6And I heard something like the sound of a vast multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. [19:7] Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready. [19:8] It was given to her to be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure — for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." [19:9] And he said to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." [19:10] And I fell before his feet to worship him. And he said to me, "See that you do not do this — I am a fellow bondservant of yours and of your brothers who hold to the witness of Jesus. Worship God. For the witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
REV 19:6-10
The Marriage of the Lamb
In the world it was spoken into
In the first-century Greco-Roman world, marriage was a highly symbolic and communal event, often marked by public celebration and feasting. The imagery of the 'marriage of the Lamb' would have resonated deeply with Jewish and Gentile audiences familiar with the prophetic tradition of Israel as God’s bride (e.g., Isaiah 54:5-6, Hosea 2:19-20). The 'fine linen, bright and pure,' described here, evokes the costly garments worn by brides and honored guests, symbolizing purity and righteousness. In Roman culture, linen was associated with wealth and status, while in Jewish tradition, it carried connotations of ritual purity. The 'righteous acts of the saints' reflect the Jewish emphasis on covenantal faithfulness and obedience to God’s ordinances. The 'marriage supper' would have been understood as a celebratory banquet, a common metaphor in Jewish eschatology for the messianic age. The declaration 'Hallelujah!' (praise Yahweh) ties this vision to Jewish liturgical practice, while the 'multitude' and 'thunderous voices' evoke the cosmic scale of God’s reign, familiar to both Jewish apocalyptic and Roman imperial imagery.
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How other translations render this
REV 19:6
- KJV
- And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
- BSB
- And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
- Koinōnos
- And I heard something like the sound of a vast multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
REV 19:7
- KJV
- Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
- BSB
- Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.
- Koinōnos
- Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.
REV 19:8
- KJV
- And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
- BSB
- She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.
- Koinōnos
- It was given to her to be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure — for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
REV 19:9
- KJV
- And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
- BSB
- Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
- Koinōnos
- And he said to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God.
REV 19:10
- KJV
- And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
- BSB
- So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
- Koinōnos
- And I fell before his feet to worship him. And he said to me, "See that you do not do this — I am a fellow bondservant of yours and of your brothers who hold to the witness of Jesus. Worship God. For the witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
REV 19:7
- bride:The word translated 'bride' here is the common term for 'woman' or 'wife.' In this context, it emphasizes the intimate and covenantal relationship, much like a wife to her husband.
REV 19:8
- the:The word translated 'the' in this phrase refers to a righteous act or ordinance. It carries the sense of a just requirement or a righteous deed that fulfills a divine standard.
REV 19:10
- A fellow servant:The term translated 'A fellow servant' literally means 'fellow slave.' It highlights a shared status of servitude and obedience to a common master, emphasizing humility and shared purpose.
- the:The word translated 'the' in this phrase refers to 'testimony' or 'witness.' It denotes a declaration of truth, often given under oath or with conviction, about what has been seen or experienced.