English Standard Version
Revelation 4:5
5From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God,
Revelation 4:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
- New International Version (NIV)From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
- New Living Translation (NLT)From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God.
Context of Revelation 4:5
3And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.
Read all of Revelation 4Revelation 4:5 word by word
καὶ ἐκ τοῦ θρόνου ἐκπορεύονται ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί, καὶ ἑπτὰ λαμπάδες πυρὸς καιόμεναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου ἅ εἰσιν τὰ ἑπτὰ πνεύματα τοῦ θεοῦ,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- the throneὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the throneθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
- proceededἐκπορεύωekporeuomai · to departG1607
- lightningsἀστραπήastrapē · lightningG796
- thunderingsβροντήbrontē · thunderG1027
- voicesφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: noiseG5456
- sevenἑπτάhepta · sevenG2033
- lampsλαμπάςlampas · windowG2985
- of fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
- burningκαίωkaiō · to kindle/burnG2545
- beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- Spiritsπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
Cross-references for Revelation 4:5
- Revelation 8:5Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
- Revelation 11:19Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
- Revelation 16:17The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, "It is done!"
- Exodus 19:16On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
- Exodus 20:18Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off
- Psalms 18:13The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire.
- Psalms 68:35Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!
- Joel 3:16The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.
- Hebrews 12:18For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest
- Genesis 15:7And he said to him, "I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess."
- Exodus 37:23And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold.
- 2 Chronicles 4:20the lampstands and their lamps of pure gold to burn before the inner sanctuary, as prescribed;
- Ezekiel 1:13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
- Zechariah 4:2And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.
- Revelation 1:4John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
- Revelation 3:1"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. "'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Commentaries on Revelation 4:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Seven lamps of fire - Seven angels, the attendants and ministers of the supreme King. See Revelation 1:4, and the note there.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices - Expressive of the majesty and glory of Him that sat upon it. We are at once reminded by this representation of the sublime scene that occurred at Sinai Exodus 19:16, where “there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud.” Compare Ezekiel 1:13, Ezekiel 1:24. So Milton: “Forth rushed with whirlwind sound. The chariot of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5The thunder that follows flashes of lightning is a call from God to pay attention (see Revelation 8:5; 11:19; 16:18). Before the throne burned seven torches of fire: In ancient times, people placed torches before rulers to show their authority. These torches with burning flames represent the perfect spirit of God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. proceeded--Greek, "proceed." thunderings and voices--The two oldest manuscripts transpose, "voices and thunderings." Compare at the giving of the law on Sinai, Ex 19:16. "The thunderings express God's threats against the ungodly: there are voices in the thunders (Re 10:3), that is, not only does He threaten generally, but also predicts special judgments" [Grotius]. seven lamps ... seven Spirits--The Holy Spirit in His sevenfold operation, as the…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 4:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 4
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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