Revelation 6 · Verse 14

Revelation 6:14

And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Revelation 6:14, King James Version

Revelation 6:14 in other translations

BSBThe sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.
WEBThe sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
ASVAnd the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
YLTand heaven departed as a scroll rolled up, and every mountain and island--out of their places they were moved;
DARBYAnd the heaven was removed as a book rolled up, and every mountain and island were removed out of their places.
BBEAnd the heaven was taken away like the roll of a book when it is rolled up; and all the mountains and islands were moved out of their places.
WebsterAnd the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and isle were moved out of their places.

What does Revelation 6:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. departed--Greek, "was separated from" its place; "was made to depart." Not as Alford, "parted asunder"; for, on the contrary, it was rolled together as a scroll which had been open is rolled up and laid aside. There is no "asunder one from another" here in the Greek, as in Ac 15:39, which Alford copies. mountain ... moved out of ... places--(Psa 121:1, Margin; Jr 3:23; 4:24; Na 1:5). This total disruption shall be the precursor of the new earth, just as the pre-Adamic convulsions prepared it for its present occupants.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. The departing of the heavens: And the heaven departed as a scroll. That is, as a book or volume--βιβλιον--rolled up. The heavens are here described as spread out, and their passing away is represented by the idea that they might be rolled up, and thus disappear. See Barnes "Isa 34:4". This too is a symbol, and we are not to suppose that it will literally occur. Indeed, it never can literally occur; and we are not, therefore, to look for the fulfilment of this in any physical fact that would correspond with what is here said. The plain meaning is, that there would be changes as if such an event would happen; that is, that revolutions would occur in the high places of the earth, and among those in power, as if the stars should fall, and the very heavens were swept away. This is the natural meaning of the symbol, and this accords with the usage of the language elsewhere.

The removal of mountains and islands: And every mountain and island were moved out of their places. This would denote convulsions in the political or moral world, as great as would occur in the physical world if the very mountains were removed, and the islands should change their places. We are not to suppose that this would literally occur, but we should be authorized from this to expect that, in regard to those things which seemed to be permanent and fixed on an immovable basis, like mountains and islands, there would be violent and important changes. If thrones and dynasties long established were overthrown; if institutions that seemed to be fixed and permanent were abolished; if a new order of things should rise in the political world, the meaning of the symbol, so far as the language is concerned, would be fulfilled.

(a) "heaven" Ps 102:26, Isa 34:4 (b) "mountain" Rev 16:20, Jer 4:23,24, Hab 3:6,10

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll - The whole system of pagan and idolatrous worship, with all its spiritual, secular, and superstitious influence, was blasted, shrivelled up, and rendered null and void, as a parchment scroll when exposed to the action of a strong fire. And every mountain - All the props, supports, and dependencies of the empire, whether regal allies, tributary kings, dependent colonies, or mercenary troops, were all moved out of their places, so as to stand no longer in the same relation to that empire, and its worship, support, and maintenance, as they formerly did. And island - The heathen temples, with their precincts and enclosures, cut off from the common people, and into which none could come but the privileged, may be here represented by islands, for the same reasons.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 6:12-17

When the sixth seal was opened, there was a great earthquake. The foundations of churches and states would be terribly shaken. Such bold figurative descriptions of great changes abound in the prophecies of Scripture; for these events are emblems, and declare the end of the world and the day of judgment. Dread and terror would seize on all sorts of men. Neither grandeur, riches, valour, nor strength, can support men…

Read the full comment on Revelation 6:12-17 →

Revelation 6:14 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
ὁho<the>G3588
οὐρανὸςouranosheavenG3772
ἀπεχωρίσθηapechōristhēdepartedG673
ὡςhōslikeG5613
βιβλίονbibliona scrollG975
ἑλισσόμενον,helissomenonbeing rolled up,G1667
καὶkaiandG2532
πᾶνpaneveryG3956
ὄροςorosmountainG3735
καὶkaiandG2532
νῆσοςnēsosislandG3520
ἐκekout ofG1537
τῶνtōntheG3588
τόπωνtopōnplacesG5117
αὐτῶνautōnof themG846
ἐκινήθησαν,ekinēthēsanwere moved,G2795

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

Cross references for Revelation 6:14

  • Isaiah 34:4

    And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.

  • Revelation 16:20

    And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

  • 2 Peter 3:10

    But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

  • Hebrews 1:11-13

    They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

  • Psalms 102:26

    They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

  • Nahum 1:5

    The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

  • Jeremiah 4:23-26

    I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.

  • Isaiah 54:10

    For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

  • Revelation 20:11

    And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

  • Revelation 21:1

    And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

  • Jeremiah 51:25

    Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.

  • Isaiah 2:14-17

    And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the heaven.
Ps 102:26; Isa 34:4; Heb 1:11-13; 2Pe 3:10
and every.
16:20; Isa 2:14-17; Jer 3:23; 4:23-26; 51:25; Hab 3:6,10

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

Context

  • Revelation 6:13

    And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

  • Revelation 6:14

    And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

  • Revelation 6:15

    And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

Read all of Revelation 6

Revelation 6:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y el cielo se apartó como un libro que es envuelto; y todo monte y las islas fueron movidas de sus lugares.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le ciel se retira comme un livre qui s’enroule, et toute montagne et toute île furent transportées de leur place.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und der Himmel entwich wie ein Buch, das aufgerollt wird, und jeder Berg und jede Insel wurden aus ihren Stellen gerückt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et cælum recessit sicut liber involutus: et omnis mons, et insulæ de locis suis motæ sunt: