New International Version
Revelation 14:3
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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
Context of Revelation 14:3
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. 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. 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. 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. 5No lie was found in their mouths; 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 5:9And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
- Revelation 15:3and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.
- Psalms 33:3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
- Psalms 40:3He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
- 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 has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
- Psalms 144:9I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,
- Psalms 149:1Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.
- Isaiah 42:10Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.
- Revelation 4:2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
- Revelation 14:1Then 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.
- Revelation 2:17Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
- Psalms 25:14The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known 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 learned, and revealed them to little children.
- 1 Corinthians 1:18For the message of 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 person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
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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