Revelation 10:1
in Revelation 10Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, arrayed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire;
KJV
And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
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This verse in Revelation 10
Commentary
17 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
18:1). feet as pillars of fire-- (Re 1:15; The angel, as representative of Christ, reflects His glory and bears the insignia attributed in Re 1:15, 16; The pillar of fire by night led Israel through the wilderness, and was the symbol of God's presence.
This site's exposition
clothed with a cloud
on Revelation 10:1-2
Another mighty angel comes down from heaven, and the description crowds in the same imagery John used for the risen Christ in chapter 1, a cloud, a rainbow, a face like the sun, feet like pillars of fire, close enough that some readers through church history have taken this for a christophany rather than a created angel; the main line answers that the term angel, and the being's own posture of swearing an oath in verse 6 to him that liveth for ever, sit more naturally with a glorious created messenger acting in his Lord's authority, and both readings are held by named voices. His stance, one foot on the sea and one on the earth, pictures a sovereignty over the whole created order that the little book he carries, open rather than sealed like the scroll of chapter 5, is about to speak into.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
In this angel the person of our Savior is indicated. On his body he wears the church as though she were a cloud. For the church was constituted in the body of Christ and is often described in diverse manners. At times we read of …
Moreover, John, the divine narrator in the present discourse, recounts the events that occurred when the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, which I have not yet fully explained all at once, since the fifth discourse is so long, I therefore did not reveal it in …
A commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
proposed
"I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: and he had in his hand an open book: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth." He signifies that that mighty angel who, he says, descended from heaven, clothed with a cloud, is our Lord, as we have above narrated. "His face was as it were the sun." That is, with respect to the resurrection. "Upon his head was a rainbow." He points to the judgment which is executed by Him, of shall be. "An open book." A revelation of works in the future judgment, or the Apocalypse which John received. "His feet," as we have said above, are the apostles. For that both things in sea and land are trodden under foot by Him, signifies that all things are placed under His feet. Moreover, he calls Him an angel, that is, a messenger, to wit, of the Father; for He is called the Messenger of great counsel. He says also that He cried with a loud voice. The great voice is to tell the words of the Omnipotent God of heaven to men, and to bear witness that after penitence is closed there will be no hope subsequently.
The angel also, as he goes forth on a white horse, conquering and to conquer, receives a crown of victory; and another is adorned with an encircling rainbow (as it were in its fair colours)-a celestial meadow.
He sees the Lord Christ coming down from heaven dressed in a cloud, which is the church. Or, he is clothed by the cloud of his flesh, which is elsewhere said to be a new bride who descends from heaven, or as Daniel says, the …
10 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church4 voices
The cloud, the rainbow and the light like the sun show how we are to understand this holy angel. For through these [symbols] the manifold character of its virtues and the brightness of the angelic nature and understanding is revealed.
And I heard another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. It is right for him to be called an angel, because he appeared to men as the new messenger of eternal life, about whom we read, angel of great counsel; and …
And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. The Lord, the angel of great counsel, descended from heaven, clothed with the cloud of flesh. As Isaiah also says: Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and will …
And his face was like the sun, etc. With the face of the Lord shining, that is, his knowledge manifested through the glory of the resurrection, his feet are prepared to evangelize and proclaim peace on the mountains (Romans X), illuminated by the fire of …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
And a rainbow upon his head - A lovely token of the divine favour. And yet it is not too glorious for a creature: the woman, chap. xii, 1, is described more glorious still. And his face as the sun - Nor is this too much for a creature: for all the righteous "shall shine forth as the sun," Matt. xiii, 43.
He was clothed with a cloud: he veils his glory, which is too great for mortality to behold; and he throws a veil upon his dispensations. Clouds and darkness are round about him. A rainbow was upon his head; he is always mindful of his covenant, and, when his conduct is most mysterious, yet it is perfectly just and faithful.
And I saw another mighty angel,....
An account of seven thunders which the apostle heard, as echoing to the voice of this angel, and communicating some discoveries, which the apostle was not yet allowed to write,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Another mighty angel - Either Christ or his representative; clothed with a cloud; a symbol of the Divine majesty. A rainbow was upon his head - The token of God’s merciful covenant with mankind. His face was as it were the sun - So intensely glorious that it could not be looked on. His feet as pillars of fire - To denote the rapidity and energy of his motions, and the stability of his counsels.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And I saw - I had a vision of. The meaning is, that he saw this subsequently to the vision in the previous chapter. The attention is now arrested by a new vision - as if some new dispensation or economy was about to occur in the world.
The words behind it
32 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἶδον | eidon | I saw | G1492 → | 374 times |
| ἄλλον | allon | another | G243 → | 155 times |
| ἄγγελον | angelon | angel | G32 → | 175 times |
| ἰσχυρὸν | ischuron | mighty | G2478 → | 29 times |
| καταβαίνοντα | katabainonta | coming down | G2597 → | 81 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανοῦ | ouranou | heaven | G3772 → | 272 times |
| περιβεβλημένον | peribeblemenon | having clothed himself with | G4016 → | 23 times |
| νεφέλην, | nephelen | a cloud, | G3507 → | 25 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἶρις | iris | rainbow | G2463 → | |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κεφαλῆς | kephales | head | G2776 → | 75 times |
| αὐτοῦ, | autou | of him, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρόσωπον | prosopon | face | G4383 → | 75 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὡς | hos | [was] like | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἥλιος, | helios | sun, | G2246 → | 32 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πόδες | podes | feet | G4228 → | 93 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὡς | hos | like | G5613 → | 500 times |
| στῦλοι | stuloi | pillars | G4769 → | |
| πυρός, | puros | of fire, | G4442 → | 70 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἶδονI saw
eidonG1492 →374 times
ἄλλονanother
allonG243 →155 times
ἄγγελονangel
angelonG32 →175 times
ἰσχυρὸνmighty
ischuronG2478 →29 times
καταβαίνονταcoming down
katabainontaG2597 →81 times
ἐκout of
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανοῦheaven
ouranouG3772 →272 times
περιβεβλημένονhaving clothed himself with
peribeblemenonG4016 →23 times
νεφέλην,a cloud,
nephelenG3507 →25 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ἶριςrainbow
irisG2463 →
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
κεφαλῆςhead
kephalesG2776 →75 times
αὐτοῦ,of him,
autouG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
πρόσωπονface
prosoponG4383 →75 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
ὡς[was] like
hosG5613 →500 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἥλιος,sun,
heliosG2246 →32 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
πόδεςfeet
podesG4228 →93 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
ὡςlike
hosG5613 →500 times
στῦλοιpillars
stuloiG4769 →
πυρός,of fire,
purosG4442 →70 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 17:2There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
it leads to
- Psalms 104:2
He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,
- Matthew 28:3
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
- Luke 9:29
And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white.
- John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- Psalms 104:2
Through
Daniel 10:6His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice like the sound of…
it leads to
- Revelation 19:12
He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows.
- Matthew 17:2
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
- Revelation 19:12
Through
Ezekiel 1:28The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the…
it leads to
- Revelation 4:3
The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne.
- Revelation 4:3
Through
Revelation 5:2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”
it leads to
- Isaiah 29:11–12
And the entire vision will be to you like the words sealed in a scroll. If it is handed to someone to read, he will say, “I cannot, because it is sealed.”
- Isaiah 29:11–12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Revelation
This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alcuin of York, COMMENTARY ON REVELATION; Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 10:1; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 10:1; Tertullian, De Corona; Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 10:1 and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.