Revelation Chapter 5
Showing all 14 verses for Revelation Chapter 5.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. "
"John sees a scroll in God's right hand, written on both front and back (meaning it's completely full, nothing more to add), sealed shut with seven seals."
There are things about your life and this world's ending that you're simply not meant to unlock on your own - some answers only come through the one who's proven worthy to reveal them, not through forcing your own way in.
"And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? "
"A powerful angel calls out loudly, asking who is worthy enough to open the scroll and break its seals."
There's a question at the heart of everything - who's actually qualified to be trusted with what matters most? The answer isn't about power or status; you'll see it's about something else entirely.
"And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. "
"Nobody anywhere - not in heaven, on earth, or under the earth - was able to open the scroll or even look inside it."
There will be things in life you simply cannot force open by your own strength, cleverness, or status, no matter how hard you try - and that's not a failure on your part; it's just the truth of your limits.
"And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. "
"John weeps bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll."
It's honest and right to grieve when something that matters seems permanently out of reach - don't be ashamed of that grief. But don't stop there either; keep watching for the answer.
"And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. "
"One of the elders tells John to stop weeping - the "Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David" has won the right to open the scroll."
Real strength doesn't always look like what you expect - sometimes what looks like weakness (love, sacrifice, laying your life down for others) turns out to be the deepest kind of power there is.
"And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. "
"John then actually sees not a lion, but a Lamb that looks as though it had been slaughtered, standing at the centre of the throne - with seven horns (complete power) and seven eyes (complete knowledge, God's Spirit sent throughout the earth)."
I didn't overcome by avoiding the wound - I overcame by walking straight through it, and I still carry the marks. If you're carrying scars from your own hard road, know that those don't disqualify you from strength or standing - sometimes they're exactly where real strength shows.
"And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. "
"The Lamb approaches and takes the scroll from God's right hand."
What you couldn't reach on your own has already been taken hold of on your behalf - you're not left waiting for an answer that never comes; the answer has already stepped forward and taken it.
"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. "
"When the Lamb takes the scroll, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fall down before him, each holding harps and golden bowls of incense representing the prayers of God's people."
Every honest prayer you've ever whispered, even the ones that felt like they vanished into nothing, is remembered and kept - nothing sincere you've said to me is ever actually lost.
"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; "
"They sing a brand-new song declaring the Lamb worthy because he was killed, and through his death he bought back people for God from every ethnicity, language, people group and nation on earth."
Wherever you're from, whatever language you speak, whatever your background - you were never outside the reach of what I did. This was never a message for one group; it was always for everyone willing to receive it.
"And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. "
"The song continues: the redeemed have been made kings and priests to God, and they will reign on the earth."
You weren't saved just to be safe - you were remade to matter, to have real purpose and responsibility in what's still unfolding. Don't settle for a small idea of what your life is for.
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; "
"John hears an enormous number of angels surrounding the throne - "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands" - essentially an uncountable multitude."
What you're part of is bigger than you can picture - you're not just one person quietly trying to do right in a corner of the world; you're joining something with a scale that dwarfs anything you could imagine alone.
"Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. "
"The angels declare with a loud voice that the slain Lamb is worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing - seven qualities, a number symbolising completeness."
What deserves your deepest admiration isn't power for its own sake, but power that was willingly laid down for others - that's worth building your whole sense of what's admirable around.
"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. "
"Finally, literally every created thing everywhere - in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea - joins in giving blessing, honour, glory and power equally to both God on the throne and the Lamb."
There's a place in this picture for absolutely everything, not just the impressive or the important - if all creation has a voice in this, so do you, however ordinary your life might feel.
"And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. "
"The four living creatures say "Amen," and the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one who lives forever."
Sometimes the most honest response to something true and good isn't more words - it's a simple, settled "yes, that's right," followed by quiet reverence. Let that be enough sometimes.