, 21; compare…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. he had--Greek, "having." John takes up the description from time to time, irrespective of the construction, with separate strokes of the pencil [Alford]. in ... right hand seven stars--(Re 1:20; Re 2:1; 3:1). He holds them as a star-studded "crown of glory," or "royal diadem," in His hand: so Is 62:3. He is their Possessor and Upholder. out of ... mouth went--Greek, "going forth"; not wielded in the hand. His Word is omnipotent in executing His will…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 1:16
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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