Revelation 5 · Verse 12

Revelation 5:12

Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

Revelation 5:12, King James Version

Revelation 5:12 in other translations

BSB	In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
WEB	saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!”
ASV	saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing.
YLT	saying with a great voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing!'
DARBY	saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that has been slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
BBE	Saying with a great voice, It is right to give to the Lamb who was put to death, power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing.
Webster	Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.

What does Revelation 5:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

12. to receive power--Greek, "the power." The remaining six (the whole being seven, the number for perfection and completeness) are all, as well as "power," ranged under the one Greek article, to mark that they form one complete aggregate belonging to God and His co-equal, the Lamb. Compare Re 7:12, where each of all seven has the article. riches--both spiritual and earthly. blessing--ascribed praise: the will on the creature's part, though unaccompanied by the power, to return blessing for blessing conferred [Alford].

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. Rev 5:2, Rev 2:9. The idea here is, that the fact that he was slain, or was made a sacrifice for sin, was the ground or reason for what is here ascribed to him. Rev 5:5

To receive power. Power or authority to rule over all things. Mt 28:18. The meaning here is, that he was worthy treat these things should be ascribed to him, or to be addressed and acknowledged as possessing them. A part of these things were his in virtue of his very nature--as wisdom, glory, riches; a part were conferred on him as the result of his work--as the mediatorial dominion over the universe, the honour resulting from his work, etc. In view of all that he was, and of all that he has done, he is here spoken of as "worthy" of all these things.

And riches. Abundance. That is, he is worthy that whatever contributes to honour, and glory, and happiness, should be conferred on him in abundance. Himself the original proprietor of all things, it is fit that he should be recognised as such; and having performed the work which he has, it is proper that whatever may be made to contribute to his honour should be regarded as his.

And wisdom. That he should be esteemed as eminently wise; that is, that as the result of the work which he has accomplished, he should be regarded as having ability to choose the best ends, and the best means to accomplish them. The feeling here referred to is that which arises from the contemplation of the work of salvation by the Redeemer, as a work eminently characterized by wisdom--wisdom manifested in meeting the evils of the fall; in honouring the law; in showing that mercy is consistent with justice; and in adapting the whole plan to the character and wants of man. If wisdom was anywhere demanded, it was in reconciling a lost world to God; if it has been anywhere displayed, it has been in the arrangements for that work, and in its execution by the Redeemer. 1Cor 1:24; compare Mt 13:54, Lk 2:40,52 1Cor 1:20-21,30, Eph 1:8, 3:10.

And strength. Ability to accomplish his purposes. That is, it is meet that he should be regarded as having such ability. This strength or power was manifested in overcoming the great enemy of man; in his control of winds, and storms, and diseases, and devils; in triumphing over death; in saving his people.

And honour. He should be esteemed and treated with honour for what he has done.

And glory. This word refers to a higher ascription of praise than the word honour. Perhaps that might refer to the honour which we feel in our hearts; this to the expression of that by the language of praise.

And blessing. Everything which would express the desire that he might be happy, honoured, adored. To bless one is to desire that he may have happiness and prosperity; that he may be successful, respected, and honoured. To bless God, or to ascribe blessing to him, is that state where the heart is full of love and gratitude, and where it desires that he may be everywhere honoured, loved, and obeyed as he should be. The words here express the wish that the universe would ascribe to the Redeemer all honour, and that he might be everywhere loved and adored.

(b) "worthy" Rev 4:11

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 12 To receive power - That is, Jesus Christ is worthy to take, λαβειν, to have ascribed to him, power - omnipotence; riches - beneficence; wisdom - omniscience; strength - power in prevalent exercise; honor - the highest reputation for what he has done; glory - the praise due to such actions; and blessing - the thankful acknowledgments of the whole creation. Here are seven different species of praise; and this is exactly agreeable to the rabbinical forms, which the author of this book keeps constantly in view. See Sepher Rasiel, fol. 39, 2: "To thee belongs כבוד cabod, glory; גדולה gedulah, magnitude; גבורה geburah, might; הממלכה hammamlakah, the kingdom; התפארת hattiphereth, the honor; הנצח hannetsach, the victory; וההוד vehahod, and the praise."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 5:8-14

It is matter of joy to all the world, to see that God deals with men in grace and mercy through the Redeemer. He governs the world, not merely as a Creator, but as our Saviour. The harps were instruments of praise; the vials were full of odours, or incense, which signify the prayers of the saints: prayer and praise should always go together. Christ has redeemed his people from the bondage of sin, guilt, and Satan…

Read the full comment on Revelation 5:8-14 →

Revelation 5:12 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.

λέγοντεςlegontessayingG3004

φωνῇphōnēain a voiceG5456

μεγάλῃ·megalēloud:G3173

ἄξιόνaxionWorthyG514

ἐστινestinisG1510

τὸtotheG3588

ἀρνίονarnionLambG721

τὸtowhichG3588

ἐσφαγμένονesphagmenonslainG4969

λαβεῖνlabeinto receiveG2983

τὴνtēntheG3588

δύναμινdunaminpowerG1411

καὶkaiandG2532

πλοῦτονploutonrichesG4149

καὶkaiandG2532

σοφίανsophianwisdomG4678

καὶkaiandG2532

ἰσχὺνischunstrengthG2479

καὶkaiandG2532

τιμὴνtimēnhonorG5092

καὶkaiandG2532

δόξανdoxangloryG1391

καὶkaiandG2532

εὐλογίαν.eulogianblessing!G2129

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

Cross references for Revelation 5:12

Revelation 5:9
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Revelation 19:1
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:
Revelation 4:11
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
John 17:2
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Revelation 7:12
Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Corinthians 8:9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Matthew 28:18
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
1 Timothy 1:17
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
John 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Philippians 2:9-11
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Revelation 5:13
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Revelation 5:6
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Worthy.
9; Zec 13:7
to receive.
4:11; 7:12; 19:1; Mt 28:18; Joh 3:35,36; 17:2; 2Co 8:9; Php 2:9-11
1Ti 1:17

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

Context

Revelation 5:11
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Revelation 5:12
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Revelation 5:13
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Read all of Revelation 5

Revelation 5:12 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Que decían en alta voz: El Cordero que fué inmolado es digno de tomar el poder y riquezas y sabiduría, y fortaleza y honra y gloria y alabanza.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	disant à haute voix: Digne est l’Agneau qui a été immolé, de recevoir la puissance, et richesse, et sagesse, et force, et honneur, et gloire, et bénédiction.
German Elberfelder 1871	die mit lauter Stimme sprachen: Würdig ist das Lamm, das geschlachtet worden ist, zu empfangen die Macht und Reichtum und Weisheit und Stärke und Ehre und Herrlichkeit und Segnung.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	dicentium voce magna: Dignus est Agnus, qui occisus est, accipere virtutem, et divinitatem, et sapientiam, et fortitudinem, et honorem, et gloriam, et benedictionem.