New International Version
Revelation 14:2
2And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
Revelation 14:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
- English Standard Version (ESV)And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together.
Context of Revelation 14:2
1Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3And 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. 4These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.
Read all of Revelation 14Revelation 14:2 word by word
Καὶ ἤκουσα φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς φωνὴν ὑδάτων πολλῶν καὶ ὡς φωνὴν βροντῆς μεγάλης, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ ἣν ἤκουσα ὡς κιθαρῳδῶν κιθαριζόντων ἐν ταῖς κιθάραις αὐτῶν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- I heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- a voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456
- fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- of manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
- watersὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
- of a greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
- thunderβροντήbrontē · thunderG1027
- of harpersκιθαρῳδόςkitharōdos · harpistG2790
- harpingκιθαρίζωkitharizō · to play the harpG2789
- withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- harpsκιθάραkithara · harpG2788
Cross-references for Revelation 14:2
- Revelation 10:4And 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.”
- Revelation 11:12Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
- Revelation 19:1After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
- Revelation 1:15His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
- Revelation 19:6Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
- Psalms 93:4Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the Lord on high is mighty.
- Isaiah 17:13Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale.
- Ezekiel 43:2and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.
- Revelation 1:10On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
- Revelation 8:7The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
- Revelation 9:1The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.
- Revelation 10:3and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.
- Revelation 11:15The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
- Exodus 19:16On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.
- Exodus 20:18When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance
- Zechariah 9:14Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south,
Commentaries on Revelation 14:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The voice of many waters - That is, of multitudes of various nations. The voice of harpers - Though the sounds were many and apparently confused, yet both harmony and melody were preserved.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2And I heard a voice from heaven - Showing that the scene is laid in heaven, but that John in the vision was on the earth. As the voice of many waters - As the sound of the ocean, or of a mighty cataract. That is, it was so loud that it could be heard from heaven to earth. No comparison could express this more sublimely than to say that it was like the roar of the ocean. As the voice of a great thunder - As the loud sound of thunder. And I heard the voice…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. 22. from--Greek, "out of." voice of many waters--as is the voice of Himself, such also is the voice of His people. I heard the voice of harpers--A, B, C, and Origen read, "the voice which I heard (was) as of harpers."Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 14:2
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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