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Revelation 1

Rev. 1:20 KJV (With Strong’s)

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20
The mystery
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
musterion (Greek #3466)
a secret or "mystery" (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites)
KJV usage: mystery.
Pronounce: moos-tay'-ree-on
Origin: from a derivative of μύω (to shut the mouth)
of the
aster (Greek #792)
a star (as strown over the sky), literally or figuratively
KJV usage: star.
Pronounce: as-tare'
Origin: probably from the base of 4766
seven
hepta (Greek #2033)
seven
KJV usage: seven.
Pronounce: hep-tah'
Origin: a primary number
f stars
aster (Greek #792)
a star (as strown over the sky), literally or figuratively
KJV usage: star.
Pronounce: as-tare'
Origin: probably from the base of 4766
which
hos (Greek #3739)
the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
KJV usage: one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc. See also 3757.
Pronounce: hos
Origin: ἥ (hay), and neuter ὅ (ho) probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588)
thou sawest
eido (Greek #1492)
used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
KJV usage: be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot. Compare 3700.
Pronounce: i'-do
Origin: a primary verb
in
epi (Greek #1909)
properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.
KJV usage: about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).
Pronounce: ep-ee'
Origin: a primary preposition
my
mou (Greek #3450)
of me
KJV usage: I, me, mine (own), my.
Pronounce: moo
Origin: the simpler form of 1700
right hand
dexios (Greek #1188)
the right side or (feminine) hand (as that which usually takes)
KJV usage: right (hand, side).
Pronounce: dex-ee-os'
Origin: from 1209
, and
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
the
luchnia (Greek #3087)
a lamp-stand (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: candlestick.
Pronounce: lookh-nee'-ah
Origin: from 3088
seven
hepta (Greek #2033)
seven
KJV usage: seven.
Pronounce: hep-tah'
Origin: a primary number
golden
chruseos (Greek #5552)
made of gold
KJV usage: of gold, golden.
Pronounce: khroo'-seh-os
Origin: from 5557
candlesticks
luchnia (Greek #3087)
a lamp-stand (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: candlestick.
Pronounce: lookh-nee'-ah
Origin: from 3088
. The seven
hepta (Greek #2033)
seven
KJV usage: seven.
Pronounce: hep-tah'
Origin: a primary number
stars
aster (Greek #792)
a star (as strown over the sky), literally or figuratively
KJV usage: star.
Pronounce: as-tare'
Origin: probably from the base of 4766
are
eisi (Greek #1526)
they are
KJV usage: agree, are, be, dure, X is, were.
Pronounce: i-see'
Origin: 3d person plural present indicative of 1510
the angels
aggelos (Greek #32)
a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor
KJV usage: angel, messenger.
Pronounce: ang'-el-os
Origin: from ἀγγέλλω (probably derived from 71; compare 34) (to bring tidings)
of the
ekklesia (Greek #1577)
a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both)
KJV usage: assembly, church.
Pronounce: ek-klay-see'-ah
Origin: from a compound of 1537 and a derivative of 2564
seven
hepta (Greek #2033)
seven
KJV usage: seven.
Pronounce: hep-tah'
Origin: a primary number
churches
ekklesia (Greek #1577)
a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both)
KJV usage: assembly, church.
Pronounce: ek-klay-see'-ah
Origin: from a compound of 1537 and a derivative of 2564
: and
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
the
luchnia (Greek #3087)
a lamp-stand (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: candlestick.
Pronounce: lookh-nee'-ah
Origin: from 3088
seven
hepta (Greek #2033)
seven
KJV usage: seven.
Pronounce: hep-tah'
Origin: a primary number
candlesticks
luchnia (Greek #3087)
a lamp-stand (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage: candlestick.
Pronounce: lookh-nee'-ah
Origin: from 3088
i which
hos (Greek #3739)
the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
KJV usage: one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc. See also 3757.
Pronounce: hos
Origin: ἥ (hay), and neuter ὅ (ho) probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588)
thou sawest
eido (Greek #1492)
used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
KJV usage: be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot. Compare 3700.
Pronounce: i'-do
Origin: a primary verb
are
eisi (Greek #1526)
they are
KJV usage: agree, are, be, dure, X is, were.
Pronounce: i-see'
Origin: 3d person plural present indicative of 1510
the
ekklesia (Greek #1577)
a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both)
KJV usage: assembly, church.
Pronounce: ek-klay-see'-ah
Origin: from a compound of 1537 and a derivative of 2564
seven
hepta (Greek #2033)
seven
KJV usage: seven.
Pronounce: hep-tah'
Origin: a primary number
churches
ekklesia (Greek #1577)
a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both)
KJV usage: assembly, church.
Pronounce: ek-klay-see'-ah
Origin: from a compound of 1537 and a derivative of 2564
.*
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
f
Rev. 1:16• 16and having in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth a sharp two-edged sword going forth; and his countenance as the sun shines in its power. (Rev. 1:16)
i
Matt. 5:15‑16• 15Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but upon the lamp-stand, and it shines for all who are in the house.
 16Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works, and glorify your Father who is in the heavens. (Matt. 5:15‑16)

More on:

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Angels,
Church,
Gold,
mystery,
Seven Churches,
Star

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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mystery.
Matt. 13:11• 11And he answering said to them, Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, but to them it is not given; (Matt. 13:11)
;
Luke 8:10• 10And he said, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables, in order that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. (Luke 8:10)
the seven stars.
Rev. 1:13,16• 13and in the midst of the seven lamps one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment reaching to the feet, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle:
 16and having in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth a sharp two-edged sword going forth; and his countenance as the sun shines in its power. (Rev. 1:13,16)
the seven golden.
Rev. 1:12• 12And I turned back to see the voice which spoke with me; and having turned, I saw seven golden lamps, (Rev. 1:12)
The seven stars.
Rev. 2:1,8,12,18• 1To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write: These things says he that holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamps:
 8And to the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: These things says the first and the last, who became dead, and lived:
 12And to the angel of the assembly in Pergamos write: These things says he that has the sharp two-edged sword:
 18And to the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write: These things says the Son of God, he that has his eyes as a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass: (Rev. 2:1,8,12,18)
;
Rev. 3:1,7,14• 1And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: These things saith he that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
 7And to the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write: These things saith the holy, the true; he that has the key of David, he who opens and no one shall shut, and shuts and no one shall open:
 14And to the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God: (Rev. 3:1,7,14)
;
Mal. 2:7• 7For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and at his mouth they seek the law; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts. (Mal. 2:7)
and the.
Zech. 4:2• 2And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I see, and behold, a lamp-stand all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon, seven lamps and seven pipes to the lamps, which are upon the top thereof; (Zech. 4:2)
;
Matt. 5:15‑16• 15Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but upon the lamp-stand, and it shines for all who are in the house.
 16Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works, and glorify your Father who is in the heavens. (Matt. 5:15‑16)
;
Phil. 2:15‑16• 15that ye may be harmless and simple, irreproachable children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation; among whom ye appear as lights in the world,
 16holding forth the word of life, so as to be a boast for me in Christ's day, that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain. (Phil. 2:15‑16)
;
1 Tim. 3:14‑16• 14These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee more quickly;
 15but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth.
 16And confessedly the mystery of piety is great. God has been manifested in flesh, has been justified in the Spirit, has appeared to angels, has been preached among the nations, has been believed on in the world, has been received up in glory. (1 Tim. 3:14‑16)
• It is the connecting link between the vision of Christ and the judgment of the church, or house of God on earth (Rev. 2, 3), as long as its existence there is recognized as the object of His government. (“Lectures on Revelation 1: Part 2” by W. Kelly)
• It is plain, from Revelation 1:4,11, and from what follows, that seven actually existing churches of provincial Asia were primarily meant. But while it is true that there were special reasons for addressing those particular churches, it does not to my own mind admit of a doubt, that they were selected with the further and larger design of presenting successive pictures of the church in general from the apostolic days to the close of its existence on earth. Hence it is that there were seven golden lamp-stands, seven being the well-known symbol of spiritual completeness. (“Lectures on Revelation 1: Part 2” by W. Kelly)
• Angels of the Seven Churches: The moral representatives of the responsibility of the assemblies. A symbolical representation of the assembly viewed in those responsible in it. (“Revelation 1 Symbols” by A.H. Burton)

J. N. Darby Translation

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20
The mystery of the seven stars which thou hast seen on my right hand, and the seven golden lamps.—The seven stars are angelsi of the seven assemblies; and the seven lamps are seven assemblies.

JND Translation Notes

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i
The word has also the sense of "messengers." see Note e, ch. 2.20.

W. Kelly Translation

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20
the mysterya of the seven stars which thou sawest on my right hand, and the seven golden lamp-stands; the seven stars are angelsb of the seven churches, and the seven lamp-stands are seven churches.

WK Translation Notes

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a
Some suppose that the regimen passes on from the word "write" (verse 19) in a kind of unconscious apocalyptic way. This is grammatically easy. But the sense is better, in my judgment, if we take verse 20 as an independent sentence, opened by the accusative absolute, and followed by an explanatory clause.
b
Is not our tongue capable of reflecting the anarthrous usage of "angels," no less than of "seven churches"? If there is a defining genitive in the one case, there is a numeral in the other, which renders the predicate sufficiently definite without the insertion of our article "the" in the one more than in the other.