REV 7:1-8

144,000 Sealed

1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or against any tree.

2And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, holding the seal of the living God. And he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea:

3'Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.'

4And I heard the number of those sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel —

5from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand;

6from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand;

7from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand;

8from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand sealed.

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st century, the imagery of angels holding back the winds would evoke the widespread belief in divine control over natural forces, a concept familiar in both Jewish and Greco-Roman thought. The 'seal' carried significant cultural weight, as it was used to mark ownership, authenticity, or protection—often in legal or religious contexts. For Jewish listeners, this would recall Ezekiel’s vision of the righteous marked for protection (Ezekiel 9:4), while Roman readers might associate it with imperial seals used to authenticate decrees. The marking of the forehead signified public ownership or dedication, as seen in temple practices or the branding of slaves. The term 'servants' emphasized complete allegiance, as slaves were wholly subject to their master’s will. The number 144,000, derived from 12 tribes multiplied by 12,000, would resonate with Jewish listeners as a symbol of the complete, restored Israel, reflecting the apocalyptic hope for God’s people.

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How other translations render this

REV 7:1

KJV: And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
BSB: After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.
Koinōnos: After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or against any tree.

REV 7:2

KJV: And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
BSB: And I saw another angel ascending from the east, with the seal of the living God. And he called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:
Koinōnos: And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, holding the seal of the living God. And he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea:

REV 7:3

KJV: Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
BSB: “Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have placed a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
Koinōnos: Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.

REV 7:4

KJV: And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
BSB: And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel:
Koinōnos: And I heard the number of those sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel —

REV 7:5

KJV: Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
BSB: From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
Koinōnos: from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand;

REV 7:6

KJV: Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
BSB: from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
Koinōnos: from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand;

REV 7:7

KJV: Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
BSB: from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
Koinōnos: from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand;

REV 7:8

KJV: Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
BSB: from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, and from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
Koinōnos: from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand sealed.

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

Translator's notes

REV 7:1

earth:The word translated 'earth' here refers to the physical ground or land, but in this context, it also carries the sense of the entire inhabited world, or the people living on it.

REV 7:2

[the] seal:The term translated 'seal' refers to an impression made by a signet ring or stamp, used to authenticate documents, mark ownership, or protect contents, signifying authority and security.

REV 7:3

the:The word translated 'the' here is part of a phrase referring to 'the servants' or 'slaves.' This term describes someone who is entirely owned by another, without personal rights or freedom, serving out of obligation.
the:The word translated 'forehead' specifically denotes the part of the face above the eyes, often seen as a prominent and visible location for marking or identification in ancient cultures.