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Read the Bible

George Lamsa Translation

Revelation 5:2

Then I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Salvation;   Vision;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Angels;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Angel;   Book;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Preach, Proclaim;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Book;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Beast;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Writing;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Book;   Judah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Angel;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Loose;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Book;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Joseph;   Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Revelation of John:;   Seal;   Seraphim;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Book of life;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”
King James Version (1611)
And I saw a strong Angel proclaiming with a loude voice; Who is worthy to open the booke, and to loose the seales thereof?
King James Version
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
New American Standard Bible
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?"
New Century Version
And I saw a powerful angel calling in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"
English Standard Version
And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?"
Berean Standard Bible
And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"
Contemporary English Version
I saw a mighty angel ask with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"
Complete Jewish Bible
and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"
Darby Translation
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who [is] worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?
Easy-to-Read Version
And I saw a powerful angel, who called in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And I sawe a strong Angell which preached with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open ye booke, and to loose the seales thereof?
Good News Translation
And I saw a mighty angel, who announced in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"
Lexham English Bible
And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?"
Literal Translation
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice: Who is worthy to open the scroll, and to loosen its seals?
Amplified Bible
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 break its seals?"
American Standard Version
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Bible in Basic English
And I saw a strong angel saying in a loud voice, Who is able to make the book open, and to undo its stamps?
Hebrew Names Version
I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?"
International Standard Version
I also saw a powerful angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"
Etheridge Translation
And I saw a mighty angel who proclaimed with a great voice: Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Murdock Translation
And I saw a strong angel, who proclaimed with a loud voice, Who is competent to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I sawe a strong angell, whiche preached with a loude voyce: Who is worthy to open the booke, and to loose the seales therof?
English Revised Version
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
World English Bible
I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?"
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof?
Weymouth's New Testament
And I saw a mighty angel who was exclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y say a strong aungel, prechynge with a greet vois, Who is worthi to opene the book, and to vndon the seelis of it?
Update Bible Version
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Webster's Bible Translation
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose its seals?
New English Translation
And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming in a loud voice: "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?"
New King James Version
Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?"
New Living Translation
And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: "Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?"
New Life Bible
I saw a powerful angel calling with a loud voice, "Who is able to open the book and to break its locks?"
New Revised Standard
and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And I saw a mighty messenger, proclaiming with a loud voice - Who is worthy to open the scroll, and to unloose the seals thereof?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I saw a strong angel, proclaiming with a loud voice: Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof?
Revised Standard Version
and I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And I sawe a stronge angell which cryed with a loude voyce: Who is worthy to open the boke and to loose the seales therof.
Young's Literal Translation
and I saw a strong messenger crying with a great voice, `Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose the seals of it?'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And I sawe a stroge angell preachinge with a loude voyce: Who is worthy to open the boke, and to loose the seales therof?
Mace New Testament (1729)
and I saw a powerful angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof."
Simplified Cowboy Version
Just then a mighty angel roared, "Who is worthy to open the scroll?"

Contextual Overview

1 AND I saw on the right hand of him who sat on the throne a book, written within and on the back and sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no man in heaven above, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look on it. 4 And I wept exceedingly, because no man was found worthy to open the book, neither to look on it. 5 And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not; behold the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Scion of David, has prevailed and he will open the book, and the seven seals thereof.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a strong: Psalms 103:20

Who: Revelation 5:5, Isaiah 29:11, Isaiah 29:12, Isaiah 41:22, Isaiah 41:23

Reciprocal: Job 41:15 - a close Isaiah 48:6 - showed John 10:15 - As Revelation 4:11 - art Revelation 5:9 - Thou art Revelation 7:2 - having Revelation 10:1 - another Revelation 18:2 - cried

Cross-References

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 2:15
And the LORD God took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and to keep it.
Genesis 2:23
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Malachi 2:15
Did not he make them one? And the rest of the spirits are his also. And therefore a man seeks one offspring from God. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
Matthew 19:4
But he answered and said to them, Have you not read, that he who made from the beginning, made them male and female?
Mark 10:6
But from the very beginning God made them male and female.
Acts 17:26
And he has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and he has appointed seasons by his command, and has set limits to the age of men;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice,.... This was not the uncreated angel, Jesus Christ; for he is after spoken of as the lion of the tribe of Judah, and as the Lamb in the midst of the throne, but a created one; though who he was, whether Gabriel, as some say, because his name signifies the strong or mighty One of God, is not material to be known; angels are said to be mighty, and to excel in strength: this is called so here, chiefly with respect to his voice, which he, by reason of his great strength, exerted so loudly, as to be heard by all the creatures in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth however, this was not John the Baptist, but if a minister of the Gospel, rather some one since, making the following proclamation:

who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? suggesting, that if there was any such person, that he was desired to come, and do it; and it seems, that he must not only be one of power and ability, but of dignity and authority, a person of greatness and worth, from whence his ability arises; as he ought to be that can engage his heart to draw nigh to God, and take a book out of his right hand, this mysterious book of the Revelation, as it was indeed while sealed; and open and explain it to others, unseal it or exhibit it, as it afterwards was in the following scenes and visions, and gave a view of all that is contained in it; and not only so, but fulfil and accomplish all the prophecies in it; and who can, or is worthy to do all this, but he that sits at the right hand of God, and who is God as well as man? and this proclamation was made to stir up an earnest desire in John, and all the saints he represents, to know what was in this book; and to show the impotence of all creatures to make any discovery of it; and to illustrate, and set off with a greater foil, the glory, excellency, ability, and worth of Jesus Christ. There seems to be an allusion to the president of the temple calling to the priests under him, to attend to the several parts of service assigned them, saying unto them,

מי שזכה, "whosoever is worthy, let him" do so and so c.

c Misna Tamid, c. 1. sect. 4. & c. 5. sect. 4. 5.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I saw a strong angel - An angel endowed with great strength, as if such strength was necessary to enable him to give utterance to the loud voice of the inquiry. “Homer represents his heralds as powerful, robust men, in order consistently to attribute to them deep-toned and powerful voices” (Prof. Stuart). The inquiry to be made was one of vast importance; it was to be made of all in heaven, all on the earth, and all under the earth, and hence an angel is introduced so mighty that his voice could be heard in all those distant worlds.

Proclaiming with a loud voice - That is, as a herald or crier. He is rather introduced here as appointed to this office than as self-moved. The design undoubtedly is to impress the mind with a sense of the importance of the disclosures about to be made, and at the same time with a sense of the impossibility of penetrating the future by any created power. That one of the highest angels should make such a proclamation would sufficiently show its importance; that such an one, by the mere act of making such a proclamation, should practically confess his own inability, and consequently the inability of all of similar rank, to make the disclosures, would show that the revelations of the future were beyond mere created power.

Who is worthy to open the book, ... - That is, who is “worthy” in the sense of having a rank so exalted, and attributes so comprehensive, as to authorize and enable him to do it. In other words, who has the requisite endowments of all kinds to enable him to do it? It would require moral qualities of an exalted character to justify him in approaching the seat of the holy God, to take the book from his hands; it would require an ability beyond that of any created being to penetrate the future, and disclose the meaning of the symbols which were employed. The fact that the book was held in the hand of him that was on the throne, and sealed in this manner, was in itself a sufficient proof that it was not his purpose to make the disclosure directly, and the natural inquiry arose whether there was anyone in the wide universe who, by rank, or character, or office, would be empowered to open the mysterious volume.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 5:2. A strong angel — One of the chief of the angelic host.

Proclaiming — As the herald of God.

To open the book, and to loose the seals — To loose the seals that he may open the book. Who can tell what this book contains? Who can open its mysteries? The book may mean the purposes and designs of God relative to his government of the world and the Church; but we, whose habitation is in the dust, know nothing of such things. We are, however, determined to guess.


 
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