Revelation 15 · Verse 2

Revelation 15:2

And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Revelation 15:2, King James Version

Revelation 15:2 in other translations

BSB	And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps from God,
WEB	I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, his image, and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
ASV	And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God.
YLT	and I saw as a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who do gain the victory over the beast, and his image, and his mark, and the number of his name, standing by the sea of the glass, having harps of God,
DARBY	And I saw as a glass sea, mingled with fire, and those that had gained the victory over the beast, and over its image, and over the number of its name, standing upon the glass sea, having harps of God.
BBE	And I saw a sea which seemed like glass mixed with fire; and those who had overcome the beast and his image and the number of his name, were in their places by the sea of glass, with God's instruments of music in their hands.
Webster	And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gained the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

What does Revelation 15:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

2. sea of glass--Answering to the molten sea or great brazen laver before the mercy seat of the earthly temple, for the purification of the priests; typifying the baptism of water and the Spirit of all who are made kings and priests unto God. mingled with fire--answering to the baptism on earth with fire, that is, fiery trial, as well as with the Holy Ghost, which Christ's people undergo to purify them, as gold is purified of its dross in the furnace. them that had gotten the victory over--Greek, "those (coming) off from (the conflict with) the beast-conquerors." over the number of his name--A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic omit the words in English Version, "over his mark." The mark, in fact, is the number of his name which the faithful refused to receive, and so were victorious over it. stand on the sea of glass--Alford and De Burgh explain "on (the shore of) the sea": at the sea. So the preposition, Greek, "epi," with the accusative case, is used for at, Re 3:20. It has a pregnant sense: "standing" implies rest, Greek "epi" with the accusative case implies motion "towards." Thus the meaning is, Having come TO the sea, and now standing AT it. In Mt 14:26, where Christ walks on the sea, the Greek oldest manuscripts have the genitive, not the accusative as here. Allusion is made to the Israelites standing on the shore at the Red Sea, after having passed victoriously through it, and after the Lord had destroyed the Egyptian foe (type of Antichrist) in it. Moses and the Israelites' song of triumph (Ex 15:1) has its antitype in the saints' "song of Moses and the Lamb" (Re 15:3). Still English Version is consistent with good Greek, and the sense will then be: As the sea typifies the troubled state out of which the beast arose, and which is to be no more in the blessed world to come (Re 21:1), so the victorious saints stand on it, having it under their feet (as the woman had the moon, see on Re 12:1); but it is now no longer treacherous wherein the feet sink, but solid like glass, as it was under the feet of Christ, whose triumph and power the saints now share. Firmness of footing amidst apparent instability is thus represented. They can stand, not merely as victorious Israel at the Red Sea, and as John upon the sand of the shore, but upon the sea itself, now firm, and reflecting their glory as glass, their past conflict shedding the brighter luster on their present triumph. Their happiness is heightened by the retrospect of the dangers through which they have passed. Thus this corresponds to Re 7:14, 15. harps of God--in the hands of these heavenly virgins, infinitely surpassing the timbrels of Miriam and the Israelitesses.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 2. And I saw as it were a sea of glass. In Rev 4:6, a similar vision is recorded--"And before the throne there was a sea of glass, like unto a crystal." Rev 4:6. The sea of glass here means a sea, clear, pellucid, like glass: an expanse that seemed to be made of glass. There it was entirely clear; here it is mingled with fire.

Mingled with fire. That is, a portion of the sea was red like fire. It was not all clear and pellucid, as in Rev 4:6, but it was, as it were, a tesselated expanse, composed in part of what seemed to be glass, and in part of a material of a red or fiery colour. In the former case, (Rev 4:6,) the emblem was designed to represent the pure worship of heaven without reference to any other symbolic design, and hence the sea is wholly clear and pellucid; here, in connexion with the purpose of furnishing an appropriate symbol of the Divine Majesty, there is united the idea of punishment on the foes of God, represented by the fiery or red colour. If it is proper, from conjecture, to suggest the meaning of this as an emblem, it would be that the foundation--the main element--of all the Divine dealings is justice or holiness--represented by the portion of the sea that seemed to be glass; and that there was, in this case, intermingled with that, the image of wrath or anger--represented by the portion that was fiery or red. The very sight of the pavement, therefore, on which they stood when worshipping God, would keep before their minds impressive views of his character and dealings. And them that had gotten the victory over the beast. Rev 13:11. That is, they who had gained a victory in times of persecution and temptation; or they whom the "beast" had not been able, by arts or arms, to subdue. The persons referred to here, I suppose, are those who in the long dominion of the Papal power, and amidst all its arts and corruptions--its threats and persecutions--had remained stedfast in the truth, and who might thus be said to have gained a victory--for such victories of piety, virtue, and truth, amidst the corrupting influences of sin and error, and the intimidations of power, are the most important that are gained in this world.

