1And I looked, and behold, the little Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him one hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads — on their foreheads. [14:2] And I heard a voice out of heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like that of harpists harping with their harps. [14:3] And they are singing as a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand, those redeemed from the earth. [14:4] These are they who were not stained with women, for they are virgins; these are those following after the little Lamb wherever he may go; these were redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the little Lamb, and to the little Lamb. [14:5] And in their mouth no lie was found; they are without blemish before the throne of God.
REV 14:1-5
The Lamb and the 144,000
In the world it was spoken into
In Revelation 14:1-5, the imagery of the Lamb standing on Mount Zion would evoke Jewish and early Christian associations with sacrificial purity and messianic hope. The Lamb, a diminutive term emphasizing vulnerability, contrasts with the triumphant Lamb of Revelation 5:6, blending themes of sacrifice and victory. The 144,000, marked with the names of the Lamb and the Father, reflect a Jewish understanding of divine ownership and protection, akin to the sealing of servants in Ezekiel 9:4. The term (virgins) here does not denote literal virginity but symbolizes ritual purity and loyalty, particularly in avoiding idolatry, a pressing concern for early Christians navigating Greco-Roman polytheism. The description of (blameless) draws from sacrificial language, emphasizing moral and spiritual integrity. The heavenly choir’s new song echoes Jewish liturgical traditions, where new songs signify God’s redemptive acts. The loud voice and harpists evoke temple worship, situating this vision within a framework of divine worship and eschatological fulfillment.
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How other translations render this
REV 14:1
- KJV
- And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
- BSB
- Then I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Fatherʼs name written on their foreheads.
- Koinōnos
- And I looked, and behold, the little Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him one hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads — on their foreheads.
REV 14:2
- KJV
- And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
- BSB
- And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of many waters and the loud rumbling of thunder. And the sound I heard was like harpists strumming their harps.
- Koinōnos
- And I heard a voice out of heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like that of harpists harping with their harps.
REV 14:3
- KJV
- And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
- BSB
- And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
- Koinōnos
- And they are singing as a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand, those redeemed from the earth.
REV 14:4
- KJV
- These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
- BSB
- These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
- Koinōnos
- These are they who were not stained with women, for they are virgins; these are those following after the little Lamb wherever he may go; these were redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the little Lamb, and to the little Lamb.
REV 14:5
- KJV
- And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
- BSB
- And no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
- Koinōnos
- And in their mouth no lie was found; they are without blemish before the throne of God.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
REV 14:1
- Lamb:The word translated 'Lamb' here is a diminutive form, emphasizing the youth, smallness, and perhaps vulnerability of the Lamb, rather than just a generic sheep.
REV 14:4
- was defiled,:The term translated 'was defiled' refers to being stained or polluted, often in a ritual or moral sense, making something unfit for sacred use or association.
- pure:The word translated 'pure' specifically means 'virgin' or 'maiden,' indicating an untouched and uncorrupted state, often with connotations of sexual purity.
REV 14:5
- blameless:The word translated 'blameless' originally referred to sacrificial animals without blemish or defect, making them acceptable for offering, and by extension, people without moral fault.