Revelation 5:4
in Revelation 5And I began to weep bitterly, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look thereon:
KJV
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
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This verse in Revelation 5
Commentary
17 notes on this verseA commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
"There was none found worthy to do this." Neither among the angels of heaven, nor among men in earth, nor among the souls of the saints in rest, save Christ the Son of God alone, whom he says that he saw as a Lamb standing as it were slain, having seven horns. What had not been then announced, and what the law had contemplated for Him by its various oblations and sacrifices, it behoved Himself to fulfil.
This site's exposition
no one in heaven
on Revelation 5:3-4
In all creation no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll. John weeps because no one was found worthy, and one of the elders stops his tears with the answer.
This site's exposition
And I began to weep bitterly
Gill saw John weep bitterly for the saints, who needed what was written inside the scroll. Wesley saw the book written with tears, and held that only those who weep will open it to their own eyes. Then the elder said, Do not weep.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Concious of his fraility and humanity this saint wept because he thought that there was no one worthy enough to understand or truly perceive these things.
It was the church that wept in John's weeping, for she is weighed down with the burden of sins and beseeches her own redemption, which was shown to exist in the opening of this book.
[Daniel 12:4] "But Thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time appointed. Many shall pass over, and knowledge shall be manifold." He who had revealed manifold truth to Daniel now signifies that the things he has said are matters of secrecy, and he orders him to roll up the scroll containing his words and set a seal upon the book, with the result that many shall read it and inquire as to its fulfilment in history, differing in their opinions because of its great obscurity. And as for the statement, "Many shall pass over" or "go through," this indicates that it will be read by many people. For it is a familiar expression to say: "I have gone through a book," or, "I have passed through an historical account." Indeed this is the idea which Isaiah also expressed in regard to the obscurity of his own book: "And the sayings of that book shall be like the words of a book that is sealed. And if they shall give it to an illiterate man, saying, 'Read it,' he will reply, 'I do not know how to read.' But if they give it to a man who does know how to read and say, 'Read the book,' he will reply, 'I cannot read it, because it is sealed up'" (Isaiah 29:11-12). Also in the Revelation of John, there is a book seen which is sealed with seven seals inside and outside. And when no one proves able to break its seals, John says, "I wept sore; and a voice came to me, saying, 'Weep not: behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book and break its seals'" (Revelation 5:1-5). But that book can be opened by one who has learned the mysteries of Scripture and understands its hidden truths, and its words which seem dark because of the greatness of the secrets they contain. He it is who can interpret the parables and transmute the letter which killeth into the spirit which quickeneth.
And the unworthiness of all became the cause of my lamentations.
The Medieval Church1 voice
wept. perhaps since the most spotless order of the angelic substances fell into ignorance.
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church4 voices
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open the book, nor to see it. By no means is it believed that John, who wrote this after the opening of this book, wept in his own person, but in that of the …
All wept who were lost in ignorance, men and those from the orders of the most pure and angelic ranks.
And I wept much. Recognizing the common misery of the human race, he grieved.
In this weeping John indicates the desire to know the future course of the Church.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And I wept much,.... Not so much on his own account, because he feared his curiosity would not be gratified, and that strong desire answered, which were raised in him upon sight of the book, and increased by the angel's proclamation; but for the sake of the church of God, whose representative he was, and to whom the knowledge of this book, and the things contained in it, he judged must be very useful and profitable.
And I wept much - A weeping which sprung from greatness of mind. The tenderness of heart which he always had appeared more clearly now he was out of his own power. The Revelation was not written without tears; neither without tears will it be understood.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy ... - Greek, as in Rev 5:3, no one. It would seem as if there was a pause to see if there were any response to the proclamation of the angel. There being none, John gave way to his deep emotions in a flood of tears.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
and to read--inserted in English Version Greek text without good authority. One oldest manuscript, ORIGEN, CYPRIAN, and HILARY omit the clause. "To read" would be awkward standing between "to open the book" and "to look thereon." John having been promised a revelation of "things which must be hereafter," weeps now at his earnest desire being apparently frustrated.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
I wept much - Because the world and the Church were likely to be deprived of the knowledge of the contents of the book.
The words behind it
13 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 |
| ἔκλαιον | eklaion | I was weeping | G2799 → | 39 times |
| πολὺ | polu | much | G4183 → | 367 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| οὐδεὶς | oudeis | no [one] | G3762 → | 232 times |
| ἄξιος | axios | worthy | G514 → | 41 times |
| εὑρέθη | heurethe | was found | G2147 → | 175 times |
| ἀνοῖξαι | anoixai | to open | G455 → | 77 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βιβλίον | biblion | scroll | G975 → | 34 times |
| οὔτε | oute | nor | G3777 → | 87 times |
| βλέπειν | blepein | to see | G991 → | 132 times |
| αὐτό. | auto | it. | G846 → | 5565 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔκλαιονI was weeping
eklaionG2799 →39 times
πολὺmuch
poluG4183 →367 times
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
οὐδεὶςno [one]
oudeisG3762 →232 times
ἄξιοςworthy
axiosG514 →41 times
εὑρέθηwas found
heuretheG2147 →175 times
ἀνοῖξαιto open
anoixaiG455 →77 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
βιβλίονscroll
biblionG975 →34 times
οὔτεnor
outeG3777 →87 times
βλέπεινto see
blepeinG991 →132 times
αὐτό.it.
autoG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Revelation 4:1After this I looked and saw a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had previously heard speak to me like a trumpet was saying, “Come up here, and I will show…
it leads to
- Revelation 11:12
And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.
- Exodus 24:12
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay here, so that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandments I have written…
- Revelation 1:19
Therefore write down the things you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that will happen after this.
- Revelation 1:10
On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
- Mark 1:10
As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove.
- Revelation 11:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies21
On this verse
About Revelation
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alcuin of York, COMMENTARY ON REVELATION; Andreas of Caesarea, Commentary (church-history corpus); Apringius of Beja, Commentary (church-history corpus); Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER TWELVE; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Nerses of Lambron, Commentary (church-history corpus); Nicholas of Lyra, Commentary (church-history corpus); Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 5:4 and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.