REV 5:11-14

The Lamb Exalted

11And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living beings and the elders, and their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,

12saying with a loud voice: 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.'

13And every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea — everything in them — I heard saying: 'To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb: blessing and honor and glory and might into the ages of the ages.'

14And the four living beings were saying: 'Amen.' And the elders fell and worshiped.

In the world it was spoken into

In the first-century Greco-Roman world, power, honor, and glory were central to the social and political order, often expressed through military conquest, imperial cults, and public displays of dominance. The Roman emperor was celebrated as the ultimate source of power and authority, receiving acclamation and worship. Jewish apocalyptic literature, however, often subverted these imperial narratives by envisioning God’s ultimate triumph over earthly powers. The imagery of the Lamb slain draws from Jewish sacrificial traditions, where the lamb symbolizes innocence and atonement. The scene of countless angels surrounding the throne echoes the heavenly courts described in texts like Daniel 7, emphasizing God’s sovereignty. The declaration of the Lamb’s worthiness to receive power, riches, wisdom, and honor (, , , ) contrasts sharply with Roman imperial claims, redirecting ultimate authority to the crucified Christ. The inclusion of every creature in heaven, earth, and sea underscores the cosmic scope of this worship, transcending human hierarchies and uniting all creation in acknowledgment of divine rule.

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How other translations render this

REV 5:11

KJV: 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;
BSB: Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels encircling the throne, and the living creatures and the elders. And their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.
Koinōnos: And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living beings and the elders, and their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,

REV 5:12

KJV: 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.
BSB: In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
Koinōnos: saying with a loud voice: 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.

REV 5:13

KJV: 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.
BSB: And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!”
Koinōnos: And every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea — everything in them — I heard saying: 'To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb: blessing and honor and glory and might into the ages of the ages.

REV 5:14

KJV: And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
BSB: And the four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Koinōnos: And the four living beings were saying: 'Amen.' And the elders fell and worshiped.

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

Translator's notes

REV 5:11

of them:The word translated 'of them' here refers to an uncountable number, often used to describe a vast, innumerable multitude rather than a precise count.

REV 5:12

slain:The term used here for 'slain' often referred to the ritualistic slaughter of an animal for sacrifice, carrying connotations of a violent, sacrificial death.

REV 5:13

creature:The word translated 'creature' encompasses anything that has been created or founded, emphasizing its origin as something brought into existence by a creator.
might:The word translated 'might' here refers to an age or an eon, indicating an immeasurable period of time, often implying eternity or a very long duration.