New Living Translation
Revelation 1:17
17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last.
Revelation 1:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
- New International Version (NIV)When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,
- New King James Version (NKJV)And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
Context of Revelation 1:17
15His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. 16He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. 19“Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen.
Read all of Revelation 1Revelation 1:17 word by word
Καὶ ὅτε εἶδον αὐτόν, ἔπεσα πρὸς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ὡς νεκρός, καὶ ἔθηκεν τὴν δεξιὰν αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ λέγων μὴ φοβοῦ. ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατοςRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- I fellπίπτωpiptō petō · to collapseG4098
- atπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- feetὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- feetπούςpous · footG4228
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
- he laidἐπιτίθημιepitithēmi · to put/lay onG2007
- rightδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
- handχείρcheir · handG5495
- uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Fearφοβέωphobeō · to fearG5399
- notμήmē · notG3361
- amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
- the lastἔσχατοςeschatos · last/leastG2078
Cross-references for Revelation 1:17
- Ezekiel 1:28All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me.
- Daniel 8:18While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet.
- Daniel 10:8So I was left there all alone to see this amazing vision. My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak.
- Habakkuk 3:16I trembled inside when I heard this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me, and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster will strike the people who invade us.
- Matthew 17:2As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.
- John 13:23The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table.
- John 21:20Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?”
- Daniel 10:10Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees.
- Genesis 15:1Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.”
- Exodus 14:13But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.
- Exodus 20:20“Don’t be afraid,” Moses answered them, “for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!”
- Isaiah 41:10Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
- Daniel 10:12Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.
- Matthew 28:4The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.
- Mark 16:5When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked,
- Luke 24:37But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!
Commentaries on Revelation 1:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17I fell at his feet as dead - The appearance of the glory of the Lord had then same effect upon Ezekiel, Ezekiel 1:28; : and the appearance of Gabriel had the same effect on Daniel, Daniel 8:17. The terrible splendor of such majesty was more than the apostle could bear, and he fell down deprived of his senses, but was soon enabled to behold the vision by a communication of strength from our Lord's right hand.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead - As if I were dead; deprived of sense and consciousness. He was overwhelmed with the suddenness of the vision; he saw that this was a divine being; but he did not as yet know that it was the Saviour. It is not probable that in this vision he would immediately recognize any of the familiar features of the Lord Jesus as he had been accustomed to see him some sixty years before; and if he did, the effect would…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-20Verses 12-20 The churches receive their light from Christ and the gospel, and hold it forth to others. They are golden candlesticks; they should be precious and pure; not only the ministers, but the members of the churches; their light should so shine before men, as to engage others to give glory to God. And the apostle saw as though of the Lord Jesus Christ appeared in the midst of the golden candlesticks. He is with his churches always, to the end of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17When I saw Him, I fell … dead: Terror and fainting, if not death itself (see Exodus 33:20), often occur when someone sees God (see Isaiah 6:1–5; Matthew 28:4). The Lord kindly responds by touching with his right hand (compare Matthew 25:34) and saying, Do not be afraid (compare Luke 1:13), showing both grace and acceptance. I am: This phrase identifies Jesus as God (see study note on Revelation 1:8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. So fallen is man that God's manifestation of His glorious presence overwhelms him. laid his right hand upon me--So the same Lord Jesus did at the Transfiguration to the three prostrate disciples, of whom John was one, saying, Be not afraid. The "touch" of His hand, as of old, imparted strength. unto me--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. the first ... the last--(Is 41:4; 44:6; 48:12). From eternity, and enduring to eternity: "the First by creation…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 1:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 1
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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