Revelation 10:4
in Revelation 10When the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to put it in writing. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
KJV
And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
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This verse in Revelation 10
Commentary
13 notes on this verseSeal up what the seven thunders have spoken, and do not write it down. The mysteries of the Christian faith are neither to be shown to all indiscriminately, lest they become cheap, nor hidden from the worthy, lest they be entirely unknown. Hence, later he …
This site's exposition
the seven thunders sounded their voices
on Revelation 10:3-4
The seven thunders sounded their voices, and John is about to write when a voice says Seal up what the seven thunders have said. It is the one revelation in the book John must withhold, like the sealed words of Daniel 12:4 and 12:9.
This site's exposition
Seal up what the seven thunders have said
John was about to put it in writing when the voice from heaven said Seal up what the seven thunders have said. The seven thunders are heard in the book, and their words are the one message John heard and did not write.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
He says that he was about to write what was spoken to the seven spirits. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have spoken, and do not write it down." The act of sealing, in one sense, involved …
It was said to him, "Do not write" that which you have heard, so that what is in mystery and is reserved to the church would not be revealed to those who are unworthy and faithless.… [Elsewhere] he says, "Do not seal up the words …
A commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
proposed
"Seven thunders uttered their voices."
The Medieval Church2 voices
This shows that what is now undisclosed is to be explained through experience and the course of the events themselves. And from the heavenly voice the Evangelist learned that the voices are to be imprinted on the mind but that the final understanding and the …
And he cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth. Just as the lion's cry inspires beasts with fear, so does Christ inspire beastlike men with fear by threatening through the holy preachers, according to this: The lion roareth, who will not fear? …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
And when the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to write. For earlier he heard: What you see, write in a book (Revelation I).
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Seal up those things which the seven thunders have uttered, and write them not - These are the only things of all which he heard that he is commanded to keep secret: so something peculiarly secret was revealed to the beloved John, besides all the secrets that are written in this book.
And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Though heard by John, they were not to be imparted by him to others in this book of Revelation; so terrible are they that God in mercy withholds them, since "sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." The godly are thus kept from morbid ponderings over the evil to come; and the ungodly are not driven by despair into utter recklessness of life.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices - After he had listened to those thunders; or when they had passed by. I was about to write - That is, he was about to record what was uttered, supposing that that was the design for which he hart been made to hear them. From this it would seem that it was not mere thunder - brutum fulmen - but that the utterance had a distinct and intelligible enunciation, or that words were employed that could be recorded. It may be observed, by the way, as Prof.
The words behind it
25 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 |
| ὅτε | hote | when | G3753 → | 103 times |
| ἐλάλησαν | elalesan | spoke | G2980 → | 294 times |
| αἱ | hai | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑπτὰ | hepta | seven | G2033 → | 86 times |
| βρονταί, | brontai | thunders, | G1027 → | 12 times |
| ἤμελλον | emellon | I was about | G3195 → | 109 times |
| γράφειν. | graphein | to write. | G1125 → | 189 times |
| καὶ | kai | But | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἤκουσα | ekousa | I heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| φωνὴν | phonen | a voice | G5456 → | 139 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανοῦ | ouranou | heaven | G3772 → | 272 times |
| λέγουσαν | legousan | saying | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| σφράγισον | sphragison | do seal | G4972 → | 15 times |
| ἃ | ha | what | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐλάλησαν | elalesan | spoke | G2980 → | 294 times |
| αἱ | hai | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑπτὰ | hepta | seven | G2033 → | 86 times |
| βρονταί, | brontai | thunders, | G1027 → | 12 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| αὐτὰ | auta | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| γράψῃς. | grapses | may write. | G1125 → | 189 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὅτεwhen
hoteG3753 →103 times
ἐλάλησανspoke
elalesanG2980 →294 times
αἱthe
haiG3588 →19766 times
ἑπτὰseven
heptaG2033 →86 times
βρονταί,thunders,
brontaiG1027 →12 times
ἤμελλονI was about
emellonG3195 →109 times
γράφειν.to write.
grapheinG1125 →189 times
καὶBut
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἤκουσαI heard
ekousaG191 →425 times
φωνὴνa voice
phonenG5456 →139 times
ἐκout of
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανοῦheaven
ouranouG3772 →272 times
λέγουσανsaying
legousanG3004 →1325 times
σφράγισονdo seal
sphragisonG4972 →15 times
ἃwhat
haG3739 →1405 times
ἐλάλησανspoke
elalesanG2980 →294 times
αἱthe
haiG3588 →19766 times
ἑπτὰseven
heptaG2033 →86 times
βρονταί,thunders,
brontaiG1027 →12 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
αὐτὰthem
autaG846 →5565 times
γράψῃς.may write.
grapsesG1125 →189 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
Deuteronomy 29:29The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.
it leads to
- Daniel 2:22
He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.
- Acts 1:7
Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.
- Romans 11:33–34
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
- Matthew 13:11
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
- Job 11:6–7
and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.
- Daniel 2:22
Through
Daniel 12:4But you, Daniel, shut up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase.”
it leads to
- Daniel 8:26
The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been spoken is true. Now you must seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Daniel 12:9
“Go on your way, Daniel,” he replied, “for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Daniel 8:26
Through
Daniel 12:9“Go on your way, Daniel,” he replied, “for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.
it leads to
- Daniel 12:4
But you, Daniel, shut up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Daniel 12:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Revelation
This page draws on 12 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 10:4; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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; Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 10:4 and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.