REV 11:15-19

The Seventh Trumpet

15And the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever."

16And the twenty-four elders who sit before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,

17saying, "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

18And the nations were enraged, and your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to your slaves the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear your name, both small and great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."

19And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder and an earthquake and great hail.

In the world it was spoken into

In the first-century Mediterranean world, the sounding of trumpets carried significant cultural and religious weight. Trumpets were used in Jewish tradition to announce festivals, battles, and divine interventions, such as the fall of Jericho. For Roman audiences, trumpets signaled imperial proclamations or military victories. The 'seventh trumpet' here evokes both Jewish apocalyptic imagery and Roman imperial symbolism, subverting the latter by declaring the kingdom of God and Christ as the ultimate authority. The 'twenty-four elders' likely represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles, symbolizing the unity of God's covenant people. Their prostration and worship reflect the honor-shame dynamics of the ancient world, where submission to a superior was a public acknowledgment of their rightful authority. The phrase 'who is and who was and who is to come' echoes Jewish liturgical language, emphasizing God's eternal sovereignty. The opening of God's temple and the appearance of the ark of the covenant signify the restoration of divine presence and covenant faithfulness, themes deeply resonant with Jewish eschatological hopes.

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How other translations render this

REV 11:15

KJV: And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
BSB: Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”
Koinōnos: And the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.

REV 11:16

KJV: And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
BSB: And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,
Koinōnos: And the twenty-four elders who sit before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,

REV 11:17

KJV: Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
BSB: saying: “We give thanks to You, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.
Koinōnos: saying, "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

REV 11:18

KJV: And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
BSB: The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your name, both small and great— and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
Koinōnos: And the nations were enraged, and your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to your slaves the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear your name, both small and great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.

REV 11:19

KJV: And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
BSB: Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.
Koinōnos: And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder and an earthquake and great hail.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

REV 11:15

world:The word translated 'world' here often referred to the created order or the universe, but could also denote the inhabitants of the earth or even the adornment and arrangement of something.

REV 11:16

four:The word translated 'four' here is actually the term for 'elders,' referring to older, respected individuals who held positions of authority or leadership.

REV 11:18

servants:The word translated 'servants' here specifically refers to a 'slave' or 'bondservant,' someone who is the property of another and completely subject to their will, not merely an employee.
fearing:The word translated 'fearing' can encompass a range of emotions from terror and dread to reverence and awe, depending on the context and the object of the fear.