Revelation 5
Amplified Bible
The Scroll with Seven Seals
5 I saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, closed and sealed with seven seals.(A) 2 And I saw a strong angel announcing with a loud voice, “Who is worthy [having the authority and virtue] to open the scroll and to [a]break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth [in Hades, the realm of the dead] was able to open the scroll or look into it. 4 And I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look into it. 5 Then one of the [twenty-four] elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look closely, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome and conquered! He can open the scroll and [break] its seven seals.”(B)
6 And there [b]between the throne (with the four living creatures) and among the elders I saw a Lamb (Christ) standing, [bearing scars and wounds] as though it had been slain, with seven horns (complete power) and with seven eyes (complete knowledge), which are [c]the seven Spirits of God who have been sent [on duty] into all the earth.(C) 7 And He came and [d]took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb (Christ), each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of fragrant incense, which are the prayers of the saints (God’s people). 9 And they sang a new song [of glorious redemption], saying,
“Worthy and deserving are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slain (sacrificed), and with Your blood You purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.(D)
10
“You have made them to be a kingdom [of royal subjects] and priests to our God; and they will reign on the earth.”(E)
Angels Exalt the Lamb
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and [the voice] of the living creatures and the elders; and they numbered myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands (innumerable),(F) 12 saying in a loud voice,
“Worthy and deserving is the Lamb that was sacrificed to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
13 And I heard every created thing that is in heaven or on earth or under the earth [in Hades, the realm of the dead] or on the sea, and everything that is in them, saying [together],
“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb (Christ), be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”(G)
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped [Him who lives forever and ever].
Footnotes
- Revelation 5:2 When the seals are broken, the consummation of history, focused in the judgments, is unveiled.
- Revelation 5:6 The Lamb is Jesus Christ, who stands “between,” in other words both as one with God upon the throne and as one with humanity around the throne.
- Revelation 5:6 See note 1:4.
- Revelation 5:7 Lit has taken. This is the Greek perfect tense, which John sometimes uses to emphasize the lasting significance of an action or event.
Revelation 5
Easy-to-Read Version
Who Can Open the Scroll?
5 Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. The scroll had writing on both sides and was kept closed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a powerful angel, who called in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But there was no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth who could open the scroll or look inside it. 4 I cried and cried because there was no one who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 But one of the elders said to me, “Don’t cry! The Lion[a] from the tribe of Judah has won the victory. He is David’s descendant. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb standing in the center near the throne with the four living beings around it. The elders were also around the Lamb. The Lamb looked as if it had been killed. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that were sent into all the world. 7 The Lamb came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. 8 After the Lamb took the scroll, the four living beings and the 24 elders bowed down before the Lamb. Each one of them had a harp. Also, they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s holy people. 9 And they all sang a new song to the Lamb:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were killed,
and with your blood sacrifice you bought people for God
from every tribe, language, race of people, and nation.
10 You made them to be a kingdom and to be priests for our God.
And they will rule on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels. The angels were around the throne, the four living beings, and the elders. There were thousands and thousands of angels—10,000 times 10,000. 12 The angels said in a loud voice,
“All power, wealth, wisdom, and strength
belong to the Lamb who was killed.
He is worthy to receive
honor, glory, and praise!”
13 Then I heard every created being that is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in all these places, saying,
“All praise and honor
and glory and power forever and ever
to the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!”
14 The four living beings said, “Amen!” And the elders bowed down and worshiped.
Footnotes
- Revelation 5:5 Lion Used here to refer to Jesus.
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Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International