And over his image. Rev 13:14-15; The meaning is, that they had not been led to apostatize by the dread of the power represented here by the "image of the beast." In all the attempts of that power to subdue them--to intimidate them--to induce them to give up their attachment to the truth as it is in Jesus--they had remained stedfast in the faith, and had triumphed.

And over his mark. Rev 13:16. Over all the attempts of the beast to fix his mark upon them, or to designate them as his own.

And over the number of his name. Rev 13:17, Rev 13:18. Over all the attempts to fix upon them that mysterious number which expressed his name. The general sense is, that in times of general error and corruption; when the true friends of Christ were exposed to persecution; when every effort was made to induce them to become the followers of the "beast," and to yield to the corrupt system represented by the "beast," they remained unmoved, and adhered firmly to the truth. The number of such in the aggregate was not small; and with great beauty and propriety they are here represented as rejoicing and giving thanks to God on the overthrow of that corrupt and formidable power.

Stand on the sea of glass. That is, before God. They are now seen in heaven, redeemed and triumphant.

Having the harps of God. Harps that pertained to the worship of God; harps to be employed in his praise. Rev 14:2.

(a) "sea" Rev 4:6 (b) "fire" Isa 4:4,5 (c) "the beast" Rev 13:15-17 (d) "harps" Rev 14:2

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 2 A sea of glass - A spacious lucid plain around the throne, from which fiery coruscations were continually emitted: or, the reflection of the light upon this lucid plain produced the prismatic colors of the most vivid rainbow. Over the beast, and over his image - See the notes on Revelation 13:1-18 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 15:1-4

Seven angels appeared in heaven; prepared to finish the destruction of antichrist. As the measure of Babylon's sins was filled up, it finds the full measure of Divine wrath. While believers stand in this world, in times of trouble, as upon a sea of glass mingled with fire, they may look forward to their final deliverance, while new mercies call forth new hymns of praise. The more we know of God's wonderful works…

Read the full comment on Revelation 15:1-4 →

Revelation 15:2 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΚαὶKaiAndG2532

εἶδονeidonI sawG1492

ὡςhōs[something] likeG5613

θάλασσανthalassana seaG2281

ὑαλίνηνhu'alinēnof glassG5193

μεμιγμένηνmemigmenēnmingledG3396

πυρὶpuriwith fireG4442

καὶkaiandG2532

τοὺςtousthoseG3588

νικῶνταςnikōntasconqueringG3528

ἐκekoverG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

θηρίουthērioubeastG2342

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐκekofG1537

τῆςtēstheG3588

εἰκόνοςeikonosimageG1504

αὐτοῦautouof itG846

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐκekoverG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

χαράγματοςcharagmatosmarkG5480

τοῦtouof itG846

ἐκekoverG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

ἀριθμοῦarithmounumberG706

τοῦtouof theG3588

ὀνόματοςonomatosnameG3686

αὐτοῦautouof itG846

ἑστῶταςhestōtasstandingG2476

ἐπὶepiuponG1909

τὴνtēntheG3588

θάλασσανthalassanseaG2281

τὴνtēnof theG3588

ὑαλίνηνhu'alinēnglassG5193

ἔχονταςechontashavingG2192

κιθάραςkitharasharpsG2788

τοῦtou<the>G3588

θεοῦ.theouof God.G2316

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 15:2

Revelation 4:6
And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Revelation 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Revelation 19:1-7
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. …
Revelation 5:8
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
1 Peter 1:7
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Revelation 21:18
And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
Matthew 3:11
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Revelation 13:14-14:5
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. …
Isaiah 4:4-5
When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
Revelation 11:11-12
And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
1 Peter 4:12
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

a sea.
4:6; 21:18
mingled.
Isa 4:4,5; Mt 3:11; 1Pe 1:7; 4:12
that had.
11:11,12; 12:11; 13:14-18; 14:1-5
stand.
Eze 22:30,31
having.
5:8; 14:2; 19:1-7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Revelation 15:1
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
Revelation 15:2
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
Revelation 15:3
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

Read all of Revelation 15

Revelation 15:2 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y vi así como un mar de vidrio mezclado con fuego; y los que habían alcanzado la victoria de la bestia, y de su imagen, y de su señal, y del número de su nombre, estar sobre el mar de vidrio, teniendo las arpas de Dios.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et je vis comme une mer de verre, mêlée de feu, et ceux qui avaient remporté la victoire sur la bête, et sur son image, et sur le nombre de son nom, se tenant debout sur la mer de verre, ayant des harpes de Dieu.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und ich sah wie ein gläsernes Meer, mit Feuer gemischt, und die Überwinder über das Tier und über sein Bild und über die Zahl seines Namens an dem gläsernen Meere stehen, und sie hatten Harfen Gottes.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et vidi tamquam mare vitreum mistum igne, et eos, qui vicerunt bestiam, et imaginem ejus, et numerum nominis ejus, stantes super mare vitreum, habentes citharas Dei: