New King James Version
Revelation 14:3
3They 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.
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 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 behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2And 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. 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. 4These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
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; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
- Revelation 15:3They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!
- Psalms 33:3Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
- Psalms 40:3He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord.
- Psalms 96:1Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
- Psalms 98:1Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
- Psalms 144:9I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
- Psalms 149:1Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints.
- Isaiah 42:10Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise from the ends of the earth, You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, You coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
- Revelation 4:2Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
- Revelation 14:1Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
- Revelation 2:17“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
- Psalms 25:14The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.
- 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 2:14But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries