God’s Word Translation
Revelation 10:4
4When the seven thunders spoke, I was going to write it down. I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and don’t write it down.”
Revelation 10:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
- New International Version (NIV)And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”
Context of Revelation 10:4
2He held a small, opened scroll in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. 3Then he shouted in a loud voice as a lion roars. When he shouted, the seven thunders spoke with voices of their own. When the seven thunders spoke, I was going to write it down. I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and don’t write it down.” 5The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6He swore an oath by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it. He said, “There will be no more delay.
Read all of Revelation 10Revelation 10:4 word by word
καὶ ὅτε ἐλάλησαν αἱ ἑπτὰ βρονταί, ἤμελλον γράφειν. καὶ ἤκουσα φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ λέγουσαν σφράγισον ἃ ἐλάλησαν αἱ ἑπτὰ βρονταί, καὶ μὴ αὐτὰ γράψῃς.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- the sevenἑπτάhepta · sevenG2033
- thundersβροντήbrontē · thunderG1027
- had utteredλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- theirἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- voicesφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: noiseG5456
- I was aboutμέλλωmellō · to ensueG3195
- to writeγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
- I heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- a voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: noiseG5456
- fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- Seal upσφραγίζωsphragizō · to sealG4972
- those things whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- themοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- notμήmē · notG3361
Cross-references for Revelation 10:4
- Revelation 1:11saying, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
- 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:
- Isaiah 8:1The Lord said to me, “Take a large writing tablet, and write on it with a pen: ‘Maher Shalal Hash Baz’ [The Looting Will Come Quickly; the Prey Will Be Easy].
- Habakkuk 2:2Then the Lord answered me, “Write the vision. Make it clear on tablets so that anyone can read it quickly.
- Deuteronomy 29:29Some things are hidden. They belong to the Lord our God. But the things that have been revealed in these teachings belong to us and to our children forever. We must obey every word of these teachings.
- Isaiah 8:16Tie up the written instructions. Seal the teachings among my disciples.
- Isaiah 29:11To you all these visions will be like words in a book that is closed and sealed. You give this book to someone who can read, saying, “Please read this.” He answers, “I can’t read it. It’s sealed.”
- Daniel 8:26The vision about the ⌞2,300⌟ evenings and mornings that was explained to you is true. Seal the vision, because it is about things that will happen in the distant future.”
- Daniel 12:4“But you, Daniel, keep these words secret, and seal the book until the end times. Many will travel everywhere, and knowledge will grow.”
Commentaries on Revelation 10:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices - After he had listened to those thunders; or when they had passed by. I was about to write - That is, he was about to record what was uttered, supposing that that was the design for which he hart been made to hear them. From this it would seem that it was not mere thunder - brutum fulmen - but that the utterance had a distinct and intelligible enunciation, or that words were employed that could be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Revelation shows God's plans for the world but keeps the mystery of his ways. The martyrs did not get an immediate answer to their cries (Revelation 6:10). The meaning of the seventh seal remains silent (Revelation 8:1). Here, the seven thunders are kept secret (compare Daniel 12:9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. when--Aleph reads, "Whatsoever things." But most manuscripts support English Version. uttered their voices--A, B, C, and Aleph omit "their voices." Then translate, "had spoken." unto me--omitted by A, B, C, Aleph, and Syriac. Seal up--the opposite command to Re 22:20. Even though at the time of the end the things sealed in Daniel's time were to be revealed, yet not so the voices of these thunders. Though heard by John, they were not to be imparted by…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 10:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 10
- 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
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