New Living Translation
Revelation 1:20
20This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Revelation 1:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
- New International Version (NIV)The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
- English Standard Version (ESV)As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.
Context of Revelation 1:20
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. This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Read all of Revelation 1Revelation 1:20 word by word
τὸ μυστήριον τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀστέρων οὓς εἶδες ἐπὶ τῆς δεξιᾶς μου καὶ τὰς ἑπτὰ λυχνίας τὰς χρυσᾶς· οἱ ἑπτὰ ἀστέρες ἄγγελοι τῶν ἑπτὰ ἐκκλησιῶν εἰσιν καὶ αἱ λυχνίαι αἱ ἑπτὰ ἑπτὰ ἐκκλησίαι εἰσίν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The mysteryὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- The mysteryμυστήριονmustērion · mysteryG3466
- of theἀστήρastēr · starG792
- sevenἑπτάhepta · sevenG2033
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- thou sawestὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- right handδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- theλυχνίαluchnia · lampstandG3087
- goldenχρύσεοςchruseos · goldenG5552
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- of theἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
Cross-references for Revelation 1:20
- Matthew 13:11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.
- Luke 8:10He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’
- Revelation 1:13And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest.
- Revelation 1:12When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands.
- Revelation 2:1“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:
- Revelation 3:1“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis. This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars: “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead.
- Malachi 2:7“The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
- Zechariah 4:2“What do you see now?” he asked. I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks.
- Matthew 5:15No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
- Philippians 2:15so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
- 1 Timothy 3:14I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon,
Commentaries on Revelation 1:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20The mystery - That is, the allegorical explanation of the seven stars is the seven angels or ministers of the Churches; and the allegorical meaning of the seven golden lamps is the seven Churches themselves. In the seven stars there may be an allusion to the seals of different offices under potentates, each of which had its own particular seal, which verified all instruments from that office; and as these seals were frequently set in rings which were worn…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The mystery of the seven stars - On the word “mystery,” see notes on Ephesians 1:9. The word means, properly, “what is hidden, obscure, unknown” - until it is disclosed by one having the ability to do it, or by the course of events. When disclosed, it may be as clear, and as capable of comprehension, as any other truth. The meaning here, as applied to the seven stars, is, that they were symbols, and that their meaning as symbols, without a suitable…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. 20John must record what he sees because Revelation is an important message for the churches. The angels (or messengers; Greek angelos) of the seven churches could be: the guardian angels of these churches (compare Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:15); the leading officials of the churches (compare Matthew 11:10, where “messenger” is angelos); or a personification of the ethos (spirit or character) of the church. The best understanding is probably a combination of 1…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. in--Greek, "upon My right hand." the mystery ... candlesticks--in apposition to, and explaining, "the things which thou hast seen," governed by "Write." Mystery signifies the hidden truth, veiled under this symbol, and now revealed; its correlative is revelation. Stars symbolize lordship (Nu 24:17; compare Da 12:3, of faithful teachers; Re 8:10; 12:4; Jude 13). angels--not as Alford, from Origen [Homily 13 on Luke, and Homily 20 on Numbers], the…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 1:20
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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