God’s Word Translation
Revelation 1:20
20The hidden meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands 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
18the living one. I was dead, but now I am alive forever. I have the keys of death and hell. 19Therefore, write down what you have seen, what is, and what is going to happen after these things. The hidden meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands 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 13:11Jesus answered, “Knowledge about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you. But it has not been given to the crowd.
- Luke 8:10Jesus answered, “Knowledge about the mysteries of God’s kingdom has been given ⌞directly⌟ to you. But it is given to others in stories. When they look, they don’t see, and when they hear, they don’t understand.
- Revelation 1:13There was someone like the Son of Man among the lamp stands. He was wearing a robe that reached his feet. He wore a gold belt around his waist.
- Revelation 1:12I turned toward the voice which was talking to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold lamp stands.
- Revelation 2:1“To the messenger of the church in Ephesus, write: The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lamp stands, says:
- Revelation 3:1“To the messenger of the church in Sardis, write: The one who has God’s seven spirits and the seven stars says: I know what you have done. You are known for being alive, but you are dead.
- Malachi 2:7“A priest’s lips should preserve knowledge. Then, because he is the messenger for the Lord of Armies, people will seek instruction from his mouth.
- Zechariah 4:2He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lamp stand with a bowl on top and seven lamps on it. There are seven spouts for each lamp that is on top of it.
- Matthew 5:15No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house.
- Philippians 2:15Then you will be blameless and innocent. You will be God’s children without any faults among people who are crooked and corrupt. You will shine like stars among them in the world
- 1 Timothy 3:14I hope to visit you soon. However, I’m writing this to you
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries