Revelation 1:19-20
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
19 Write down, therefore, what you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.[a] 20 This is the secret meaning[b] of the seven stars you saw in my right hand, and of the seven gold lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1:19 What you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards: the three parts of the Book of Revelation, the vision (Rev 1:10–20), the situation in the seven churches (Rev 2–3), and the events of Rev 6–22.
- 1:20 Secret meaning: literally, “mystery.” Angels: these are the presiding spirits of the seven churches. Angels were thought to be in charge of the physical world (cf. Rev 7:1; 14:18; 16:5) and of nations (Dn 10:13; 12:1), communities (the seven churches), and individuals (Mt 18:10; Acts 12:15). Some have seen in the “angel” of each of the seven churches its pastor or a personification of the spirit of the congregation.
Revelation 1:19-20
New International Version
19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen,(A) what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand(B) and of the seven golden lampstands(C) is this: The seven stars are the angels[a] of the seven churches,(D) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.(E)
Footnotes
- Revelation 1:20 Or messengers
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