New English Translation
Revelation 14:3
3and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one was able to learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.
Revelation 14:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
- New International Version (NIV)And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
- New King James Version (NKJV)They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.
Context of Revelation 14:3
1Then I looked, and here was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand, who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2I also heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. Now the sound I heard was like that made by harpists playing their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one was able to learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth. 4These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from humanity as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, 5and no lie was found on their lips; they are blameless.
Read all of Revelation 14Revelation 14:3 word by word
καὶ ᾄδουσιν ὡς ᾠδὴν καινὴν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου καὶ ἐνώπιον τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδύνατο μαθεῖν τὴν ᾠδὴν εἰ μὴ αἱ ἑκατὸν τεσσεράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες, οἱ ἠγορασμένοι ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- they sungᾄδωadō · to singG103
- as it wereὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- a newκαινόςkainos · newG2537
- songᾠδήōdē · songG5603
- beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
- the throneθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
- the fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
- beastsζῷονzōon · living thingG2226
- the eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245
- no manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- couldδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- learnμανθάνωmanthanō · to learnG3129
- thatεἰei · if: notG1487
- butμήmē · notG3361
- the hundredἑκατόνhekaton · hundredG1540
- fortyτεσσαράκονταtessarakonta · fortyG5062
- thousandχιλιάςchilias · thousandG5505
- were redeemedἀγοράζωagorazō · to buyG59
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
Cross-references for Revelation 14:3
- Revelation 5:9They were singing a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed, and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation.
- Revelation 15:3They sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: “Great and astounding are your deeds, Lord God, the All-Powerful! Just and true are your ways, King over the nations!
- Psalms 33:3Sing to him a new song! Play skillfully as you shout out your praises to him!
- Psalms 40:3He gave me reason to sing a new song, praising our God. May many see what God has done, so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord!
- Psalms 96:1Sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
- Psalms 98:1Sing to the Lord a new song, for he performs amazing deeds! His right hand and his mighty arm accomplish deliverance.
- Psalms 144:9O God, I will sing a new song to you! Accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, I will sing praises to you,
- Psalms 149:1Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song! Praise him in the assembly of the godly!
- Isaiah 42:10Sing to the Lord a brand new song! Praise him from the horizon of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and everything that lives in it, you coastlands and those who live there!
- Revelation 4:2Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it!
- Revelation 14:1Then I looked, and here was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand, who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
- Revelation 2:17The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give him some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on that stone will be written a new name that no one can understand except the one who receives it.’
- Psalms 25:14The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance, and he reveals his covenantal demands to them.
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children.
- 1 Corinthians 1:18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Commentaries on Revelation 14:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3They sung - a new song - See on Revelation 5:9; (note). No man could learn that song - As none but genuine Christians can worship God acceptably, because they approach him through the only Mediator, so none can understand the deep things of God but such; nor can others know the cause why true believers exult so much in God through Christ, because they know not the communion which such hold with the Father and the Son through the Holy Ghost.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And they sung as it were a new song - See the notes on Revelation 5:9. It was proper to call this “new,” because it was on a new occasion, or pertained to a new object. The song here was in celebration of the complete redemption of the church, and was the song to be sung in view of its final triumph over all its foes. Compare notes on Revelation 7:9-10. Before the throne - The throne of God in heaven. See the notes on Revelation 4:2. And before the four…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3This great choir sang a new song that only those redeemed from the earth could learn. These people had died and were already with the Lord. This might explain why John did not include the content of their refrain for readers still facing life's challenges (compare 2 Corinthians 12:4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. sung--Greek, "sing." as it were--So A, C, and Vulgate read. It is "as it were" a new song; for it is, in truth, as old as God's eternal purpose. But B, Syriac, Coptic, Origen, and Andreas omit these words. new song--(Re 5:9, 10). The song is that of victory after conflict with the dragon, beast, and false prophet: never sung before, for such a conflict had never been fought before; therefore new: till now the kingdom of Christ on earth had been…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 14:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 14
- 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
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