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Apocalyptic · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Revelation 5

Visions unveil the Lamb's victory, faithful witness, judgment, and renewed creation.

New Testament

Revelation 5

1I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals.

2I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?”

3No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book or to look in it.

4Then I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look in it.

5One of the elders said to me, “Don’t weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome: he who opens the book and its seven seals.”

6I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.

7Then he came, and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

8Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,

10and made us kings and priests to our God; and we will reign on the earth.”

11I looked, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands,

12saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!”

13I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!”

14The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Visions unveil the Lamb's victory, faithful witness, judgment, and renewed creation. Read Revelation 5 within the complete Revelation overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Revelation 5

Revelation 5 contains 14 verses and about 388 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 14 closes: “The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include book, earth, throne, seven, elders, seals. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Revelation 5

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Revelation 5:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer