New Living Translation
Revelation 5:8
8And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.
Revelation 5:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
- New International Version (NIV)And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Context of Revelation 5:8
6Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. 7He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.”
Read all of Revelation 5Revelation 5:8 word by word
καὶ ὅτε ἔλαβεν τὸ βιβλίον, τὰ τέσσαρα ζῷα καὶ οἱ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες πρεσβύτεροι ἔπεσαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ ἀρνίου ἔχοντες ἕκαστος κιθάραν καὶ φιάλας χρυσᾶς γεμούσας θυμιαμάτων αἵ εἰσιν αἱ προσευχαὶ τῶν ἁγίων.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- he had takenλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- the bookὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the bookβιβλίονbiblion · scrollG975
- theζῷονzōon · living thingG2226
- fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
- fourεἴκοσιeikosi · twentyG1501
- eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245
- fell downπίπτωpiptō petō · to collapseG4098
- beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
- the Lambἀρνίονarnion · lambG721
- havingἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- every one of themἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
- harpsκιθάραkithara · harpG2788
- goldenχρύσεοςchruseos · goldenG5552
- vialsφιάληphialē · bowlG5357
- fullγέμωgemō · be fullG1073
- of odoursθυμίαμαthumiama · incenseG2368
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the prayersπροσευχήproseuchē · prayerG4335
- of saintsἅγιοςhagios · holy: saintG40
Cross-references for Revelation 5:8
- Revelation 5:14And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.
- Revelation 4:4Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.
- Revelation 7:10And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”
- Revelation 19:4Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, “Amen! Praise the Lord!”
- John 5:23so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.
- Romans 14:10So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
- Philippians 2:9Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,
- Hebrews 1:6And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, “Let all of God’s angels worship him.”
- Revelation 14:2And 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.
- Revelation 15:2I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them.
- Psalms 33:2Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.
- Psalms 43:4There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!
- Psalms 81:2Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp.
- Psalms 150:3Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp!
- Revelation 15:7Then one of the four living beings handed each of the seven angels a gold bowl filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.
- Revelation 8:3Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne.
Commentaries on Revelation 5:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The four beasts - fell down before the Lamb - The whole Church of God, and all his children in heaven and earth, acknowledge that Jesus Christ is alone worthy and able to unfold and execute all the mysteries and counsels of God. See on Revelation 5:9; (note). Having every one of them harps - There were harps and vials; and each of the elders and living creatures had one. Odours, which are the prayers of saints - The frankincense and odours offered at the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And when he had taken the book, the four beasts - The acts of adoration here described as rendered by the four living creatures and the elders are, according to the explanation given in Revelation 4:4-7, emblematic of the honor done to the Redeemer by the church, and by the course of providential events in the government of the world. Fell down before the Lamb - The usual posture of profound worship. Usually in such worship there was entire prostration…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 It is matter of joy to all the world, to see that God deals with men in grace and mercy through the Redeemer. He governs the world, not merely as a Creator, but as our Saviour. The harps were instruments of praise; the vials were full of odours, or incense, which signify the prayers of the saints: prayer and praise should always go together. Christ has redeemed his people from the bondage of sin, guilt, and Satan. He has not only purchased…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8fell down before the Lamb: The crucified and risen Christ has the divine authority to start the events of this age. He is fully worthy of worship. The prayers of God's people play a significant role in the judgments and plagues (Revelation 6:9–11; 8:2–5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. had taken--Greek, "took." fell down before the Lamb--who shares worship and the throne with the Father. harps--Two oldest manuscripts, A, B, Syriac and Coptic read, "a harp": a kind of guitar, played with the hand or a quill. vials--"bowls" [Tregelles]; censers. odours--Greek, "incense." prayers of saints--as the angel offers their prayers (Re 8:3) with incense (compare Psa 141:2). This gives not the least sanction to Rome's dogma of our praying to…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 5:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 5
- 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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