Revelation 15:6
in Revelation 15And out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean and bright linen and girded with golden sashes around their chests.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and there came out from the temple the seven angels that had the seven plagues, arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles.
KJV
And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
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This verse in Revelation 15
Commentary
14 notes on this verseThe seven angels came out of the temple - To show that they were sent from God himself. Clothed in pure and white linen - Habited as priests. For these habits see Exo 28:6, Exo 28:8; and see the note on Rev 1:13.
This site's exposition
the tabernacle of the Testimony
on Revelation 15:5-6
The title the tabernacle of the Testimony recalls Exodus 38:21, the tent that housed the law in the ark. The angels wear priestly linen and golden sashes, as the Son of Man did at 1:13, so the plagues come out of the sanctuary.
This site's exposition
dressed in clean and bright linen
Some manuscripts read stone for linen, the Greek words differing by one letter, and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown take the harder reading as likely original. The Berean text keeps the linen, the dress of priestly service.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 15:5-6 · Written before 560.
proposed
The hidden secrets of the testimonies foretold concerning Christ and the church are now revealed. [The seven angels with the seven plagues] are the church against which a hostile portion rebelled through unending treacheries. Therefore it says that plagues come out, either for the defense …
From there, the seven angels, he says, came out. For where else should the heavenly ministers of God be seen as coming forth but from the heavenly temple? And he says they had in their hands seven plagues which they would pour out upon the …
The Medieval Church3 voices
The seer says that a "tent" was in heaven, and it was according to the likeness of this tent that God commanded Moses to build the tabernacle below. He says that from this temple angels proceeded out, dressed in "pure linen" or, as some copies …
And girded around their chests with golden belts. Whoever wants to preach strong things should not only mortify the body but also gird the chest with the gold of wisdom. Or certainly to gird the chest with golden belts is to restrain all the movements …
Clothed in pure bright linen. As many (the Apostle says) as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Gal. III). For He is the supreme cornerstone chosen. Or if you understand the singular number for the plural, it signifies various ornaments of virtues. Another …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
And the seven angels came out, having the seven plagues from the temple. This is what Mark says: But they went out and preached everywhere.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
God himself was now preaching to the church and to all the world, by terrible things in righteousness; but, when this work was done, then the churches would have rest, the temple would be opened, and the solemn assemblies gathered, edified, and multiplied. The greatest deliverances of the church are brought about by awful and astonishing steps of Providence.
Pure - unspotted, unsullied. White - Or bright and shining, which implies much more than bare innocence. And having their breasts girt with golden girdles - In token of their high dignity and glorious rest.
And the seven angels came out of the temple,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But A, C, and Vulgate, "a stone." On the principle that the harder reading is the one least likely to be an interpolation, we should read, "a stone pure ('and' is omitted in A, B, C, and ANDREAS), brilliant" (so the Greek): probably the diamond.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And the seven angels - See the notes on Rev 15:1. Came out of the temple - Were seen to come from the temple; that is, from the immediate presence of God. Having the seven plagues - See the notes on Rev 15:1. Each one entrusted with a single “plague” to be executed upon the earth. The meaning here is, that they were designated or appointed to execute those plagues in judgments. The symbols of their office - the golden vials - were given to them afterward, Rev 15:7. Clothed in pure and white linen - The emblem of holiness - the common representation in regard to the heavenly inhabitants. See the notes on Rev 3:4; Rev 7:13. Compare Mat 17:2; Luk 9:29; Mar 16:5. And having their breasts girded with golden girdles - See the notes on Rev 1:13. The meaning is, that they were attired in a manner befitting their rank and condition.
The words behind it
24 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 |
| ἐξῆλθον | exelthon | came forth | G1831 → | 216 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑπτὰ | hepta | seven | G2033 → | 86 times |
| ἄγγελοι | angeloi | angels | G32 → | 175 times |
| οἱ | hoi | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔχοντες | echontes | having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἑπτὰ | hepta | seven | G2033 → | 86 times |
| πληγὰς | plegas | plagues | G4127 → | 22 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ναοῦ | naou | temple | G3485 → | 45 times |
| ἐνδεδυμένοι | endedumenoi | having clothed themselves in | G1746 → | 27 times |
| λίνον | linon | linen | G3043 → | |
| καθαρὸν | katharon | pure | G2513 → | 27 times |
| λαμπρὸν | lampron | bright | G2986 → | 9 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| περιεζωσμένοι | periezosmenoi | having girded themselves with | G4024 → | |
| περὶ | peri | around | G4012 → | |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| στήθη | stethe | chests | G4738 → | |
| ζώνας | zonas | sashes | G2223 → | |
| χρυσᾶς. | chrusas | golden. | G5552 → | 18 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξῆλθονcame forth
exelthonG1831 →216 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἑπτὰseven
heptaG2033 →86 times
ἄγγελοιangels
angeloiG32 →175 times
οἱthose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἔχοντεςhaving
echontesG2192 →707 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
ἑπτὰseven
heptaG2033 →86 times
πληγὰςplagues
plegasG4127 →22 times
ἐκout
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
ναοῦtemple
naouG3485 →45 times
ἐνδεδυμένοιhaving clothed themselves in
endedumenoiG1746 →27 times
λίνονlinen
linonG3043 →
καθαρὸνpure
katharonG2513 →27 times
λαμπρὸνbright
lampronG2986 →9 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
περιεζωσμένοιhaving girded themselves with
periezosmenoiG4024 →
περὶaround
periG4012 →
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
στήθηchests
stetheG4738 →
ζώναςsashes
zonasG2223 →
χρυσᾶς.golden.
chrusasG5552 →18 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
Revelation 1:13and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest.
it leads to
- Daniel 7:13
In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led…
- Daniel 10:16
And suddenly one with the likeness of a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and said to the one standing before me, “My lord, because of the vision, I am overcome…
- Daniel 10:5–6
I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
- Exodus 28:6–8
They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.
- Daniel 7:13
Through
Revelation 14:15Then another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the One seated on the cloud, “Swing Your sickle and reap, because the time has come to harvest; for…
it leads to
- Joel 3:13
Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because their wickedness is great.
- Mark 4:29
And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
- Matthew 13:39
and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
- Joel 3:13
Through
Revelation 15:1Then I saw another great and marvelous sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven final plagues, with which the wrath of God is completed.
it leads to
- Leviticus 26:21
If you walk in hostility toward Me and refuse to obey Me, I will multiply your plagues seven times, according to your sins.
- Leviticus 26:21
Where this verse is studied
About Revelation
This page draws on 11 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); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 15:5-6; 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 and Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 15:5-6.