God’s Word Translation
Revelation 5:2
2I saw a powerful angel calling out in a loud voice, “Who deserves to open the scroll and break the seals on it?”
Revelation 5:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
- New International Version (NIV)And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?”
Context of Revelation 5:2
1I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who sits on the throne. It had writing both on the inside and on the outside. It was sealed with seven seals. I saw a powerful angel calling out in a loud voice, “Who deserves to open the scroll and break the seals on it?” 3No one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth could open the scroll or look inside it. 4I cried bitterly because no one was found who deserved to open the scroll or look inside it.
Read all of Revelation 5Revelation 5:2 word by word
Καὶ εἶδον ἄγγελον ἰσχυρὸν κηρύσσοντα ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· τίς ἄξιος ἀνοῖξαι τὸ βιβλίον καὶ λῦσαι τὰς σφραγῖδας αὐτοῦ;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- a strongἰσχυρόςischuros · strongG2478
- angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- proclaimingκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
- with a loudμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
- voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
- Whoτίςtis · which?G5101
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- worthyἄξιοςaxios · worthyG514
- to openἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
- the bookὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the bookβιβλίονbiblion · scrollG975
- to looseλύωluō · to looseG3089
- the sealsσφραγίςsphragis · sealG4973
- thereofαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
Cross-references for Revelation 5:2
- Psalms 103:20Praise the Lord, all his angels, you mighty beings who carry out his orders and are ready to obey his spoken orders.
- Revelation 5:5Then one of the leaders said to me, “Stop crying! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has won the victory. He can open the scroll and the seven seals on it.”
- 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.”
- Isaiah 41:22“Bring ⌞your idols⌟ so they can tell us what’s going to happen. Explain past events that your idols told you about so that we may consider them and know what their outcome will be. Tell us about future events.
Commentaries on Revelation 5:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A strong angel - One of the chief of the angelic host. Proclaiming - As the herald of God. To open the book, and to loose the seals - To loose the seals that he may open the book. Who can tell what this book contains? Who can open its mysteries? The book may mean the purposes and designs of God relative to his government of the world and the Church; but we, whose habitation is in the dust, know nothing of such things. We are, however, determined to guess.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And I saw a strong angel - An angel endowed with great strength, as if such strength was necessary to enable him to give utterance to the loud voice of the inquiry. “Homer represents his heralds as powerful, robust men, in order consistently to attribute to them deep-toned and powerful voices” (Prof. Stuart). The inquiry to be made was one of vast importance; it was to be made of all in heaven, all on the earth, and all under the earth, and hence an angel…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3At first, no one in the entire universe seemed to have the divine authority or power to answer the angel’s call.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. strong--(Psa 103:20). His voice penetrated heaven, earth, and Hades (Re 10:1-3).Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 5:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 5
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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