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Revelation 5:10

in Revelation 5

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

and madest them to be unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon the earth.

KJV

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

This verse in Revelation 5

Commentary

18 notes on this verse
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests,.... See Gill on Rev 1:6. The Alexandrian copy, and Complutensian edition, and the Syriac, Arabic, and the Ethiopic versions, read "them", instead of "us": and we shall reign on the earth; meaning not merely in a spiritual sense, through grace reigning over sin and corruption, through Satan being bruised under their feet, and through the victory they have in Christ over the world, but in the millennium state, in the thousand years' reign with Christ in the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness; see Rev 20:

This site's exposition

they sang a new song

on Revelation 5:9-10

The new song, the Greek kaine, gives the reason: You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe. The redeemed are a kingdom and priests, the calling of Exodus 19:6, and they will reign upon the earth.

This site's exposition

they will reign upon the earth

Gill reads the reign as the thousand years with Christ on the new earth. Barnes reads it as a time when true religion prevails and the affairs of the nations pass into the hands of the redeemed. The Berean text reads them, as Gill's older copies do.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

Primasius of Hadrumetum

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 5:9 · Written before 560.

proposed

Christ wrote a new song by the harmonious truth of both Testaments. This he did when he, remaining the Word which was in the beginning, was born by a new sort of birth through the Virgin. This he did when he as God put on …

A commentator

Hippolytus of Rome

Hippolytus Refutation of All Heresies Book X · Written before 235.

proposed

And thou shalt receive the kingdom of heaven, thou who, whilst thou didst sojourn in this life, didst know the Celestial King. And thou shalt be a companion of the Deity, and a co-heir with Christ, no longer enslaved by lusts or passions, and never again wasted by disease.

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Revelation · Written before 550.

proposed

And He made them kings and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. Therefore, you are able also to understand the Scripture, for you are faithful servants of Christ, both kings and leaders of the churches; you are able to govern …

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 5:9-10 · Written before 614.

proposed

Through this passage it is revealed that the elders, both those in the Old Testament and those in the New Testament, were well-pleasing to God, and that on behalf of the whole world they bring forth a [hymn of] thanksgiving to the Lamb of God …

A commentator

Alcuin of York

COMMENTARY ON REVELATION · Written before 804.

proposed

And hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. The elect are kings, when, by restraining their bodies, it is as if they were reigning over a subjected earth with the law of virtue, which is …
10 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

They shall reign over the earth - The new earth: herewith agree the golden crowns of the elders. The reign of the saints in general follows, under the trumpet of the seventh angel; particularly after the first resurrection, as also in eternity, chap. xi, 18; xv, 7; xx, 4; xxii, 5;Dan. vii, 27;Psalm xlix, 14.

The Nineteenth Century9 voices

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests - See the notes on Rev 1:6. And we shall reign on the earth - The redeemed, of whom we are the representatives. The idea clearly is, in accordance with what is so frequently said in the Scriptures, that the dominion on the earth will be given to the saints; that is, that there will be such a prevalence of true religion, and the redeemed will be so much in the ascendency, that the affairs of the nations will be in their hands.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

So far from reigning on the earth now, they are "made as the filth of the world and the offscouring of all things." In Re 11:15, 18, the locality and time of the kingdom are marked. KELLY translates, "reign over the earth" (Greek, "epi tees gees"), which is justified by the Greek (Septuagint, Jud 9:8;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

IF YOU want to know a man's character, it is well to inquire at his home. What do his children and servants think of him? What is the estimate formed by those who are always with him? George Whitefield was once asked his opinion of a person and his answer was very wise, for he replied, "I never lived with him." Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, see what an estimate is formed of your Lord at Home up yonder, where they know Him best and see Him most constantly, and in the clearest light!
MUSIC HATH Charms.” I am sure sacred music has; for I have felt something of its charms whilst we have been singing that glorious hymn just now. There is a potency in harmony; there is a magic power in melody, which either melts the soul to pity, or lifts it up to joy unspeakable. I do not know how it may be with some minds; they possibly may resist the influence of singing; but I cannot. When the saints of God, in full chorus, “chaunt the solemn lay,” and when I hear sweet syllables fall from their lips, keeping measure and time, then I feel elevated; and, forgetting for a time everything terrestrial, I soar aloft towards heaven. If such be the sweetness of the music of the saints below, where there is much of discord and sin to mar the harmony, how sweet must it be to sing above, with cherubim and seraphim. Oh, what songs must those be which the Eternal ever hears upon his throne! What seraphic sonnets must those be which are thrilled from the lips of pure immortals, untainted by a sin, unmingled with a groan: where they warble ever hymns of joy and gladness, never intermingled with one sigh, or groan, or worldly care. Happy songsters! When shall I your chorus join? There is one of your hymns that runs— “Hark! how they sing before the throne!” and I have sometimes thought I could “hark! how they sing before the throne.” I have imagined that I could hear the full burst of the swell of the chorus, when it pealed from heaven like mighty thunders, and the sound of many waters, and have almost heard those full-toned strains, when the harpers harped with their harps be fore the throne of God; alas, it was but imagination. We cannot hear it now; these ears are not fitted for such music; these souls could not be contained in the body, if we were once to hear some stray note from the harps of angels. We must wait till we get up yonder.
IF YOU want to know a man's character, it is well to inquire at his home. What do his children and servants think of him? What is the estimate formed by those who are always with him? George Whitefield was once asked his opinion of a person and his answer was very wise, for he replied, "I never lived with him." Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, see what an estimate is formed of your Lord at Home up yonder, where they know Him best and see Him most constantly, and in the clearest light! They have discovered no faults in Him. The angels who have beheld Him ever since they were created, the redeemed who have been with Him, some of them for thousands of years, have found no spot in Him. Their unanimous verdict expressed freely in joyful song is, "You are worthy; You are worthy; You are worthy." If you desire to know a man, it will be well to find out what the best sort of people think of him, for the good opinion of bad men is worthless. "What have I done," said one of the Greek philosophers, "that you speak well of me?" when he found himself applauded by a man of evil character! A character that comes from men fitted to judge, who know what purity is, who have had their eyes opened to discriminate between virtue and its counterfeit—such a character is well worth having! One would not like to be thought ill of by a saint. We value the esteem of those whose judgement is sound, who are free from prejudice and who love only that which is honest and of good repute.
THIS morning [Sermon #2095, Volume 35—The Lamb in Glory.] we had a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ appearing in Heaven in His Sacrificial Character, being adored in that Character, looking like a Lamb that had been slain, and being worshipped under that aspect in the very center of Heaven.
THIS morning [Sermon #2095, Volume 35—The Lamb in Glory.] we had a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ appearing in Heaven in His Sacrificial Character, being adored in that Character, looking like a Lamb that had been slain, and being worshipped under that aspect in the very center of Heaven. I tried, as far as ever I could, to insist upon it that we must never hide the Atoning Sacrifice—that Christ, as the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world—is always to be brought to the front, to be put foremost in our preaching and in our practice, too. In this verse we go a step further. This blessed Lamb appears in Heaven as the Mediator between God and men. At God's right hand was the Book of His Eternal Purposes. None dared even to look upon it—it was hopeless that any creature should be able to loose its seven seals. But there came forward this glorious Lamb who had the marks of His slaughter upon Him and He took the Book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the Throne of God! Thus He acted as Mediator, Interpreter—taking the will of God and translating it—letting us know the meaning of that writing of the right hand of God which we could never have deciphered, but which, when Christ looses the seals, is made clear to us! Jesus Christ, then, is seen as our Sacrifice in the capacity of Mediator and, in that capacity, He becomes the object of the adoration, first, of the Church, then of all the thousands and ten thousands of angels, and then of every creature that God has made! It would be too large a subject to take in all those hallelujahs and, therefore, in speaking, tonight, I select only these three verses to set forth the song of the Church, the adoration of the Church of God, rendered to the bleeding Lamb as the Mediator between God and men. I shall have only two divisions. First, behold the worshippers. And, secondly, listen to their song. I.
MUSIC HATH Charms.” I am sure sacred music has; for I have felt something of its charms whilst we have been singing that glorious hymn just now. There is a potency in harmony; there is a magic power in melody, which either melts the soul to pity, or lifts it up to joy unspeakable. I do not know how it may be with some minds; they possibly may resist the influence of singing; but I cannot.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Kings and priests - See Exo 19:6 (note); 1Pe 2:5 (note), 1Pe 2:9 (note), and the notes there.

The words behind it

14 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Revelation 1:6

    who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 20:6

      Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him…

    • Exodus 19:6

      And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”

    • 1 Peter 2:5–9

      you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

    • Isaiah 61:6

      But you will be called the priests of the LORD; they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will feed on the wealth of nations, and you will boast in their…

  • Through

    Daniel 7:18

    But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’

    it leads to

    • Daniel 7:27

      Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    Revelation 20:6

    Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him…

    it leads to

    • Revelation 2:11

      He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.

  • Through

    Revelation 22:5

    There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and…

    it leads to

    • Revelation 20:4

      Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    Daniel 7:27

    Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all…

    it leads to

    • Psalms 72:11

      May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.

Where this verse is studied

About Revelation

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, Jan and Hubert van Eyck, about 1430 to 1432. Public domain.
This page draws on 14 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 5:9-10; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1225: “Jesus, The Delight of Heaven” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 10: “The Kingly Priesthood of the Saints” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2321: “The Heavenly Singers and Their Song” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Hippolytus of Rome, Hippolytus Refutation of All Heresies Book X; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 5:9.